Warning ! Flea & tick control!

[kendal]

found this on my agility forum thought it might interest you

I am always wary when it comes to chemicals and my dogs.

To keep fleas ticks etc off my dogs I give them a shake of Garlic powder in their dinner or 1 glove per week in their dinner (Border Collie size dog)


HOW EVER THIS SAD STORY MAKE YOU THINK. read it and decide for yourself




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Advantage, Frontline, k9 Advantix

..I'm certain some of you use this stuff and have small dogs, Worth reading. .

This is a cross-post only. You are free to pass it on to others. I have blind copied personal e-mail addy's for their protection. If you receive more than one copy of this we are simply on more than one group together or you are on one or more of mine.

IMPORTANT for those with small pets

Pass this on. Sad, but true...........

Sorry for the lengthy story, but it is important to pass on to anyone who has a dog or cat. This is absolutely a true story. It is my very own, sad, story.

As most of you know, Paul and I have always had dogs as part of our family. Two years ago, a good friend gave us two beautiful Pomeranian/Chihuahua mix puppies to care for and love. But something went terribly wrong this week. We lost our beautiful, playful, loving, 4.45 lb, Jaz. She died so unexpectedly, and so tragically. We are really struggling with this more than any other animal we have ever lost. We are still in shock! HOW did she die? Well, this is what you have to pass on to everyone you know who has a dog, particularly if it is under 25 lbs.

Since Jaz was 1 yr old I started giving her K9 Advantix, from mid spring to early fall, to protect her from fleas, mosquitoes and ticks. I was sure to watch the label to give her the appropriate dosage, and apply it in the manner suggested. The package I bought was for, and I quote, "puppies over 7 weeks old and older dogs under 10 lbs." Little did I know I wasn't protecting her, but slowly killing her. (Revolution does have doses for dogs under 5 lbs...but it had never been prescribed for
Jaz.) In fact, I was so sure of this product, I was trying to coerce my sister into using a similar product on her cats.

Products that we are all familiar with, such as the one I used, and including Advantage, Frontline, Capstar and Revolution are all pesticides. Do you know what Permithrin or Selamectin is used for? Killing ants and other insects. It is very toxic. The vet said, it would be the same as giving your dog a teaspoon of Raid every day. (Revolution seems to have a lower percentage of active ingredients...so it might be safer to use...or just might take longer before signs are recognized).

K9 Advantix has TWO toxic active ingredients!

If you were to call the manufacturers of these products they will tell you it does not enter the blood stream. And, if the dog/cat show signs of stress, just simply give them a bath to wash it away. Revolutions label states it enters the blood stream, and cannot be washed away. All will insist their product does no harm to your pet. However, the Vet
says something quite different. Jaz was taken care of by two Vets over the past three days. Each from a different facility and not related to each other. Each told me the same thing!

Here is what happens: Once the poison is given to your dog via a liquid applied to the skin. It enters their system...and never fully leaves it. Some of the toxins remain. The following month you give another dose and more toxins remain in the body... until finally the toxicity is so great it begins to break down the organs, gets into the blood stream, and then all havoc breaks loose. The Vets said, because Jaz was so small, after the first six doses, I probably would never have had to give her anymore for the next THREE YEARS. That's how long it could have stayed active in her body. Larger dogs & cats tolerate it better, but in time, the same thing happens. By the time a larger dog starts having problems, their owners and vets think it is a sign of aging...and rarely ever look into toxic poisoning. They said they are seeing more and more evidence of this happening to our pets. Advantage and Advantix have only been out since aprx. 2002. Over t he past two years we are hearing more about the actual affects of these products.

There are symptoms to watch for. The unfortunate thing is, you don't recognize the symptoms, until too late. Why is this? Because one doesn't usually acquaint the symptoms with a product you have been giving your pet for some time. Early symptoms could simply be, skin rashes, and a little more shedding than usual. In larger dogs, they might become more
aggressive. By the way, there are no signs to watch for on the label...only instructions for humans if they touch or swallow this poison. (Revolution dose have a few warnings) Jaz had a small skin problem on her lower back. I was told it was just a normal dog thing and to change shampoo, and given an ointment. Well it turns out, it was a "burn" from the toxins.

Later symptoms are, seizures, (most people think seizures are due to breed and aging dogs, brain malfunctions, etc.) Throwing up two to three times a day (many will think it do to food or something they ate outside). Increased urinating and a need for a lot of water. Listless. Runny eyes. Eventually bleeding.

