The Internet is an excellent online source for finding pet medications at a low cost.  However, when deciding to use new medications for your pet, whether its switching your brand of flea medication or trying the latest products out on the market, it is always best to consult your veterinarian first.  If you choose to skip this vital step, the consequences for your pet could be disastrous.

As an example, Bio Spot flea medications for dogs have received some recent criticism because of some adverse side effects after the medication was applied.  One dog received severe chemical burns to her skin that, even after treatment and several visits to the vet, left terrible scarring.  Another dog that used the product had a seizure shortly after application of the product to its skin.  Both pet owners claim they used the product as directed, and the reason they bought this over-the-counter product was because it was cheaper and seemed to contain chemicals found commonly in the top flea medications.  In fact, Bio Spot for dogs contains S-Methoprene, which is found in Frontline Plus, and Permethrin, which is found in K-9 Advantix.

Incidents have been on the rise, and calls reporting adverse side effects to the EPA are up 50% from 2007 to 2008.  In fact, some products that were listed as EPA approved are among the products with incidents reported.  And when it comes to flea medications, all treatment types have the potential to cause adverse side effects on your pet.  However, the EPA lists spot-on treatments as the products with the highest incidents reported.  Of course in that same vein, spot-on treatments are the most popular and common flea treatment styles, and so would be expected to have the highest number of incidences reported.  These products have caused rashes where the medication is applied, chemical burns to the skin, seizures shortly after application, and in some instances, death.  In fact, Bio Spot is a spot on flea treatment that is registered with the EPA.  The increase in incidences has led the EPA to recheck the products they had initially approved in order to be certain these products are indeed safe for your pet.  They are also encouraging veterinarians to report all incidences to an online portal, where the information for particular products and their side effects can be registered and reviewed nationally.

Some of the highest incidents in major reactions to flea medications come from products that use pyrethroids.  This is a class of synthetic chemicals that are similar to the natural pyrethrum form found in chrysanthemum flowers.  However, these synthetic versions are much stronger, and subsequently much more effective as pest repellants.  This class of chemicals includes permethrin as well as resmithrin and sumithrin.  Permethrin is a chemical known to be lethal to cats, and is only used in dog-specific medications.  This chemical is so dangerous for cats that dogs that may be suspected of coming in to contact with cats (from potential grooming) should not be treated with permethrin-based products.  Some of the reactions to pyrethroid-based medications have included heart attacks, brain damage, and seizures.  Only about 6% of non-pyrethroid products account for any major chemical reactions in pets.

Any chemical product has the potential to have side effects for your pet.  And because every pet is different, it is hard to know exactly which products are best for your pet and its needs.  This is why consulting your veterinarian is such an important part of choosing the right products for your pet.  As I have mentioned in other articles, your veterinarian knows what allergies your pet may have as well as what dosages are appropriate for your pet.  And when your pet has allergies, compromises to its immune system, or other health issues is when it is most vulnerable to potential drug side effects.  The reason we started using pet medications in the first place was to protect our pet and it’s health.  It only makes sense that we would take every precaution to ensure we don’t expose our pets to products that could make them sick or even kill them.  Your vet cares about your pet and is there to try and help you make the best decisions, so talk to them.

Tags: cats, dogs, fleas, frontline, k9 advantix, pet meds, ticks

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 3rd, 2009 at 12:12 pm and is filed under Disease Care, Flea & Ticks, News, Pet Medications. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.