[Cagdu] FW: story on Bio Spot / K9 Advantix Almost killing dogs

[tina thomas]

Subject: story on Bio Spot / K9 Advantix Almost killing dogs




I found the story below wile looking for info on K9 Advantix I use 
Frontline now but am hearing alot about how it has becoming less 
usefull in states like NC. the nabors are telling me that that there 
dogs and cats where coverd in flease even after using it and so I 
was looking for somthing better .

It talks about The main active ingredient in Bio Spot Permethrin 
witch is used in more than 18 similar products, including Bayer K9 
Advantix, Defend EXspot, and Hartz Control OneSpot). It kills 
insects by paralyzing their nervous system (that is also how nerve 
gas works). However, it cannot distinguish between an insect's 
nervous system, a dog's nervous system,

HAS any one hear of this ?

Farnam's Bio Spot Flea & Tick Almost Killed Our Dog."
Six months ago, my family adopted 

a one and a half year old Dalmatian, 

named Hamish. He had been in a 

high kill shelter in Connecticut, and 

was rescued just one day before he 

was scheduled to be destroyed. 

To protect him from fleas and ticks, 

we chose Frontline - a liquid that is 

applied to the dog's back. It gave

us peace of mind knowing that he

had this protection, but it had to be 

purchased from a veterinarian and 

was quite expensive. 

One day while shopping, I came

across an over-the-counter product, 

called Bio Spot Flea & Tick Control 

(by Farnam Pet Products). It looked 

similar to the Frontline product, but it was much cheaper, so I 
decided to try it. The Bio Spot seemed to work just as well as 
Frontline, so I used it again six weeks later. 

An hour after applying the Bio Spot, I found Hamish thrashing about 
on the ground. His body was completely stiff. His head was raised 
in the air, and his jaws were opened wide. A thick foamy saliva was 
spewing from his mouth. Horrified, I tried to determine if something 
was stuck in his throat. His windpipe was clear, but he was not 
breathing. His eyes began to roll back in his head. He was dying 
and I did not know what to do to save him! We made a desperate call 
to our veterinarian.

IF YOU SUSPECT AN ADVERSE REACTION TO A FLEA CONTROL 
PRODUCT...

1. BATHE YOUR PET WITH MILD SOAP, SUCH A DAWN DISH DETERGENT, AND 
RINSE

WITH LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER. DO NOT USE FLEA AND TICK SHAMPOO

BECAUSE IT CONTAINS PESTICIDE.

2. IF SIGNS CONTINUE (LETHARGY, LOSS OF APPETITE, DROOLING, 
INCOORDINATION,

LABORED BREATHING, INCREASED EXCITABILITY, ELEVATED BODY 
TEMPERATURE, 

VOMITING, DIARRHEA, OR SEIZURES), CONSULT A VETERINARIAN 
IMMEDIATELY.

3. REPORT IT TO THE MANUFACTURER OF THE PRODUCT AND THE U.S. EPA.

After a few minutes, Hamish slowly began to recover. We had just 
witnessed something we had never seen before - a grand mal (severe) 
seizure. Our veterinarian said that a blood test might help to find 
the cause, and mentioned the possibility of epilepsy. By the 
afternoon, Hamish looked much better, but that night he endured three 
more grand mal seizures. 

Why would a healthy dog have four grand mal seizures within twenty 
hours? I searched the Internet for information on epilepsy, and read 
that if seizures begin to occur frequently, the animal may have to be 
euthanized! We would not know the results of the blood test for a 
week, but we had a feeling it was 

not epilepsy, and wondered if the seizures were caused by the Bio 
Spot.

It seemed unlikely that Bio Spot could have caused the seizures 
because we had used it (same batch) just six weeks earlier with no 
adverse effects. Also, the packaging did not list seizures as a 
possible adverse reaction (it listed only lethargy, itchiness, 
redness, rash, hair discoloration, or hair loss). 

Just in case the seizures were caused by the Bio Spot, we thoroughly 
washed Hamish to remove as much of it as possible, and took him to 
our veterinarian for a physical exam and blood test. The exam showed 
that everything was normal, and the blood test revealed no internal 
problems. Our veterinarian

could not rule out Bio Spot as the cause of the seizures.

Hamish has not had any seizures since the Bio Spot was thoroughly 
washed off three weeks ago, and appears to be in good health. 
However, we worry about irrepairable damage that may have been done 
to his neurological system, and wonder if short-term exposure to the 
chemicals in BioSpot will cause any long-term health problems.

CONSUMER ALERT
July 14, 2002
How Bio Spot Works
According to Farnam's website, the ingredients in Bio Spot "move 
around your dog's coat by several processes including diffusion and 
capillary action, and transfer from hair to hair as the pet moves." 
That may lead you to believe that it remains on your dog's coat, 
therefore it's safe for your dog. The truth is these harmful 
chemicals are absorbed through the skin and enter the bloodstream. 
That is also how transdermal patches work - they use the skin as a 
way to enter the body.

The main active ingredient in Bio Spot is a pesticide known as 
Permethrin (it is used in more than 18 similar products, including 
Bayer K9 Advantix, Defend EXspot, and Hartz Control OneSpot). It 
kills insects by paralyzing their nervous system (that is also how 
nerve gas works). However, it cannot distinguish between an insect's 
nervous system, a dog's nervous system, or a human's nervous system. 
That is why it is important to wash your hands thoroughly with soap 
and water after handling. 
BY JAMES TERBUSH
James TerBush is a designer of educational games, and lives in 
Pennsylvania.
R Serious Risk to Health
While never claiming their Bio Spot product is safe for dogs, the 
Farnam website states, "Nearly all dogs tolerate Bio Spot well." 
However, that does not mean it is safe for ANY dog. The 
word "tolerate" means 

to bear, endure, or suffer. According to the Natural Resources 
Defense Council:

"Many and perhaps most Americans believe that commercially available 
pesticides, such as those found in pet products, are tightly 
regulated by the government. In fact, they are not. Not until the 
passage of a 1996 law focused on pesticides in food did the 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) begin examining the risks from 
pesticides in pet products in earnest. To this day, the EPA allows 
the manufacture and sale of pet products containing hazardous 
insecticides with little or no demonstration that a child's exposure 
to these ingredients would be safe. Just because these products are 
on store shelves does 

not mean they have been tested or can be presumed safe."

"Of course, as bad as these products may be for pet owners and 
caregivers, they often are worse for 

the pets themselves. Based on the very limited data available, it 
appears that hundreds and probably thousands of pets have been 
injured or killed through exposure to pet products containing 
pesticides. 

As with small children, pets cannot report when they're being 
poisoned at low doses."



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