Posts Tagged ‘Spot on Flea Treatments’
Fleas Treatment Warnings – Spot On Flea Treatment Update
Spot on Flea Treatment for Cats – FDA Update on Flea Treatments
The FDA has just updated their review of spot on flea and tick control applications for cats and dogs. And their warnings for usage of these chemical insecticides continue.
There is continued concern about the proper usage and dosage by customers … and my thoughts continue with concern for regular use of these products at any rate.
Cat Flea Season – Are Spot On Flea Treatments the Only Way to Kill Fleas Effectively?
Since flea season is upon us once again, (and in some parts of the US and around the world — it is year round) and in full swing in many parts of the country, it’s time to take stock of our flea control arsenal and our cat fleas treatment battle plans.
Around here, thankfully, fleas haven’t been as bad as expected. Possibly the long, wet, cool to cold spring has much to do with it. But recently, I’ve seen some new scratching going on, so additional fleas treatment home remedies are at the ready and being put into practice at the first sign of trouble
It takes only ONE flea to create an epidemic if left unchecked. And it can get horrific when they multiply…and fleas can and DO multiply rapidly when conditions are ideal for the adults to emerge. They hide out in every crevice, crook, cranny, carpet, fabric or yardscape they can find, waiting for the right conditions to grab their first meal via your cats…or us!
If you’ve got fleas – is it necessary to jump to chemical pesticides to kill them on your cats or pets?
As we recall with great stress, in 2009, a mass of ‘bad reaction’ reports were flooding in from use of these chemical flea treatments, prompting a more in depth review by the government of the hundreds of commercial products out there being used on our innocent cats and dogs. News was dire for some pet owners after using these topically applied flea control products.
The FDA and EPA continue to WARN people to use these chemicals with much caution and to be SURE they are being used according to directions. Here are some excerpts from the FDA Report: (From “Safe Use of Flea and Tick Products in Pets”) Updated: June 23, 2014
In spring 2009, EPA noticed an increase in pet incidents being reported involving spot-on pesticide products for pets. EPA received a large amount of bad pet reaction information reported to the companies that hold registrations for these products. EPA formed a veterinarian team with the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) to review this information. The team studied incidents involving cats and dogs, looked at the ingredients, studied labeling, and discussed data needs for the future to improve analyses and regulation. Based on its analysis, EPA determined that some changes need to be made in how spot-on products are regulated, how companies report data on pet incidents, and how packages are labeled for cats, dogs, and size of animals to ensure the safety of these products. Based on reported incidents, EPA also concluded that many but not all pet incidents took place because the products were misused. And this..
Tips for Using Flea and Tick Products
- Read the label carefully before use. If you don’t understand the wording, ask your veterinarian or call the manufacturer. “Even if you’ve used the product many times before,” says Stohlman, “read the label because the directions or warnings may have changed.”
- Follow the directions exactly. If the product is for dogs, don’t use it on cats or other pets. If the label says use weekly, don’t use it daily. If the product is for the house or yard, don’t put it directly on your pet.
- Keep multiple pets separated after applying a product until it dries to prevent one animal from grooming another and ingesting a drug or pesticide. (Keep kids and other family members from touching the animal after application as well. And even after it is dry, WASH HANDS thoroughly after touching your pet)
- Talk to your veterinarian before using a product on weak, old, medicated, sick, pregnant, or nursing pets, or on pets that have previously shown signs of sensitivity to flea or tick products.
- Monitor your pet for side effects after applying the product, particularly when using the product on your pet for the first time.
- If your pet experiences a bad reaction from a spot-on product, immediately bathe the pet with mild soap, rinse with large amounts of water, and call your veterinarian.
- Call your veterinarian if your pet shows symptoms of illness after using a product. Symptoms of poisoning include poor appetite, depression, vomiting, diarrhea, or excessive salivation.
- Do not apply a product to kittens or puppies unless the label specifically allows this treatment. Use flea combs to pick up fleas, flea eggs, and ticks on puppies and kittens that are too young for flea and tick products.
- Wash your hands immediately with soap and water after applying a product, or use protective gloves while applying.
- Store products away from food and out of children’s reach.
Source: FDA and CDC Read the entire Article at this
Are Spot On Fleas Treatments Safe to Use?
Can We Trust the Agencies that Oversee These Flea Treatments?
The FDA continues to state that they do not dissuade people from using these flea treatment products. That they have been effective for many. The question remains. What about the MANY who experienced problems and even some deaths? Regular, ongoing monthly use is something I do NOT consider , based on the myriad consumer reports as well as experience of use. These flea control pesticides have been avoided here all together except in a couple overwhelming instances.
Only a a severe outbreak of flea infestation that needed every arsenal at the command post prompted a one time application of these insecticides on our cats. It bought some time and relief for the cats so that our safer home flea treatment applications and procedures could be more vigorously implemented. Sometimes weather conditions just combine to make things super perfect for fleas to take over, no matter how hard you try.
When some animals are in and out, it can make things far more difficult. When there are multiple cats, such as in a sanctuary or multi-cat home, things can get out of hand rapidly — overnight. In one case, one cat vomited after the flea application and was immediately bathed, thoroughly rinsed and the emergency called for further advice. It underscored my ongoing wariness for such insecticide applications. It helped get past the emergency but not without considerable concern and vigilant observation of all cats treated.
