Penny's Aunt
07-19-2001, 01:25 AM
I was looking for something else & ran across this article (paraphrased by me) by the Humane Society of the United States on topical flea preparations:
"...In November 2000, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released a report called Poisons on Pets: Health Hazards from Flea and Tick Products. The report showed the link between chemicals commonly used in flea and tick products and serious health problems.
The ingredients to be wary of are organophosphate insecticides (OPs) and carbamates, both of which are found in various flea and tick products. A product contains an OP if the ingredient list contains chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, phosmet, naled, tetrachlorvinphos, diazinon, or malathion. If the ingredient list includes carbaryl or propoxur, the product contains a carbamate... There is reason to be concerned about long-term, cumulative exposures as well as combined exposures from the use of other products containing OPs and carbamates.
The NRDC's report lists ... products marketed under the following major brand names that have been found to contain OPs: Alco, Americare, Beaphar, Double Duty, Ford's Freedom Five, Happy Jack, Hartz, Hopkins, Kill-Ko, Protection, Rabon, Riverdale, Sergeant's, Unicorn, Vet-Kem, Victory, and Zema.
According to the NRDC, there are studies that show OPs and carbamates can harm the nervous system. Children can be especially vulnerable because their nervous systems are still developing. For pets, the data is limited, but according to NRDC, many companion animals appear to have been injured or killed through exposure to pet products containing OPs. Cats are particularly vulnerable, since they often lack enzymes for metabolizing or detoxifying OPs and can ingest OPs by licking their fur.
...The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) only began to review pet products for safety in 1996. There is a substantial backlog of products waiting to be tested, so many pet products containing potentially harmful pesticides are still making their way onto store shelves.
The HSUS recommends that the following precautions be taken to reduce the risks to pets and humans during the flea season:
• Avoid OP-based products by looking for any of these active ingredients: chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, phosmet, naled, tetrachlorvinphos, diazinon and malathion. Avoid products with carbamates by looking for the chemical names carbaryl and propoxur on the label.
• Use alternatives to pesticides to control fleas and ticks: Comb your pet regularly with a flea comb, vacuum frequently and dispose of the bags immediately after use, mow areas of the lawn where your dog spends time, wash pet bedding weekly, and wash your pet with a pesticide-free pet shampoo. Keep cats indoors.
• ...Consider adding the use of a product with insect-growth regulators (IGRs), which are not pesticides. These will prevent the next generation of fleas but will not kill insects already on your pet. Common and effective IGR products include those made with lufenuron (found in Program® and Sentinel® and available by prescription), methoprene (in Precor®), and pyriproxyfen (in Nylar® and EcoKyl®).
• ...Several relatively new topical products, available through veterinarians, are insecticides but are designed to have less toxic effects on the nervous systems of mammals: imidacloprid (found in Advantage®), fipronil (in Frontline® or Top Spot®), and selamectin (in Revolution™).
If you choose to use a flea or tick product, be sure that it is specifically designed for your pet: Never use flea and tick products designed for dogs on your cat, or vice versa. Always consult a veterinarian before buying or using any flea or tick control product. And always read thoroughly the instructions and warnings on the package. Remember never to apply pesticides to very young, elderly, pregnant, or sick animals unless directed by a veterinarian. And if you suspect that your pet may have suffered health effects as a result of the use of a flea product containing OPs or carbamates, please consult with your veterinarian. If you think a child has ingested a pesticide, call your local poison control center. Be sure to report the incident to the EPA's National Pesticide Telecommunications Network at 800-858-7378."
"...In November 2000, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released a report called Poisons on Pets: Health Hazards from Flea and Tick Products. The report showed the link between chemicals commonly used in flea and tick products and serious health problems.
The ingredients to be wary of are organophosphate insecticides (OPs) and carbamates, both of which are found in various flea and tick products. A product contains an OP if the ingredient list contains chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, phosmet, naled, tetrachlorvinphos, diazinon, or malathion. If the ingredient list includes carbaryl or propoxur, the product contains a carbamate... There is reason to be concerned about long-term, cumulative exposures as well as combined exposures from the use of other products containing OPs and carbamates.
The NRDC's report lists ... products marketed under the following major brand names that have been found to contain OPs: Alco, Americare, Beaphar, Double Duty, Ford's Freedom Five, Happy Jack, Hartz, Hopkins, Kill-Ko, Protection, Rabon, Riverdale, Sergeant's, Unicorn, Vet-Kem, Victory, and Zema.
According to the NRDC, there are studies that show OPs and carbamates can harm the nervous system. Children can be especially vulnerable because their nervous systems are still developing. For pets, the data is limited, but according to NRDC, many companion animals appear to have been injured or killed through exposure to pet products containing OPs. Cats are particularly vulnerable, since they often lack enzymes for metabolizing or detoxifying OPs and can ingest OPs by licking their fur.
...The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) only began to review pet products for safety in 1996. There is a substantial backlog of products waiting to be tested, so many pet products containing potentially harmful pesticides are still making their way onto store shelves.
The HSUS recommends that the following precautions be taken to reduce the risks to pets and humans during the flea season:
• Avoid OP-based products by looking for any of these active ingredients: chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, phosmet, naled, tetrachlorvinphos, diazinon and malathion. Avoid products with carbamates by looking for the chemical names carbaryl and propoxur on the label.
• Use alternatives to pesticides to control fleas and ticks: Comb your pet regularly with a flea comb, vacuum frequently and dispose of the bags immediately after use, mow areas of the lawn where your dog spends time, wash pet bedding weekly, and wash your pet with a pesticide-free pet shampoo. Keep cats indoors.
• ...Consider adding the use of a product with insect-growth regulators (IGRs), which are not pesticides. These will prevent the next generation of fleas but will not kill insects already on your pet. Common and effective IGR products include those made with lufenuron (found in Program® and Sentinel® and available by prescription), methoprene (in Precor®), and pyriproxyfen (in Nylar® and EcoKyl®).
• ...Several relatively new topical products, available through veterinarians, are insecticides but are designed to have less toxic effects on the nervous systems of mammals: imidacloprid (found in Advantage®), fipronil (in Frontline® or Top Spot®), and selamectin (in Revolution™).
If you choose to use a flea or tick product, be sure that it is specifically designed for your pet: Never use flea and tick products designed for dogs on your cat, or vice versa. Always consult a veterinarian before buying or using any flea or tick control product. And always read thoroughly the instructions and warnings on the package. Remember never to apply pesticides to very young, elderly, pregnant, or sick animals unless directed by a veterinarian. And if you suspect that your pet may have suffered health effects as a result of the use of a flea product containing OPs or carbamates, please consult with your veterinarian. If you think a child has ingested a pesticide, call your local poison control center. Be sure to report the incident to the EPA's National Pesticide Telecommunications Network at 800-858-7378."