RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Does your dog or cat run away when you approach with a tube of Frontline to squeeze between his or her shoulder blades? That may be good instinct. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is increasing restrictions on flea and tick products for dogs and cats after confirming a spike in reported adverse reactions, including skin irritation, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, trembling, depression, and even death, in pets treated with spot-on products. "EPA is committed to better protecting the health and safety of pets and families in all communities across our nation," says Steve Owens, assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. "New restrictions will be placed on these products, and pet owners need to carefully read and follow all labeling before exposing your pet to a pesticide."
THE DETAILS: The agency says it will immediately start reviewing labels for spot-on flea and tick products to see if clearer instructions are needed. Then, EPA will develop more stringent testing and evaluation requirements for existing and new products.
Looking into 2008 incident reports related to these treatments, EPA investigated the cases and will immediately:
1. Require manufacturers of spot-on pesticide products to improve labeling, making it clearer how pet owners should use the products correctly.
2. Require clearer instructions to ensure pet owners use the proper dosage per pet weight.
3. Require clear markings to differentiate between dog and cat products, and prohibit similar brand names for dog and cat products. Similar names may have led to misuse, according to the EPA's review.
4. Restrict the use of certain inert ingredients that EPA finds may contribute to the incidents.
5. Launch a consumer-information campaign to explain new label directions and to help users avoid making medication errors.
Read on to find out how to protect your pets from fleas and ticks in a safer manner.
WHAT IT MEANS: Fleas and ticks can transmit disease to pets and humans, so there's good reason for pet owners to keep these pests off their pets. (Lyme disease transmitted from ticks is of particular concern, since standard tests to diagnose the problem miss many cases, and it's harder to treat in later stages.) But in trying to keep these blood-sucking critters off your pooch, how far do you go? Flea and tick products are pesticides, and the harmful and possibly even carcinogenic chemicals used in all sorts of flea and tick products wind up in household dust.
While some chemical intervention may be necessary if there's a flea or tick infestation in your area, many times more natural flea and tick control methods will suffice. (Particularly if you have a small dog—the EPA says they sometimes are disproportionately affected by certain flea and tick products. And using dog products on cats and vice versa can be lethal.) If you do use spot-on treatments on your animals, monitor them for signs of a problem after applying it. Adverse reactions include drooling, burns, tremors, seizures, or even death. You should also consult your vet before applying a product to weak, old, medicated, sick, pregnant, or nursing pets, or any animal with a history of adverse reactions to chemical flea and tick products.
• Definitely forgo certain flea collars. While the EPA is looking at spot-on treatments, other public-health groups have found major problems with flea-control collars that contain certain chemicals. Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is calling for a ban on products containing tetrachloryinphos and propoxur. Residues of these chemicals on pet fur can lead to damage to the brain and nervous system, and can cause cancer.
• Research your treatment. Certain spot-on treatments, including (but not limited to) Zodiac and Bio Spot spot-on treatments, contain particularly harmful ingredients that can damage your hormonal and nervous systems, according to NRDC. For a breakdown of the safety of flea and tick products, visit NRDC's GreenPaws.org site.
• Go natural. Nonchemical methods may require more good, old-fashioned elbow grease, but keeping harmful chemicals off your pet and out of your family member's bodies is worth it. Before you take your dog outside (it's best to keep cats inside, where they won't kill birds), groom the canine to remove loose hair and mats, and dust the coat with an herbal flea repellent. In Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats,
For fleas, Dr. Pitcairn recommends mixing one quarter to one whole fresh raw clove garlic, grated or mixed, into each feeding. Talk to your veterinarian for more information on dosage.