Again this week our practice experienced yet another case of toxicity from the use of over the counter flea and tick chemicals.  This older Bassett Hound suddenly began having seizures last Saturday.  Fortunately, his owner was with him and immediately brought him to our office.  When he arrived at our office, he was still experiencing severe tremors and his body temperature was nearing dangerous levels. 

                We were able to stop the seizures, confirm no organ damage had occurred, pump the dog’s stomach, and administer activated charcoal.  At one point, the chemical exposure caused the dog to stop breathing.   We had to manually ventilate for over twenty minutes and administer multiple doses of atropine before he resumed breathing on his own.  After a rough weekend, I am happy to report this patient has recovered thanks to his owner’s fast response.

                Every veterinarian can share stories like this one.  The tales begin with well-meaning pet owners thinking they can save some money by purchasing flea and tick products without the advice of their veterinarian.  The plots predictably move on to heroic efforts and hundreds of dollars of expense.  Unfortunately, many end with the untimely death of a family pet.

                Just because a product looks similar to something your veterinarian has recommended, does not mean that it is the same.  Over fifteen years ago, spot-on products like Frontline and Advantage arrived on the market.  The products were clearly superior in safety and efficacy to previously available dips, foggers, sprays, powders, and collars.  As a result, the over the counter flea and tick market took a major hit.  In response, many companies repackaged the older chemicals into spot-on formulations with packaging similar to the newer products.  It has become very difficult for the average pet owner to know exactly what they are purchasing.