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Increased Scrutiny of Flea and Tic Control Products for Pets
Increased Scrutiny of Flea and Tic Control Products for Pets
by EPA
EPA Update
April 2009 Advisory: Increased Scrutiny of Flea and Tick Control Products for Pets The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is intensifying its evaluation of spot-on pesticide products for flea and tick control due to recent increases in the number of reported adverse reactions in pets treated with these products. Adverse reactions reported range from mild effects such as skin irritation to more serious effects such as seizures and, in some cases, death of the pet.
Flea and tick products can be appropriate treatments for protecting your pets and
your familyʼs health because fleas and ticks can transmit disease. While many
people use the products with no harm to their pets, EPA recommends that pet
owners take precautions when using these products. People should carefully follow
label directions and monitor their pets for any signs of an adverse reaction after
application, particularly when using these products for the first time. Also, before use
of these products on weak, aged, medicated, sick, pregnant or nursing pets,
or on pets that have previously shown signs of sensitivity to pesticide products,
EPA recommends that a veterinarian be consulted. Additional safety tips are
available for taking care of fleas and ticks on your pet.
Pets may experience adverse reactions from flea and tick control products, including spot-on treatments, sprays, collars and shampoos. However, the majority of reports to EPA are related to flea and tick treatments with EPA-registered spot-on products. Spot-on products are generally sold in tubes or vials and are applied to one or more localized areas on the body of the pet, such as in between the shoulders or in a stripe along the back.
List of Registered Products
EPA has provided a listing of EPA registered spot-on flea and tick products . Since the chart previously located on this page reflected only a portion of the numerous pet spot-on
products available, EPA felt that pet owners and consumers might be led to believe that only those products listed were the focus of concern. In fact, EPA is intensifying its evaluation of all spot-on products and is providing a more comprehensive list
of these products.
EPA is not initiating a product recall of these products nor is the Agency suggesting that the products not be used. EPA recognizes the importance of the products in effective flea and tick control. EPAʼs objective at this stage is simply to advise consumers and pet owners to exercise caution when using the products and to monitor pet behavior following their use, as some animals have experienced adverse reactions following treatment.
Regulatory Agencies are Taking Action
EPA is evaluating all available data an information, including:reports of adverse reactions, product market share, clarity of product use directions and label warnings, product ingredients, and premarket safety data submitted to the Agency i support of registration of these products.This assessment may result in EPA action to require changes in the registration status o certain spot-on products. EPA will be workingcollaboratively with Health Canada to address this issue, as Canadian regulatoryofficials have identified similar concerns about the use of spot-on flea and tickproducts. EPA intends to update this page periodically to provide the public with the
most current information on this issue.
EPA provided list of registerd products all of which are being investigated.
PDF File on Products available from EPA:
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/prodname-reg.pdf
Here is where you report any adverse reactions by your pets
http://www.avma.org/animal_health/reporting_adverse_events.asp
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