.FDA warning, tick and flea products

[Sam I Am]

https://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/178817671296/fda-warning-flea-tick-products#.W7ud1orF2hB

[bradl]

Quote

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning on September 20, 2018 about the isoxazoline flea and tick products fluralaner for dogs and cats (Bravecto®), afoxalaner for dogs (Nexgard®), and saroloner for dogs (Simparica®). The recently introduced isoxazoline, lotilaner (Credelio®) for dogs falls into this same class.

Dogs and cats with no known prior medical history of muscle tremors, ataxia, and seizures have experienced those adverse reactions to this class of flea and tick preventive pesticides. While the FDA is not pulling the four flea and tick preventatives off the market at this time, they will all have to carry an FDA warning on their packaging.

The linked article has much more.

[Guest dog person]

The consequence of not administering flea and tick preventative is substantial. The frequency of flea and tick spread disease is far greater and more impactful than the rarely reported side effects. Killing ticks through preventatives also prevents human family members from tick-borne illnesses such as lyme and anaplasmosis.”

(above is part of a recent memo recieved from a veterinary clinic)

[Sam I Am]

 Side effect are not rare . These reports from the FDA hopefully will promt new research and drug companies  into safer type applications that are not so toxic to either us or our animals. 

For sure animals needs protection given the seriousness of the diseases that ticks may carry but to think that putting a pesticide that goes systemic is not going to have long term effects in my opinion is not something to ignore. Sure lots of dogs seems ok when the application is given, our Scottie went crazy as if it was burning her and the vet told us to wash it off immediately.  Safer applications need to be researched.

Edited October 8, 2018 by Terrier lover

[Guest dog person]

I would prefer to risk side effects from a flea/tick preventive than watch a dog suffer from Lyme disease or be tortured with flea bites.
The benefits of flea/tick preventives outweigh the risks (imo).

But, of course I would avoid the products mentioned in the FDA Alert.

Excerpt from https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm620934.htm

The FDA carefully reviewed studies and other data on Bravecto, Credelio, Nexgard and Simparica prior to approval, and these products continue to be safe and effective for the majority of animals. The agency is asking the manufacturers to make the changes to the product labeling in order to provide veterinarians and pet owners with the information they need to make treatment decisions for each pet on an individual basis. Veterinarians should use their specialized training to review their patients’ medical histories and determine, in consultation with pet owners, whether a product in the isoxazoline class is appropriate for the pet.

[Hillscreek]

Some unwanted effects occur when the drug is not administered correctly. When I used Bravecto my vet said their few reaction reports came from people who did not feed with food as the directions state. Of course there may always likely be some dogs showing adverse unexpected reactions to any drug - just as with humans and drugs. I only used the tablet. Imo I don't think any drug is 100% safe for 100% of the population that uses it.

As of May 4, 2018, 420 reports of worldwide adverse reactions to these pesticides in humans have been given to the European Medical Agencies (EMA). These reactions include breathing problems, skin conditions, and even seizures and the onset occurred after handling the chewable or spot-on treatment of fluralaner. Causality assessment at that time was placed at: 37 as probable, 13 as possible, 4 unclassifiable, 3 inconclusive, and the rest have not been assessed. Dodds

These seem extremely small numbers And only 37 regarded as probable - world wide. None definite. Not sure any actual scientific tests have been done.

However always better safe than sorry. Consult with your vet.

In this heavily infested area my vet and staff use Bravecto for their dogs. In a less flea tick area it might not be so necessary.

[Toto-lee Cairn]

Where I live, I really don't feel like I can afford to take a chance with the fleas and ticks.  Our neighborhood is in an area infested with deer, so tame, they almost know us by name.  We have used every deterrent known to *anybody* but whole herds pass through the yard twice daily.

My husband refuses to treat his Weimaraner, except for heartworms, as we had a JRT who, following a dose of Frontline, years ago, had seizures. He will not budge on the issue, but to his credit, he checks Rupert consistently for ticks and fleas, and the two of them take walks up to 5 miles in the evenings.

My Cairn, a 5-month-old-puppy, I treat.  Each month, I administer the chewable NexGard, praying to the Dog Gods there is no adverse reaction.  He is so low-to-the-ground until I feel it makes him susceptible to every pest possible in the yard, and he frequents the edge of the yard where woods begin, sniffing after the deer and squirrels, and the like.  We have seen a fox, on occasion, possum, and a raccoon.  I feel like he is *at risk.*

That said, I do read everything that I come across, do research on products, discuss issues like this with our young vet (and the older ones), and try to make the best decision I can to protect my little buddy.

Thanks for sharing what you, too, come across.  I think we just have to make the best decisions for our pets, informed with what we know from our own research and experience.

That, and pray to the Dog Gods.

[sanford]

For years Ruffy and I were spending weekends in rural, heavily wooded CT, with huge populations of deer - and ticks. For walks, gardening etc, the ritual for the uprights was: repellent applied to shoes, cuffs and avoiding tall grass where possible. Upon return, a shower, full body inspection and change of clothes, and of course, an examination of Ruffy as well - a tedious procedure. Many folks in the area, including myself, went through bouts of treatment for Lyme's disease/erlichiosis. My doc said a tick can attach to you just by sitting on a stone wall.

