by Julie Backenkeller for Rock Environmental Network, Inc.
It's tick season. Ticks, mosquitos and other pesky bugs seem to be magnetically attracted to my dog. As a concerned pet owner, I want to protect her from Lyme's disease, heart worm and keep fleas at bay (and out of my house), but what are the dangers to our Lucy from these products? More importantly, if my kids pet her and get this stuff on their hands, or in their mouths, what is the danger to them? If she hops in bed with them for a morning snuggle, what is she bringing with her? In my attempt to ward off the chemical paranoia that rises when I look at the products available, I decided to first consult several websites to get some answers.
The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) believes that the risks from flea and tick control products are acceptable, but not everyone agrees with them. Acceptable? “This is really an example of how public human health is not being protected in our current system of pesticide review,” asserted Miriam Rotkin-Ellman, a scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
A couple of drops of a pyrethroid-based flea and tick treatment can keep bugs off your pet for a whole month, however, an NRDC analysis reveals that some pet flea collars can create toxic chemical residues on pet fur," that can threaten human health." The NRDC found high levels of propoxur and tetrachlorvinphos (TCVP), (another carcinogenic neurotoxin common in household pet products) on pet fur after use of ordinary flea collars.
The NRDC published a list of chemicals commonly found in flea and tick treatments, ranked according to how safe they are for humans. Permethrin, an active ingredient in products like K9 Advantix and Bio Spot Spot On Flea and Tick Control for Dogs, is classified under the most toxic category by NRDC because the EPA says it is “likely to be carcinogenic to humans” if ingested orally. So why do we even have these types of products available for sale? If they are toxic to humans, then wouldn't they, logically, also be toxic to our pets?
The labels warn of the risks; “Harmful if swallowed or absorbed through skin,” reads the label on Sergeant’s Gold Flea and Tick Squeeze-On for Dogs. The label on Bio Spot instructs users to “Avoid contact with skin or clothing. Wash thoroughly with soap and water after handling.”
After reading several of these labels, I thought of my friend who has dogs, and toddlers in the house, so I researched this further on the EPA's website. EPA tests revealed a "possible danger " to toddlers who play with treated pets. Their assessment of Sergeant’s cyphenothrin spot on products in 2006 concluded that “toddler exposure from dermal (hug) and hand-to-mouth activities to treated companion animals continues to be of concern.” Similar testing of Hartz’s d-phenothrin products in May 2008 found the same risk. But both of these assessments were revised shortly after the original conclusions. EPA officials stated that "tests had overestimated the amount of product commonly applied to the pet, and when calculations were done for a smaller dose, the margin of safety was acceptable", explained Marion Johnson, branch chief of the EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs registration division. A more refined test of the d-phenothrin products also “resolved the risk for toddler hand-to-mouth exposure.”
As a parent AND a pet owner, I am not convinced of the safety of these products and neither is the NRDC. “It’s definitely very alarming to us,” Rotkin-Ellman said. “The more we look into these products, the more we find examples of how the risk assessments fall short of protecting human health.”
Before treating Lucy this year, I consulted greenpaws.org's updated product guide, their toxic fact sheet, and printed a copy of their "pocket pet guide". You can also join with Green Paws and the NRDC to protect kids and pets from dangerous products by signing their petition at the website listed above, or join them on-line at many social networks.
My husband accuses me of loving the dog more than anything else, but if you have a dog like my Lucy, you'll understand my concern. (and you've probably heard the same thing)
EPA Safety tips for pet owners:
· Consult your veterinarian about the best way to to protect your pets from fleas and ticks and whether pesticides are even needed.
· Use extra care before use on weak, aged, medicated, sick, pregnant, or nursing pets, or on pets that have previously shown signs of sensitivity to pesticide products.
· If you use a spot-on product or any other pesticide on your pet, carefully read and follow the product label.
· Use flea and tick control products only on the animal specified by the product label - for example, dog products for dogs only and cat products for cats only.
· Follow any label prohibitions against use on weak, aged, medicated, sick, pregnant, or nursing pets, or on pets that have previously shown sensitivity to pesticide products. Apply only the amount indicated for the size of the animal being treated.
· Do not apply to kittens or puppies unless the product label specifically allows this treatment. Pay attention to the age restrictions for puppies and kittens on the label.
· Monitor your pet for side effects or signs of sensitivity after applying the product, particularly when using the product on your pet for the first time. Do not apply spot-ons to pets known to be sensitive to pesticide products.
· If your pet experiences an adverse reaction, immediately bathe the pet with mild soap and rinse with large amounts of water.
· Keep the package with the product container (such as individual applicator tubes). Also keep the package after treatment in case adverse effects occur. You will want to have the instructions at hand, as well as contact information for the manufacturer.
Contact Julie at rockenvironmentalnetwork @charter.net, or join Rock Environmental Network's conversation on FaceBook.
