Spring is here, and fortunately it’s not only us, pet owners, who are paying attention to flea and tick control medication for our animals.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking action to increase the safety of spot-on products for flea and tick control for cats and dogs after noticing an increase in incidents.
Incidents reported by pet owners rose from 28,895 in 2007 to 44,263 in 2008, a 53 % rise, according to USA Today’s Paw Print Post. Most of the problems were minor, such as skin rashes, but about 600 dogs and cats died in incidents reported in 2008. Read more.
I encourage you to use flea and tick control products on your pet if your veterinarian determines it’s safe. These meds are great for protecting pets and people. Fleas and ticks can transmit diseases to animals and humans.
But please, carefully read and follow all label instructions before exposing your pet to them. Flea and tick products are very toxic. They are pesticides.
Here are some tips I adapted from The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on how to handle these meds and how to report incidents if you see any changes on your pet’s appearance or mood. (Read here information on possible signs of adverse reactions). Read more.
