Question:
I used flea-medicine drops on our little dog, Minnie Pearl, last December. I applied them at about 5 p.m., and by 11 p.m. that night, she had a severe seizure -- I thought I had lost her. I had to work with her and the veterinarian for three months to get her back to normal.
To see her go through all of this was horrible, and I have no doubt that the drops (manufactured by Hartz) caused the problem. I stopped applying the drops, and she hasn't had a seizure since. I hope no one else has to go through this.
L.H., Springfield, Mo Jul 11, 2010
Answer:
You are one of many pet owners whose dog or cat has had a severe and sometimes fatal reaction to anti-flea drops/spot-on chemicals. If you have a computer, report your experiences to www.biospotvictims.org. The foot-dragging of federal and state regulators to do anything substantive to address the entire matter of over-the-counter anti-flea and anti-parasite drugs that harm thousands of animals annually is deplorable. It shows the power of business interests. My advice is to only get such products as a last resort when safe methods of integrated flea control break down, and then only from a veterinarian who is more likely than not selling safer products and will provide strict instructions to follow. Never buy over-the-counter medications, pesticides or worming medicines -- you may save some money but lose your animal companion.
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