Pet flea medication can be given in several forms, including flea collars, pills and liquid drops. Regardless of its form, caution should be taken when disposing of any flea medication, as well as other pet medications. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service advises never to flush pet medications down the toilet or drain. Some types of medication that make it into water systems can be harmful to fish and can cause resistance to bacteria.
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Pills
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Placing pet medications in the trash is an approved way to dispose of them as long as you follow several guidelines to protect pets, people and the environment. If the medication being disposed of is a solid pill, add just enough water to dissolve the pill and then place it into a bag that can be sealed. Solid, absorbent ingredients such as coffee grounds or kitty litter should be added to the bag to absorb the liquid. Seal the bag and place it in the trash. Remove all labels with personal information from bottles or packaging, and recycle packaging materials. Medication packaging should not be used for other purposes.
Liquids
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For liquid medication, pour the remainder into a plastic bag. Use the same method of adding cat litter or coffee grounds used to dispose of pills. Seal the bag so that medication does not leak into the trash. Keep children and pets out of the trash, preferably by removing it from the home.
Flea Collars
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When placing a flea collar on an animal, instructions say to cut off any excess length. The extra and any used collars should be thrown away in the trash and kept out of reach of children and pets. For flea collars, never reuse the packaging for other purposes. According to Hartz, the chemicals are harmful if swallowed. Contact a poison center if an event occurs. Always wash your hands after handling a flea collar.
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