Spot On Flea Treatments Reported to Lose Effectiveness
These Spot On medications that became so popular and received heavy use year to year are also reported by many to suddenly fail to work in a new season, after serving to effectively to kill off fleas in the previous seasons. Fleas are known to mutate to overcome the killing effects of these flea treatments, so formulas must be changed – and likely increased in strength for the following year. Perhaps different ingredients are added or substituted in new formulas.
So how much time can be given to test safety for any new alterations given any of these flea control products?
And reports of bad reactions continue from consumers, who see their pets falter after application of spot on applied flea products. And the cost of these flea control applications is substantial for most. In multi-cat homes, it can be prohibitive. The need to wear gloves and due precautions and hand-washing that are all necessary — are these applications any safer for our cats and pets than they would be for us? Our Agencies do not dissuade usage – but counter with many warnings for proper dosage and application that need to be followed with focus. These chemicals and poison insecticides are not to be dallied with. They must be administered according to directions.
Granted, people trust and get ‘comfortable’ with products on the market and take chances that should not be taken with their pets’ lives.
If a little does good…then won’t more do better? My cat is smaller, so if I just use less of my dog’s medications, it should be fine, right?…
NOT! WRONG! DEADLY DANGEROUS!
As had been mentioned on this site in various places, we should Never Ever give cats medications meant for dogs and vice versa. – NOR should we take for granted that human medications should or could be used for animals. It just doesn’t work that way! Metabolisms and make up of all three species differ. And while sometimes things can be interchanged, we should not be making those decisions without consultation with the medical practitioner appropriate for the species.
Our cats and dogs depend on us and our judgment for their very well being. Failing to use fleas treatment applications correctly can spell dire results for our beloved furry family members and even endanger us and our families as well.
- With such need to take precautions with these spot on treatments and the necessary review by the government agencies, just how confident do we feel in using pesticides that are applied to our beloved pets?
- And will we see later effects of which we are not yet aware (or reported)?
- And with the ongoing changes of formulas that seem to be needed because fleas adapt so readily, just how certain can we be with any individual cat or pet, since all may have different reactions?
Are there any safer, trusted alternatives to these pesticides being applied to our cats and pets?
The GOOD NEWS is YES!
Some may not be as convenient as a spot on application. But then, is easy the correct approach — or is Safety?
Flea control home remedies are effective and when applied and used properly, provide far safer results for our cats and other family members, not to mention the positive returns for our Mother Earth and future generations.
Fleas Treatment Home Remedies Offer Safe Effective Flea Control – When Used Properly
So why take the chance of using pesticides on your cat or pets?
There are more natural, far safer means of flea control to battle the flea beast. Some of it may take more work than simply applying convenient, spot on ‘remedies’ of mixed insecticides and such. In dire cases of severe flea infestation, such might be necessary for one application – along with focused natural home remedy flea control in the house and yard to prevent a resurgence of flea infestation.
I prefer to use Capstar ( Nitenpyram – the generic) for immediate relief for the cats, to kill off biting fleas fast for relief (majority of adult fleas killed within 30 minutes, in 24 hrs. the dose is out of system – product well researched and in use for long time with no major problems) while sequestering the animal(s) and implementing heightened clean up regimens of the environs with safer home remedies.
Maintaining regular flea combat regimens with the use of household tools – like the vacuum and wash machine — along with some helpful more benign household products is necessary even if and when Spot On pesticides are used. If the stages of the developing flea are not attacked in the home, yard and on your cat and eliminated, they WILL re-infest your cats and pets once they emerge as adults in the fourth stage of their life cycle.
Spot ons only kill fleas that affect the animal…they do NOT eliminate fleas in the environment…which is where the VAST majority of fleas reside in one stage or another.
If you see one adult flea…then hundreds of fleas in various stages of development are already lurking in the environs! So if the home and yard aren’t effectively cleaned and treated, the fleas WILL be back on your animals. And possibly YOU too!
Help is Here!
Safe Fleas Treatment Home Remedies
There are in-depth articles provided for you on this site. You can access them for details on how to safely kill cat fleas and treat your cats, dogs and other pets along with the house and yard.
Please take advantage of them…and pass the word!
You may save much misery for a family or friend’s cat … or worse. And flea treatment home remedies are far cheaper than commercial insecticides used for flea control. And Mother Earth and her future generations will Thank You for your consideration of their welfare as well.
If you haven’t already, get your flea treatment battle plan in order and be prepared with your armor before flea season begins — every year!
Kill fleas off before they have a chance to lay more eggs and invade the carpets, pet areas and every other inch of your home and yard with their fast-burgeoning flea-bitten physicality! You can use simple tools and home remedies you already have at home!
When used and applied properly, diligently and regularly, they ARE effective and SAFE!
START HERE TO DEVISE YOUR OWN FLEA CONTROL BATTLE PLAN for YOUR CATS/DOGS!
Find Out What Fleas Treatment for Cats (and other pets) Works – and What Doesn’t.
Stay vigilant and consistent, and your careful home-based fleas treatments will be far safer for you and your family and your cats’ health!
Here are the links to the updated full reports by the FDA and the EPA: