I, myself, have never used K-9 Advantix, but I well remember their cute commercials with the little yellow lab puppy writing home from camp. I had always used Advantage until my vet turned me on to Frontline Plus. Since the fleas are so horrible here every year, we often have to rotate the products to help kill the fleas, and add in a round of Capstar. But like any good "mom," I was horrified as I read the experiences of this other rescuer. I don't know if anyone else is using the product, but I thought it would be important to share the information that she relayed. (As a side note, I also never use Banfield anymore as I have yet to have a good feeling when I've been in there with an animal as a last resort when my regular vet was not available. It wasn't just the vet alone, but the service all the way around, not to mention the outrageous pricing.)
This is a cross-post, with permission:
From: Debbie Stayer Kelly
I want to relay my personal experience with a topical flea product, as
well as share info that I discovered after researching this all.
Hopefully my experience as well as the info below may prevent this
tragedy from happening to you & your pets, as well as anyone you know
who has pets that you want to share this with.
In early Oct after bathing all 3 of my dogs, I realized I only had 2
tubes of Advantage.
It was late Saturday p.m., so I ran over to Petsmart's Banfield vet
clinic, to get another tube. They said they no longer carried Advantage
or Frontline, products that I've safely used for years. They said they
only sold a product called K-9 Advantix, and said it was the same thing
only better (has an ingredient in it to repel mosquitos). I didn't buy
it at first, I raced home & searched the net, found that it is made by
Bayer, who also makes Advantage, so I went back & got it. They only had
1 tube left, so they put it in a prescription bottle (without including
the little info flyer).
Later that evening I put this on my 11 yr old Sheep dog mix, & right
away he started running around reaching at his rear, & scratching like
crazy. I'm thinking he must have had more fleas than I realized. I do
not have a flea problem at my house, as I treat my yard, and I have no
carpet. I blow him dry & had only found a couple of fleas. Late on
Saturday evening, he finally stopped scratching & going berserk & went
to sleep. I thought he was just exhausted, but the next morning I
realized that he was almost comatose. I had to call his name loudly, &
he could just barely raised his head in response. I immediately put in a
call to the vet, & in the meantime scoured the web for a way to handle
this. I was horrified when I found a public forum addressing this
product (see link below). Instead of finding a remedy for side effects
on the Bayer site it was on this forum that I found it. I even read (on
this forum) that Bayer admitted to one petowner that they had not
done extensive testing on this product as was done on other products.
Later the vet called & said to get it off of him immediately, (scrub
with Dawn dishwashing liquid & rinse, rinse, rinse). He was so lethargic
he couldn't even stand up in the tub, I had to prop his head up to get
this washed off of him.
He was much better within just hours of getting it off, but it still
took 7+ days for him to get back to normal. About 4-5 days (still a bit
unstable but much better) I took him for a walk. Well, he fell really
hard coming up the concrete steps & then slid backwards down them. I got
him to the vet to find there was an incredible amount of damage done to
the cartilege in his throat & a hole the size of a nickel. They cleaned
it really good, but left the opening so it could drain. Of course it
healed & closed within a day. After running to the vet daily for almost
a week to have them drain the fluid she put in a drain tube. After a
month, the vet finally said that had to come out. He is also on
antibotics for well over a month. When it continued to worsen the vet
ran some blood tests & told me they had found cancer cells (melanoma) in
his throat, & that it was spreading, & there was nothing more they could
do for him, to take him home & give him anything he wanted to
make him happy & comfortable. She said she gave him maybe 3 weeks
(12/18/06). I am in shock!
I immediately made an appointment for the next day, with a vet that
specializes in canine cancer & disease. This vet looked at his wound &
agreed with the diagnosis. She told me that she had also used this K-9
Advantix on her own dog who had a really bad reaction to it as well (
rolling her eyes she said... "but we still sell it") I asked her if she
felt that this product could be responsible for this cancerous invasion
or if maybe he just was predisposed genetically to have cancer or just
what since he was otherwise healthy prior to my using K-9 Advantix? She
hestitated a minute & very carefully said, "Well (a very long well), I
can't say that the K-9 Advantix actually caused the cancer... and No, he
was not just predisposed to have cancer... cancer cells just seem to
come from nowhere when/where there is a weakened part of the body." The
vet said that while he may not be in any pain right now (melanoma
cancers aren't painful like bone or internal cancer) that since
this was a rapid moving cancer it could
spread to other parts of his body & at some point he could have lots of
pain. She said that since the mass is in his throat that the day would
probably come that he would not be able to swallow. The first thing I do
every morning is offer him a little piece of cheese to make sure he can
still swallow & am soooo relieved when he eats. She says that everything
could change to bad as quickly as overnight.
This cancer is growing massive on his throat (02/01/07) but he seems to
not be in much distress - he sleeps a lot more but perks up fast if you
ask him if he wants to go for a walk or ride. When I call his name, even
if he is too tired to raise his head, he always wags that tail. Some
days are good (Thank God for Rymadil)... & some days are not as good.
I am dreading the day he takes a real turn for the worse, & am just
thankful that today he is seems to not be in pain. He wags his tail
(along with his entire body) ever so humbly when I call his name, & then
stares directly into my heart & my soul when he looks at me - he knows
that he is loved & he trust me with his entire being. I feel such guilt
when I look back into those eyes, knowing what I've done to him by using
this poison. I am happy and so grateful for the time that I will have
left with him, but just tormented knowing it will end very soon. He has
been the best friend in the world.
