She poisoned her cat with pesticides

March 24, 7:41 PMBaltimore Pet Care ExaminerCindy Pevner

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Alisa's cat died from being treated for fleas--this is her story.

Pepper had been scratching and licking; his skin was covered with red raw patches from nose to tail. His hair was falling out in clumps, leaving bare spots in his once beautiful black and gray striped fur. The veterinarian diagnosed him as having a flea allergy, and although Pepper never put a paw outdoors, he still managed to find some fleas. More likely, the fleas found him. Alisa tried everything - pills and creams, flea dips, powders and shampoos; even hormone shots. Nothing worked and the problem got worse.           

It was after a routine bath with flea shampoo when Pepper became lethargic and hours later, he was dead.

The vet suspected Pepper had been poisoned by the flea shampoo. Alisa was overwhelmed with grief and guilt.  When she finally stopped grieving, she did some research and understood what was her fatal mistake.   She had repeatedly attacked the problem with an all-out chemical arsenal.  A less toxic, natural remedy should have been her first line of defense.

The active ingredient in most commercial flea collars, powders and sprays are neurotoxic, meaning that they cause the nervous system to malfunction, thereby causing illness or death. Labels on a variety of sprays and dips warn you not to get it on your skin; to wash your hands after applying it, and to keep it away from children.  On the other hand, the directions tell you to work it thoroughly into the animals' coat.  Using too much of a product, using it too often, mixing more than one product (such as a dip, powder, topical, collar) or using it on animals who are too young or too unhealthy, can cause a fatal overdose like Pepper's. Veterinarians also suspect that long-term effects of flea pesticides may include cancer, kidney and liver disease and other medical problems.

We can learn from Alisa's mistakes. The life and heath of your pet, is in your hands. It's too late for Pepper and thousands of pets who suffered like him. Take care and make sure that the fleas are the only thing that you kill. Check all labels carefully before you use any product on your pet. There are safe, non-toxic flea remedies on the market that work. Whatever you use, be careful and watch for any reactions from your pet.  
Story told by Alisa Mullins.

In the last five years, the EPA received a total of more than 25,000 reports of pet pesticide reactions of every sort — fatal, major, moderate, and minor — to over-the-counter products with the ingredient pyrethoid. This compares to 10,500 reports of all pet incidents related to shampoos, powders, sprays, collars, dips, mousses, lotions, and towels.

If you suspect your pet may have suffered negative health effects as a result of a flea product, talk to your veterinarian immediately. If you think you, your child or your pet has been adversely affected by a pet product containing pesticides, call your local poison control center for immediate help. All incidents should be reported to the EPA's National Pesticide Telecommunications Network at 800-858-7378.