Advantage is the second best selling spot-on flea treatment brand in the half-billion dollar pet flea control business. Frontline is the top seller. Spot-on flea treatments, including Advantage, have experienced an increasing number of complaints from customers whose pets have been injured or even killed by the toxic chemicals in these products. Skin problems and seizures are the most commonly reported reactions, although pet owners reported 1,200 deaths of pets resulting from spot-on flea treatments in 2008.
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History
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is investigating hundreds of flea and tick products, including Advantage, although it does not release statistics on numbers of complaints for each brand name or manufacturer. Aside from the deaths, the EPA received 44,263 reports in 2008 of damaging side effects from pet owners using spot-on flea treatments. That number dramatically increased over 28,000 incidents reported in 2007.
Effects
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Symptoms that can result from Advantage or any spot-on flea control product, include: itching and burning sensations and actual chemical burns, hyperactivity, drooling, lack of appetite, listlessness, nausea, and vomiting. The more severe symptoms include staggering or falling, tremors, seizures and death. Immune system disorders such as anemia and malignant tumors at the site of the application have also been reported. The Biospot Victims Org (see Reference) provides information for pet owners who have had damaging results from many brands of flea treatment products, including Advantage.
What to do for a bad reaction to Advantage
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Symptoms may take a few days to develop or just a few hours, but either way it is best to contact a veterinarian immediately. It takes a day or so for the Advantage to be absorbed into the pet's skin, so if symptoms occur soon after application, it may be possible to wash the remaining chemical off the animal with cool water and a mild dish detergent such as Dawn. Do not use a flea shampoo, as that can make matters much worse.
Warning
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In order to avoid a human tragedy, small children should be kept away from a flea-treated animal whether or not symptoms develop. Flea treatments can be particularly dangerous to toddlers due to their habit of touching things, including pets, and then putting their hands in their mouths.
Considerations
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Manufacturers of Advantage suggest that many problems come from pet owners not following the directions on the label. Advantage should be put only on the back of the animal's neck where it is difficult to reach to lick off, and the cat version of Advantage should not be used on a dog or the dog version on a cat. Animals that are ill should not be treated, and expired or counterfeit Advantage flea control products should not be used.
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