IMPORTANT INFO & ADVICE THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW....
There are 2 main pesticides used in both Advantage & also K-9 Advantix.
I did not research the one pesticide that is common in both since I have
used Advantage for years with no problem. The other pesticide found in
K-9 Advantix, but not in Advantage is permethrin (the mosquito repellent
- also used to kill termites). I am shocked at what I have found.
**Also searched for info on this product & it's relation/link to cancer,
and found the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has classified
permethrin as a suspected carcenogen.
http://www.scorecar/d.org/health-effects/chemicals-2.tcl?shorthazard_nam
e=cancer&allp=t9
(compliled of records and reports from the EPA) also
listed here as a definite carcenogen (don't know which is more current)
http://www.safe2use.com/poisons-pesticides/pesticides/permethrin/cox-rep
ort/cox.htm
**Read the comments in this public forum re: K-9 Advantix - it's not
just me with this problem. http://www.dogsonly.org Click on message
board on right side side then find the topic K-9 Avdantix. Most recent
comments are at the end.
Still another public forum that also warns about BIO SPOT...
http://www.elverson/puzzle.com/biospotlettersv13.html.
Read this article written by a Florida Veterinarian.
Topical Flea Control Products: What's the difference?
http://floridapetpa/ges.com/articles/TopicalFleaControlProducts.html
Even more Horrible facts......
K-9 Advantix can be/ is toxic to dogs if it is applied where they could
possibly lick it or if a puppy playmate were to get it in their mouths
playing & wrestling around with a dog that has this on. Unlike Advantage
that is applied between the shoulder blades, K-9 Advantix is to be
applied in several spots down the dogs back.
No adult dog topical flea products should ever be used on a toy or
miniature breed - ONLY applications for puppies should ever be used on
these breeds - even if they are adult dogs.
The product, K-9 Advantix is highly toxic to cats, even if it is on your
dog & the cat gets it on itself.
I am amazed that this is the only topical flea application that
Petsmart's Banfield clinic sells, knowing how many of their petowner
clients have both dogs & cats. Petsmarts Banfield clinic never even me
asked if I had cats - I have 6. I spoke to a mgr. at Petsmart who got
the number for Banfield corporate office for me told me that Petsmart
doesn't own Banfield. He rescues cats (has like 16 or so) & told me he
wouldn't use Banfield for anything ever - what does that tell you?? What
do you think he knows & we don't!
The Vet told me that right now the best & safest topical flea
application is Advantage - she even said that Frontline isn't working
anymore. She told me there is a new product that will be introduced
early 2007 but said she was going to keep a watchful eye on that product
even before she would use it on her own dog. I think many vets won't
speak against these products - don't know why! Guess they don't want to
ruin their relationship with Bayer or maybe they are under some sort of
contract.
Please if you love your babies, please don't use K-9 Advantix on
them! Even if you are using it, & it seems to be OK, they do not
know enough about it and by Bayers own admission, it was not thoroughly
tested. I don't think anyone knows about the long term effects. Please
please please protect your babies & never use this poison on them!
Pat in Atlanta
3 comments:
My dog had a terrible reaction to Advantix and I it really scared me. The first time I used it there was little or no reaction that I recall. The second time I used it, it coincided with a raid on the trash can and some bone eating so I and the vet attributed her persistent yelping to that although no other evidence of bone eating problems were present. This yelping and screaming lasted four days. The third time I used it the same yelping and screaming started within 12 hours of application just like the second time and I finally understood what was going on. She screamed for the entire day in spite of two baths, one with dishwashing det. and it wasn't until she was given Valium that she finally went to sleep. I am now on the second day and every time she moves she yelps but at least the screaming has slowed down. I believe that this drug is a bad thing for animals and I encourage everyone who's dog has had an adverse reaction to call EPA at 800-858-7378 because that is the only way they will ever pull this drug. This is the agency that has responsibility for compiling adverse reactions to topical pesticides. I still don't know what is in store in for my dog in the future. She is acting very strange and the entire experience is unnerving.
Our dog has liver problem that the vet cannot figure out. We spent 8 months not to mentions surgery's, and medications to find out our its not mange or hepatitis. We switch to K9 Advantix couple of years ago. We think this is causing the problem. We stop using K-9 Advantix.
About two weeks ago we put K9 Advantix on our Welsh Terrier, the next day she was agitated, couldn't settle down and just wasn't herself. My husband checked online about reactions and many of the things she was doing were present among the side effects. We immediately gave her a bath with Dawn and she calmed down somewhat. But from that time (two weeks ago) she has not eaten normally, and that was never a problem before. The eating problem became worse daily until she would not eat her meals. I took her to the vet today and with bloodwork and x-rays I have just found out that she has a heart mumur which has enlarged her heart. Her liver and kidneys are affected, fluid is building up in her body and she has elevated blood pressure and she is anemic. She is now in the hospital with IV fluids and antibotics and I will check on her later tonight. All this in just two weeks. She was in for a check up a few months ago and there was not any sign of any of the problems I have previously mentioned. Do I thing K9 Advantix did this, most certainly! We will have to see if "Daisy" can pull out of this and return to normal. DON'T USE K9 ADVANTIX IF YOU LOVE YOUR DOGS!
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