Posts tagged "fleas"

As of September 2010, Carbaryl, a toxin currently being used in flea collars will be discontinued, reports the Portland Pet Health Examiner. Carbaryl, also known by its trade name, Sevin, "is a broad-spectrum insecticide used on lawns and gardens and agriculture crops that include apples, pecans, grapes, alfalfa, oranges, and corn."

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an international nonprofit environmental organization, considers carbaryl "highly toxic", and has pushed the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to get Wellmark International to discontinue using carbaryl in its pet flea collars, reports the Portland Pet Health Examiner.

While that may seem like good news, the NRDC published a startling and groundbreaking report in April 2009 that two pesticides -- tetrachlorvinphos and propoxur -- are still being used in flea collars, posing a significant danger to children, adults and animals. "High levels of pesticide residue can remain on a dog's or cat's fur for weeks after a flea collar is put on an animal," the NRDC report states. "Some residue levels are so high that they pose a risk of cancer and damage to the neurological system of children up to 1,000 times higher than the EPA's acceptable levels."

And that's not all. "Children are particularly at risk from these pesticides because their neurological and metabolic systems are still developing," the report further states. "They are also more likely than adults to put their hands in their mouths after petting an animal, and so are more likely to ingest the hazardous residues."

The NRDC is urging the EPA to ban the use of tetrachlorvinphos and propoxur in pet products. In the meanwhile, the organization suggests more natural methods of flea control, such as bathing your pet, combing its fur to find fleas, regular vaccuming and keeping grass and shrubbery clipped. The NRDC also recommends the use of pet products with Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) found in sprays, spot applications, collars and pills. For more information, visit www.greenpaws.org.

This spring, the Environmental Protection Agency announced it was taking a hard look at pesticide products for controlling fleas and ticks in dogs and cats. EPA spokesman Dale Kemery told Paw Nation that the products have come under scrutiny due to a sharp increase in reports of negative reactions to the drugs. Reports of such problems jumped from about 29,000 in 2007 to about 44,000 in 2008, according to EPA data. Those reactions ranged from mild skin irritation to more serious incidents, including seizures and even death.

Spot-on flea and tick treatments are liquid pesticides typically applied to the skin between the animal's shoulder blades or along the back. Some of those products, like Advantage, are sold only through licensed vets. Others, like Frontline and Hartz, are available in retail stores. But don't let that difference fool you. Spot-ons from vets and from pet shops can contain the same chemicals, and they're subject to exactly the same regulations by the EPA. "EPA is looking at all the spot-on products, regardless of formulation, regardless of manufacturer," said Kemery.

Spokespersons for both Bayer Animal Health (which makes Advantage and Advantix products) and Hartz said they haven't seen a rise in adverse effects from their products. They and other manufacturers of spot-on products are working closely with the EPA to get to the bottom of the story, Bob Walker, spokesman for Bayer Animal Health, told us.

The news of the EPA analysis has left many pet owners feeling confused and frightened. But is the problem as scary as it sounds? Steven Hansen, senior vice president of the Animal Health Services at the ASPCA, told us he's skeptical that adverse reactions to spot-on products have increased so dramatically. He points out that the spike in reported problems came just after the widely publicized pet-food recall of 2007. "The pet-food recall raised awareness for reporting issues with animals to a level we haven't ever been anywhere near," he said. "I really wonder if there's not just a much greater awareness and a greater reporting."

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With winters becoming more mild, pest populations are increasing, turning into a major nuisance, to say the least. New Scientist reports that, "the European dog tick is transmitting a malaria-like disease, canine babesiosis, into countries where it was once rare including Belgium, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands. Meanwhile, lxodes ticks are living at greater densities across Europe, increasing their risk of passing tick-borne encephalitis to horses and dogs."

Heartworm, cat flea typhus, and canine leishmaniasis are of concern as well, and not just in Europe. Tick, flea, and mosquito numbers are ballooning everywhere.

What can you do to protect your pets and yourself?

• Check yourself and your furry friend for ticks anytime you're out in tick prone areas.
• Use flea killing meds such as Advantage or Revolution to keep biters at bay.
• Keep your pup up-to-date on heartworm meds.

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According to a new (scary) report from the Environmental Protection Agency, topical and on-spot flea and tick medications injured 44,000 pets last year.

The study looked at EPA-registered pet products, commonly found at drug stores or on supermarket shelves in 2008. Sprays, collars, and shampoos – anything topical or on-spot to treat ticks and fleas - were included.

Most of the potential incident reports involved spot-on treatments, like the ones sold in tubes or vials and used on a specific part of your pet's body. Reactions included rashes, seizures, and, in some cases, death.

To play it safe, you may want to skip the grocery aisle for your flea and tick products. "Stick with a product you're getting from a veterinarian," advises Dr. Matthew Cooper. Side effects caused by over-the-counter medications don't come as a surprise to veterinarians, who often urge pet owners to stick with doctor-recommended products.

To see if you've been using one of the EPA-products in question, look at the EPA Registration Number on the label and check its web site. The seven products, which pet owners can identify using the label, accounted for about 80 percent of the incidents, the agency said.

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