Beware of flea and tick treatment

[Jenga]

Just a word about the spring season.
I just found out the hard way that my girlfriend used a monthly flea and tick insectaside on my 2 dogs. While I was feeding some of my LPS's mysis shrimp I noticed my copepods and amphipods comeing out of the rock work and dieing rather quickly, Then my 2 cleaner shrimp and porcelain crab started swimming upside down and crazy like, finaly resting upside down on the bottom dieing. I did a fast 20% water change but the damage was done. I had no idea why thet all croaked and then 2 days later noticed a oily film on one of the dogs back between the shoalder blades and it hit to as why..Asking her comfirmed it.
So just a word of warning...Do your flea and tick treatments on your pets and then give them a bath when the instructions say it's OK to wash away all the cheamicals that haven't absorbed into there systems. It may save your tank.

P.S. If anyone has a cleaner skunk shrimp I can have please write me.
Rick

 

[LeslieH]

Sorry to hear about your loss, Rick.

I've read posts recommending the use of flea & tick products to get rid of unwanted organisms in tanks. Really bad idea. Fleas, ticks, pods, shrimp, and crabs are all arthropods. Insecticides are designed to target arthropod systems and will affect all of them. That's why it's so important to make sure there's no chance of any getting into a tank. If you've given a pet a flea treatment carefully wash your hands before handling any component of your system or reaching into the water.

 

[K9Nurse911]

Rick...
Sorry to hear about your loss...How did the chemicals get into the tank?! What you are describing on the dog's is a topical, like Advantage or Frontline...or did she also use a spray or something?!

- Andrea

 

[Jenga]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12398963#post12398963 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by K9Nurse911
Rick...
Sorry to hear about your loss...How did the chemicals get into the tank?! What you are describing on the dog's is a topical, like Advantage or Frontline...or did she also use a spray or something?!

- Andrea

The tube the poison came in said...
The package it came in says "Sergant's Gold Flea and Tick, Squeeze-on for dogs, 6.0mL, Cyphenothrin 40% WW, Pyripoxyten 2% WW" I think...They print it so damn small in case your one of the few thjat know what the hell these chemicals are.

No sprays, just the treatment you squeeze between the shoulder blades.
It got in the tank by just casually petting the mutts as you walk by them or what ever and I didn't think twice about it cuz it's so natural to do.

 

[K9Nurse911]

Rick...
So you casually petted your dogs and then stuck your hand in the tank...yikes...makes sense then...definitely toxic stuff...and if you have cats, be forewarned that if the topical gets on your cat, it could have bad consequences also...(I have seen the effects numerous times of Advantix, which is for dogs ONLY getting on cats...not pretty...causes muscle tremors, seizures, hypersalivation, and I "think" can causes renal damage (gotta double check on that last part though)...I can't imagine what this stuff does to fish

I live in Florida, where fleas can be a year-round problem sometimes...I tell people only to use those products as needed, and not every single month...too much toxic stuff...I have 5 dogs (big dogs) and only use it maybe 2-3 times a year... Ok, now I'm babbling...sorry...


- Andrea

 

[Jenga]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12409232#post12409232 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by K9Nurse911
Rick...
So you casually petted your dogs and then stuck your hand in the tank...yikes...makes sense then...definitely toxic stuff...and if you have cats, be forewarned that if the topical gets on your cat, it could have bad consequences also...(I have seen the effects numerous times of Advantix, which is for dogs ONLY getting on cats...not pretty...causes muscle tremors, seizures, hypersalivation, and I "think" can causes renal damage (gotta double check on that last part though)...I can't imagine what this stuff does to fish

I live in Florida, where fleas can be a year-round problem sometimes...I tell people only to use those products as needed, and not every single month...too much toxic stuff...I have 5 dogs (big dogs) and only use it maybe 2-3 times a year... Ok, now I'm babbling...sorry...


- Andrea

Ok, now I'm babbling...sorry...
No apolagizes needed,
I'm trying to get the word out to not use these produts that stay on the animals skin and fur.
My dogs got new bathes..one loves em the other...lol , not so much.
I'd love to get this post "STICKIED", at least for the summer.
Rick

 

[JTheed]

A word of advice: do not use any topical flea and tick product other than frontline. Here's why.

[Note I said and tick, there are some other products I'll mention but Revolution is a good topical for heartworms, intestinal parasites, and fleas. It has no tick coverage].

The chemical used in frontline is still under patent. As such, it is literally impossible to get it in a generic form.

The 'generic frontline' products are actually just an old flea and tick product that they've concentrated to toxic levels (even for dogs) in order to try and mimic frontline. It is not the same, and is not absorbed into the animals subcutaneous fat and disseminated throughout the sebaceous (oil) glands. So basicallyyou're creating a semi-permanent 'spot' of concentrated chemical you're hoping the fleas will crawl through. It's also pretty worthless against ticks because this.

Also, because of the nature of the product bathing your dog will void any protective properties. It will only work as long as you have that nasty greasy spot, because that is the only place the medication is. Once that spot is gone, so is the product.

Moreover, if I remember correctly this stuff is concentrated enough it's brutally toxic to other animals the dog might come into contact with, especially cats. I've seen a few cats die because of these products.

Just look at the concentrations on the vial: 40%? That's unreal. How many topical medications do you know of with a percentage that high? To put it in perspective, frontline's active ingredients compose less than 20% of that tiny little vial. Just run a web check and you can see that the chemicals used are nowhere ner the same.

So while the generic stuff might be cheaper, it is not a safe or effective solution. It's a sleazy marketing ploy by people that care more about money than animal health.

Safe Products for flea control include:

Frontline (the only thing that will kill ticks sadly. If you need tick protection you need to buy name brand frontline. I know it's expensive, but it will actually work and its safe.)

Sentinel will cover heartworms, fleas, and intestinal worms. It's oral so there is no way you can contaminate your tank.

Revolution is topical and will also cover heartworms.

Regular baths with Adams Flea and Tick is effective if they have fleas on them, but it's not a very good control measure.

Your dogs also need to be on heartworm preventative: and hey, if you decide to use interceptor you'll always have some on hand in case of red bugs!

As a note: I've worked in a veterinary clinic for about 6 years. I'm well aquainted with these products and I'm aware they're fairly expensive, but they are part of the cost of owning an animal. If anyone has any questions feel free to post them or PM me. I'm sorry if I seem to be going off topic, but everyone should be aware of how dangerous these OTC medications are. (Just because a medication is over the counter doesn't mean its totally safe: Tylenol causes more drug-related overdoses and deaths than any other drug!)

 

[lorawalters13]

You didn't mention Advantage/Advantix. I have tried Frontline and prefer Advantix because it seems to work faster and better.

 

[Jenga]

Active ingredient

Active ingredient

So are the active ingredients the same but mixed in with differnt solvents to absorb into the skin or are all "topical" OTC flea med bad?

 

[wicked_NaCl_h2o]

I only use revolution ..it drys quickly, you apply it to the dogs skin under their fur. Revolution is a prescription medication applied topically once a month. You can only get it if your vet has done a heart worm test first. I did use frontline plus and that stuff worked great, dried quick too. I had a friend that used frontline in a spray bottle (that stuff is junk). Frontline doesn't prevent ear mites and canine sarcoptic mange but revolution does. Revolution is a bit expensive but well worth it if you want your dogs to remain free of..fleas, ticks, ear mites and canine sarcoptic mange.