The only symptom Jaz had that we could have caught was the small skin rash or "burn." Notice how things quickly progressed. After giving her the last dose, a week ago Monday, within two days she seemed to become listless. Then she perked up again, like her old self, so we thought she was over whatever ailed her...a 48 hour flu. Then we noticed on
Friday, she was always going to the bathroom. She chose not to sleep in her bed with her sister, and using her stuffed bunny as a pillow, but she wanted to be away from everyone, choosing to sleep on a cold floor on the side of the sofa, where she could not be seen. For three days, we filled her water dish every couple of hours, and within minutes she was eliminating it. However, she was eating well. But, by Sunday, she could barely walk, now preferring to lay on the cool tile floor but near
her water dish. When we returned home from church, we noticed her shivering. So I sat with her, covered in a blanket. On Sunday she also stopped eating. No Vet or animal hospital was open. Even the animal emergency center had closed for some reason. We had to wait until Monday to get her to a vet. First thing Monday I took her to the vet, who immediately recommended hospitalization. He said it was either kidney failure or diabetes. At the hospital they gave her xrays and blood
tests, took stool samples, urinalysis. They ruled out everything. All her vital organs seemed OK. She had slight fever so they put her on an antibiotic drip. As the hours went by, nothing worked. Then she had a seizure. As more time went by they realized it was Toxic poisoning. The doctors drilled me on things she ate. Things and plants to look for in our yard. Then they asked what type of flea control I was using. That did it. However, because these reactions are just now making themselves
known, most vets do not know what antidote to give. They put her on various drips of stronger antibiotics and other things to try to flush the poison out, but nothing worked. That began their mad search to find out more. One vet had three people on-line to find out as much as they could. I pulled out my lap-top and tried to help. At 2Am we were still trying to find a way to help her. Another tried to get info from the Bayer Co. who manufactures K9 Ad. They were more concerned about a law
suit, insisting their product couldn't be at fault. Two vets kept making calls to Poison Control Center..but no one would return calls. We knew she wasn't going to survive, but thought we would give docs until 10:00AM the next morning. If nothing changed, we would approve of putting her down. However, I was called into the hospital at 7Am, she had three seizures that night, after I left at 2:30AM. When she saw me, her eyes seem to say I'm glad your here to be with me. Doctor said she
was not in pain, just in panic from being in a strange place with strange people. We decided not to "put her to sleep" unless she started having problems. She went into a peaceful sleep and died two hours later. Then, we got the call from the Poison Control Center. They didn't know what to give a dog.

The information we found on-line is incredible. There are thousands of blogs all over the country. People begging other people to stop using these products on their dogs. (To be fair, there are as many that say how great the products are.most are on websites that sell the products). What happened to Jaz, has and will continue to happen to other dogs until word gets out, or the manufacturers change the product, does better labeling, responds to emergencies, and prepares antidotes
for those who are suffering from this poison. Vets must learn more. Jaz body was donated to a Veterinarian research team. Perhaps her small body will aid in finding a way to help other small pets survive this poison.

Within three hours of Jaz dying. I heard EIGHT stories of other people having the same thing happen to them or a friend of theirs. These stories were not from strangers, but from people I know. If they had passed on their story earlier, perhaps I could have saved my little friend the agony she went through. I also learned there was recently an episode on a program similar to 20/20 or 60 minutes that investigated the same things I am mentioned, I am hoping, through my hurt and sadness,
that I can, maybe, help prevent the same thing happening to you or someone you know.

My advice, please tell your friends and family, to stop using these products on their small pets. In fact, use it with great caution on larger dogs as well.

We all want them,and our homes to be free from fleas. So, if you or your friends decide to keep using these poisons, do so sparingly...and watch over your pet ever so closely for any type of reaction or change, however minor it might be...even during the months you don't give them this 'medication.' Help your friends and family help their pets! I only wish I had known this earlier.

Please pass on the word...and thank you for reading such a long story. (Someday I may learn how to make a long story short, rather than a short story, long).

Deborah Wilson
Broker Associate
RE/MAX North Orange County[/b]
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microchiping and grooming www.chipnclip.co.uk

[marcella]

Kendal, I think the danger of flea treatment was posted here on the forum before ......... must have a look but from memory I think Frontline was mentioned.
It's quite scary, you assume your doing the right thing by treating them for fleas and ticks.
Might be best to stick to the garlic and drops of lavender oil!!!!

[Gaelle]

God, that's scary! Thankfully in the past when I asked my vet if I should get some for Cuthbert he said no need and that any infestation would be easily seen with him being white. I have to admit I have wondered about the use of flea products especially in a pup and now that I've seen that article I'll definitely not go down that route!! Thanks for posting it!!!

[Lindy]

Right thats it it will be garlic in there dinner from now on and no toxic rubbish thats so scary

[Emma*]

Such a sad story.

