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Tips for Using Topical Flea and Tick Products

By Lisa Wade McCormick
ConsumerAffairs.com

August 10, 2009

• Always read the directions on the label;
• Pay attention to any warnings;
• Follow the direction exactly as they’re printed. If the product is for use on dogs, don't use it on cats or other pets. If the label says use weekly, don't use it daily. If the product is for the house or yard, don't put it directly on your pet;
• If you have multiple pets, keep them separated after applying a product until it dries. This prevent one animal from grooming another and ingesting a drug or pesticide;
• Talk to your veterinarian before using these products, especially if you have a weak, old, young, medicated, sick, pregnant, or nursing pet – or a pet that have previously shown signs of sensitivity to flea or tick products;
• Monitor your pet for any adverse reactions after applying the product, especially when using it on your pet for the first time.
• If your pet has a bad reaction, immediately bathe the animal with mild soap, like Dawn Detergent, rinse with large amounts of water, and call your veterinarian;
• Contact your veterinarian if your pet shows symptoms of illness after using a product. Symptoms of poisoning include poor appetite, depression, vomiting, diarrhea, or excessive salivation;
• Do not use these products on kittens or puppies unless the label specifically allows for such use. Pet owners can use flea combs to pick up fleas, flea eggs, and ticks on puppies and kittens that are too young for flea and tick products;
• Wash your hands immediately with soap and water after using the product -- or use protective gloves while applying.
• Check the active ingredients. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) recommends pet owners avoid products that contain organophosphate insecticides. Those products may list such ingredients as chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, phosmet, naled, tetrachlorvinphos, diazinon and malathion. HSUS officials also recommends pet owners avoid products with carbamates by looking for the chemical names carbaryl and propoxur on the label;
• The HSUS says pet owners may want to consider using products with insect-growth regulators (IGRs), which are not pesticides. These will prevent the next generation of fleas, but will not kill insects already on your pet. The HSUS says common IGR products include those made with lufenuron, methoprene, and pyriproxyfen , and EcoKyl.

Sources: The Environmental Protection Agency, The Humane Society of the United States, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Reporting Adverse Reactions to Flea and Tick Products

• To report problems with spot-on (topical) flea or tick products, contact the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) at 1-800-858-7378;
• To report problems with flea or tick drug products, contact the Food and Drug Administration’s Consumer Complaint Coordinator for your area;
• If your pet needs immediate medical care, call your local veterinarian, a local animal emergency clinic. Pet owners can also contact the Animal Poison Control Center at 1-888-426-4435. The Center charges a fee for consultation;
• Check the EPA’s Web site for updates on any action the agency takes regarding topical flea and tick products

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