I initially planned to make this first blog post a little background information on me. But I want to address some recent news out from the EPA regarding the safety of topical flea and tick preventatives.
EPA recently reviewed all the reports of adverse effects of topical flea and tick preventatives. There has been an increase in incidents reported in the last year evaluated (2008). EPA has concluded that all topical preventatives can potential cause a toxic reaction. However, out of 2 million plus doses sold last year only 44,000 caused problems (less than 1 in 6,000). And most of these problems were minor (itching, redness, localized hair loss).
This is balanced with the potential risks from flea and tick bites. Fleas and ticks are not just a nuisance. Even in WA we can see flea and tick transmitted diseases. Tapeworms, Lyme disease and other blood borne fevers can be devastating not just to your pets, but to you as well.
Just like any medication, flea and tick preventatives should be used after careful discussion with your veterinarian. To ensure safety when using these medications please read the packaging carefully. NEVER apply a dog product to a cat. Do not allow animals to lick the product off themselves or other pets. Be sure you know the weight of your dog or cat to ensure you are using an appropriate dose of preventative. And as always if you have any questions or are concerned you are seeing an adverse reaction, contact your veterinarian.
I personally will continue to apply a monthly flea and tick preventative to my pets. I feel that the risks of problems are low compared to the risks of other diseases. Also one of my dogs, Lexi, has some skin allergies that are severely worsened by even a low number of flea bites. She is miserable even if I am just a few days late with her preventative! I am happy to see that EPA will be working with the various manufactures to make packaging and instructions more clear and also to improve dosing especially for small dogs. Hopefully, further research will also help us to determine what exactly is causing these adverse reactions, especially the most severe reactions.