When i got Skye they gave me a box of frontline There are still 2 packs left in it. I have never used any of it, i think that will be going in the bin then!!
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Happiness is being loved by 2 Great Danes

[Ashley]

Oh god thats really scary! Thanks for posting that Kendal!
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Ashley with Holly & Murphy.
I hope to one day be as great as my dog thinks I am right now!!

[Claire/Mark]

God that's so scary what would you use as an alternative then to keeps fleas etc under control? a know you say garlic but what garlic do you buy and does this keep them under control?

[Dan McK]

Garlic MIGHT keep fleas under control... but I seriously doubt it would stop ticks, and these wee things carry serious disease.

So if you only walk your dog in parks and urban areas, fine.

But if you take them into wilderness areas where dear and sheep are common, it could be a matter of weighing up which is worse?

I will continue to use Fontline, but now that I am aware of POSSIBLE side effects will be vigilant.

p.s. I use DEET on myself to keep midges/ticks at bay and there arn't many things more toxic than this.
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Parsons Russell fanatic

[carol]

Well Dan your wrong there regarding the ticks.

I have not had ticks on my dogs for years (including my PRT and long haired border collies) and they get many rural walks, including areas of high bracken and ferns.

They ticks might attach themselves but quick drop of as they don't like the garlic in the blood steam.

I would never put pesticide of myself so why would I think its okay for an animal.

Anyway, that my opinion, how ever I would say you need to try it first and see the results for yourself!

You can sprinkle garlic powder of buy fresh garlic and 1/2 cloves a week crushed into your dogs dinner, alternatively brewers yeast works just as well.

ps eating garlic in your own meals is also a great deterrent for midges/ ticks

[marcella]

there's actually many benefits to eating garlic. It is a natural healer.

[JennyMc]

Bear has had 2 ticks in his lifetime and removed. Weird as both dogs were out together and she was fine, think he just likes to be different. Rubbed a bit of alcohol on them first and tweezers to get head! He does eat garlic too. In the summer he uses Avon skin so soft for midges. No chemicals needed. Would only use flea stuff if they got fleas which touch wood they haven't

[Claire/Mark]

Well am going to start using Garlic, way too scary not too.... I will start putting it in Mylo's diner when he is eating correctly.... Could you buy the frozen garlic as well then

[shirley c]

Allan swears by garlic, he eats it all summer....no midges but wife stays away too, cause he is stinkin
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lurchers Pixel and Zev and whippet, Fen
3 cats, Greebo, Yu and Lexx - 2 ferrets and Dales pony Jazz and adopted pony, April

[Ashley]

wow this is really interesting.

Like Dan, I use Deet on myself when i was in Africa, and it is highly toxic... but i dont use Frontline or anything else of the sort on the dog....
Just the same as I will eat junk, but not let her!!

I'll definitely be buying lots of garlic from now on - for the dog, and for me.

C'mon geez a kiss
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Ashley with Holly & Murphy.
I hope to one day be as great as my dog thinks I am right now!!

[StuartW]

Folks,

Before we all jump on the garlic bandwagon...

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Hematologic changes associated with the appearance of eccentrocytes after intragastric administration of garlic extract to dogs.
Lee KW, Yamato O, Tajima M, Kuraoka M, Omae S, Maede Y.

Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether dogs given garlic extract developed hemolytic anemia and to establish the hematologic characteristics induced experimentally by intragastric administration of garlic extract. ANIMALS: 8 healthy adult mixed-breed dogs. PROCEDURE: 4 dogs were given 1.25 ml of garlic extract/kg of body weight (5 g of whole garlic/kg) intragastrically once a day for 7 days. The remaining 4 control dogs received water instead of garlic extract. Complete blood counts were performed, and methemoglobin and erythrocyte-reduced glutathione concentrations, percentage of erythrocytes with Heinz bodies, and percentage of eccentrocytes were determined before and for 30 days after administration of the first dose of garlic extract. Ultrastructural analysis of eccentrocytes was performed. RESULTS: Compared with initial values, erythrocyte count, Hct, and hemoglobin concentration decreased to a minimum value on days 9 to 11 in dogs given garlic extract. Heinz body formation, an increase in erythrocyte-reduced glutathione concentration, and eccentrocytes were also detected in these dogs. However, no dog developed hemolytic anemia. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The constituents of garlic have the potential to oxidize erythrocyte membranes and hemoglobin, inducing hemolysis associated with the appearance of eccentrocytes in dogs. Thus, foods containing garlic should not be fed to dogs. Eccentrocytosis appears to be a major diagnostic feature of garlic-induced hemolysis in dogs.

PMID: 11108195 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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The smaller the dog, the more toxic anything will be to it.. be that Frontline or Garlic.

So, let's not replace one toxin with another