There are risks to Ruffy, either way, whether I treat him with preventative or not, so I decided to treat him, based on statistics/ the law of averages. So far it's worked in his favor. Fingers crossed that there are no long-term ill effects from repeated applications.

Edited October 11, 2018 by sanford

[Sam I Am]

Being in an area that the cold climate tends to keep nasty thinks in check, we don’t use any medication for fleas or ticks.The times we do go into areas outside of where we live I do spray the dogs with a mixture of essential oils ,our selves also, and so far so good. I do check them over though.I don’t even spray myself with mosquito spray here as I have a real issue with putting chemicals on my skin.  I am one of those folks that don’t have much faith in a lot of products being ”safe” for either myself or the animals in my life. Just my own opinion.

[Guest dog person]

About a decade or so ago, I was using topical flea/tick preventives (less than the vet recommended) plus "natural" stuff that did nothing.

I ended up with 3 dogs testing positive for Lyme.  Two remained asymptomatic and lived long lives and passed from unrelated causes.

One suffered greatly from kidney damage and neurological damage caused by this disease, she required frequent lab work and vet visits, this dog required medications, prescription food and subq fluids daily for 2 years until I could no longer keep her comfortable (uremia).   

All received lots of antibiotics when first diagnosed, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Never want to go through this again

Homeopathic vets are dangerous in my opinion.  I will never listen to one again.

Edited October 11, 2018 by dog person

[Sam I Am]

Well that’s why we have this site to exchange ideas and thoughts respectively Dog person.. You certainly are free to not think outside the traditional medicine box, some of us do however have had great success with holistic veterinary care extending the span and quality of our animals. Jock was diagnosed at six years of age with Chronic active hepatitis...the out look was very grim. Our holistic board certified veterinarian placed him on different supplements that extended his life for another 6.5 years!  I am so grateful for that vet giving Jock a quality of life free of any symptoms ..he wasn’t cured but to have him with us happy and healthy for another 6.5 years was a blessing. I believe in traditional medicine also...but if you think about it holistic and Chinese medicine has been around for centuries and centuries..many of our drugs are based on natural products. 

My younger brother unfortunately had prostate cancer that had metastasized with no hope. I did research and found two universities here in Canada that was doing research and clinical trials on dandelion root and certain cancers. My brother went on a daily high dose and, A Year later the oncologist said that what ever my brother was taking  to continue..his blood work was normal.

So for me an open mind is a good thing....I realize in heavily infested areas the risk is way higher than where I live, and I get that people have little choice ...at the moment, but wouldn’t it be great if the pharmaceutical companies come up with less toxic drugs for our animals. And actually for us uprights also. 

[Guest dog person]

"So for me an open mind is a good thing....I realize in heavily infested areas the risk is way higher than where I live, and I get that people have little choice ...at the moment, but wouldn’t it be great if the pharmaceutical companies come up with less toxic drugs for our animals. And actually for us uprights also"

They would if they could, unfortunately only pesticides will kill ticks and  heartworm and such. 

That is what science has proved.  I choose not to play Russian roulette.  Good luck

Edited October 11, 2018 by dog person

[Sam I Am]

Thank you. For those that are interested in perhaps alternative treatments and advice .https://www.ahvma.org/

Edited October 11, 2018 by Terrier lover

[Guest dog person]

You're welcome.

[Hillscreek]

Sometimes in some places with some illnesses this or that or the other helps.

Our forum as has really helped me think about different options for treatment  for our cairns (and possibly for ourselves also).

I have discovered there's no one way to care for our cairns. There are all kinds of possibilities and I want feel I can be open to all of them. To study them. To think about what forum members say. To consider where I live and where they live and the general and particular health of our dogs.

Thanks to all who tell us about what seems best for them and their dogs in the very varied places we all live.

[Toto-lee Cairn]

4 hours ago, Terrier lover said:

. . . For those that are interested in perhaps alternative treatments and advice .https://www.ahvma.org/

Thanks for sharing this.  I find it interesting, and am not opposed to exploring all avenues to help animal, or person, with an illness or problem.  Some things have worked too well for others to simply dismiss them.  Bottom line is, what one chooses to do, or not to do, is personal choice, and it really isn't my place to criticize or admonish.  I have known people, over the years, who have benefited from all sorts of approaches to ailments and issues and illnesses.

There are (34) Holistic Vets here in NC, alone, and several in the Triangle where I live (middle of the state, near Raleigh).  We also have one of the best veterinary hospitals at NC State, which is also researching all kinds of maladies affecting animal life.  Our emergency vet services are also excellent, as I, most unfortunately found out when a neighbor's pit bull attacked my first Cairn, my husband, and his Weimaraner.  The Cairn and my husband had to be treated, and I could have easily lost my little companion.  The Dog Gods came through for me.

Just this week, I consulted with a Pet Behavior Specialist -- the 'Dog Shrink' as I call her.  Trained, with two degrees and certification (from Duke, here in Durham) she was amazing.  I had, unbeknownst to me, been contributing to Toto's misbehaviors, including the potty training mistake(s) and resource guarding.

At one point, she had Toto tethered to her chair, and when the little stinker barked at me, and she observed me, she asked, "Why are you looking at him? and smiling?" She pointed out I had just rewarded him for a behavior I might not want to condone or encourage.  I really had to bite my tongue to keep from responding, "Because he is too darned cute."  The smart-er  me understood the point she was making.

I don't dismiss anything that may help until it doesn't.