More problems reported
An Indiana pet owner told us her healthy Siberian Husky became violently ill after she treated the dog with Sergeants Gold Flea and Tick Squeeze-On.
About an hour and a half later she began walking funny and vomiting, says Jamie C. of Indianapolis. I called the 800 number on the box and described her symptoms. They told me to give her a bath with dish soap and she should be fine.
But her dogs condition deteriorated. She had begun foaming at the mouth, having muscle spasms and was unable to walk, Jamie recalls. I bathed her and called Sergeants again. This time they told me to rush her to an emergency vet.
On the way to the vet, Jamies beloved Husky started having seizures. The vet sedated her overnight to control her seizures. I brought her home, and after an hour, she began seizing again.
Jamie again rushed her five-year-old companion to the emergency vet clinic. This time she learned her dogs prognosis was grim. They told me her temperature was high enough to cause brain and organ damage. It took them three hours and high dosages of sedatives to finally control her seizures and get her temperature down.
At this point, the vet is worried she may have brain and muscle damageshes still having muscle spasms and is unable to walk.
A Texas pet owner told us her dog nearly died after she treated him with half the recommended dose of Sergeants Silver Flea and Tick Squeeze On.
I applied this poison to my healthy five-year-old boy named Rufus, says Carol of Gilmer, Texas. I live in a rural area where fleas are prevalent, so, due to my husband being laid off recently, I went the cheap route on the flea meds.
I am still blaming myself for nearly killing our baby boy.
Rufus experienced seizures, insomnia, and horrible chemical burns on his back shortly after Carol applied the product to his back.
Thank God I only gave him a half of a dose, she says. He acted like he had been given meth. The panting, digging, and rapid heart rate was out of control, (he was) running from room to room trying to get away from the pain.
This product, she says, should be pulled from store shelves to prevent other dogs from suffering like Rufus.
I feel like we all should be as loyal to our pets as they are to us, which means we have to do something about this no matter how long it takesthey cannot speak up, so it is our duty as pet owners to speak up for our beloved animals and get this poison off the market. We will be saving lives.
A South Carolina pet owner agrees.
She says one of her Chihuahuas -- a male named Chavez -- nearly lost his life just a few days ago after she treated him with Sergeants Gold Flea and Tick Squeeze On for Dogs 9-20 pounds. Her other two Chihuahuas -- Paco and Pico -- also experienced adverse reactions to the product.
I was awakened at 2:30 a.m. to one of the dogs vomiting foam, says Rebecca P. of Summerville, South Carolina. When I got up to see what was going on, Chavez would not respond to any of my calls, he stood there with a blank glassy look, tail tucked between his legs.
My other two dogs got out of bed and then I noticed that all three of them were having problems walking. It seemed like all of the dogs back legs were not working correctly.
Rebecca called the 800-number listed on the package and relayed her dogs conditions. They told me to take the dog that was vomiting to the emergency vet. Thank goodness I did, because if I hadnt, he definitely would have died.
The emergency room vet told me the active ingredients in the product are pesticides and if a dog is able to lick it (the product) and ingest it, its deadly, she says. He also said he sees these problems all the time with these products.
Chavez survived the ordeal, but only after he received IV fluids and endured a catheter to try and remove the toxins from his body.
Paco and Pico have also recovered. But Rebecca now worries about the long-term effects the flea and tick product will have on all her dogs.
I will have blood work done to determine if Chavez organs are fully functional, she says. And I am almost certain this medication will cause all my dogs lives to be much shorter.
Rebeccas dogs experienced these violent reactions even though they didnt receive a full dose of the product.
I took one tube and divided it three ways, she says, adding her dogs are under the recommended weight listed on the package. I put one drop on each of their backs. What if Id put a whole tube on them? They definitely would have died.
Cats suffer too
Dog owners arent the only ones questioning the safety of these topical flea and tick products. ConsumerAffairs.com has also heard from angry and grieving cat owners, including a Pennsylvania woman who says her kitten freaked out after she applied Sentry Natural Defense Natural Flea & Tick Squeeze-On to its back.
(She started) running around in circles and panting, says Joan of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She calmed down, but the next day she started scratching and licking the area. She lost her fur in about a 1" wide by 2" long section.
Grieving cat owner Donald H. of Sacramento, California told us he suspects Sergeants Gold Squeeze-On for Cats & Kittens played a role in the recent death of his beloved feline. Donald says he used that product on his kitten the same day he treated his home with Sergeants Gold fogger.
We came home on June 25 and noticed that my cat was in my room and was dead, he recalls. The Squeeze-On seemed to kill my loving cat.and we want answers ASAP.
Next: Pet owners will have to wait for answers
