DO NOT use Hartz products

[Neudiin]

Story time......

A few months ago I was adopted by this small, long haired black cat. I fed it and made sure it wasn't harassed too much from my 10 y/o tux cat named Tyler. After about a week of no one looking for it, I said ok I guess I am your hooman slave. Took him to get shots, fixed, chipped and named him Midnight. He has gotten much bigger and gained a good amount of weight, he was a little on the skinny side when he first adopted me. So 5 days ago in the afternoon I went to put some flea and tick stuff on both of them, ya know that stuff you put on the back of their neck. I found Midnight first and he wasn't a pain to put it on. Then I found Tyler and he was a lil shit and the plastic bottle thing split and leaked so I didn't get more than a few drops on him. In hindsight it was a good thing. The next day, 4 days ago, Midnight did nothing but sleep, he wasn't his normal playful self. I thought it was weird. But when he didn't eat that night when I brought the boys in, I knew something was wrong. The next day, 3 days ago, I saw him once and as far as I could tell he ate or drank nothing the previous night nor anything during that day. I didn't see him till mid-morning 2 days ago, I brought him inside and cleaned him up, he had a mess on his backside and tail. And he just laid there. I brought him water and food, he'd drink some but not eat. Through out the day and night I brought him water. By that night he got up a few times and walked around. I fed him chicken and ham, he ate but not like he should have but he was drinking water. Saturday morning he was much more himself, was playful and jumping up on stuff. When I made myself a sammich he came meowing for some ham. Tonight when I got home I made sure they had enough food and water, he was his normal self.

After I got him in and settled, made sure he had water and food if he wanted, I went searching the net for WTF caused this. And I found Hartz Victims My first reaction was anger and then as I read it was sadness. PLEASE post this on your FB and tweet the hell out of it. Friends and family have said, if ya didn't know you didn't know. Midnight didn't die because of this shit but I think it was a close thing. So never use their fucking products and warn people not to either. Thanks

 

[Jupiter551]

I'm glad he's okay!!

Holy shit, the stories on that website make me feel ill. Why on earth would this company continue to make these poisons, and why the hell are they allowed to???

I found out a little while ago that a common preservative in pet food can be potentially fatal to cats and dogs, and when I checked found that the cat food I'd been feeding mine did in fact contain it.
It's listed in ingredients as Preservative 223, and I recommend you avoid that too.

 

[LaylaAnn]

I used the Hartz gold flea and tick on my Boxer a few years ago and it was terrible. He was itching terribly and because he was using his mouth to scratch, he began drooling excessively. I had to give him a gazillion baths just to notice a small amount of relief. To top it off, I had given him the medicine right before I left for the day. He had been alone like that for 8 hours! I felt HORRIBLE. I never imagined he would have such a reaction. My Bru-Bear was miserable and I think it was even harder on me :icon-cry: I called the hotline and there response was " Boxers are notorious for having sensitive skin" Never again have I used anything on my dogs without adequate research.

 

[schlmoe]

named him Midnight

I was afraid that this was going to turn into a "Midnight is a racist name thread"... :-D


Glad your cat is OK now!

 

[Shaun__]

Hartz Victims

I went and read I lot of the stories on this site. An alarming number of the people did not follow the directions when applying what they should have known was a poison and other cases appeared to be an allergic reaction. Owners have a obligation to their pets to know what they are doing to them.

Is it really fair to blame a company because you poisoned a defenseless animal in your care? You need to research everything you do for them from food to medicine. Harts products are no different than products made for people with side effects that can include death. If directions are followed and no side effects occur they may be almost safe to use. In all honesty I suspect all of them cause liver and or kidney damage. The safe thing to do is not use the products if you do not want to risk side effects.

You could make an identical website for any manufacture of pet or human pharmaceuticals. It is easy to blame Hartz for what happened to your pets, but as the owner you decided to use the product and were not forced to do it. I have actually had one of the side effects listed on a cold medicine happen to me once and I knew it was my fault not the companies that it happened to me.

Anything you do to your pets can have very horrible results. As the caretaker of them you need to know what you are giving them and decide if the risk is worth the results.

 

[LaceyRoyce]

Whether or not Hartz poisons animals... (and im SO glad your fur-child is ok!) it doesn't fucking work anyway. It's a waste of money. They're the most useless flea and tick prevention out there.

 

[Paulie Walnuts]

If you internetz pretty much any of those drip on the neck flea drugs, you'll find somebody who has had a bad reaction. It's a one in a half milion shot but considering the millions of doses sold, it's a risk.

Plus, they really dont work all that well.

The thing with fleas is, once you see one or 2 on the dog/cat, its to late, your home is infested. Now the word "infestation" doesnt mean your buried in fleas, it means that the fleas have established a good foothold in your house.

Fun flea facts: consider the ones you see at about 100:1 ratio; You see one, there is 100 in the carpet minding their own business you'll never see.

They eat on the dog/cat and hop off to go lay eggs somewhere. They will however lay eggs on the animal too. As a norm, they sense heat (animal) hop on for a blood meal and hop off to lay eggs. The only time they are jumping on the kitteh or pup are when they are hungry. otherwise you never see em.

I've used the drop on the neck crap before, it's a waste and a risk. To rid your home fleas or prevent them from becoming an issue, there are a few simple things you can do daily to make your home very flea-unfriendly.

Vacuum everything. Probably the single best weapon.
Boric acid powder. Use it as carpet and upholstery dust. Sprinkle it on, lightly brush it in, leave it set for a few hours and then go do your vacuuming. You can also use Borax, but Boric acid dust (a buck a can at a dollar store, sold as roach powder, check the lable for "100% boric acid" ) This stuff is a long acting persistent cure, it will kill adults, and newly hatched nymphs. What you dont get with the vacuum settles down in deep, making your carpets/upholstery a flea death trap. A very light dusting is all you need, and brush it in. If the dogs are on the beds, dust it and the blankets. After a few days run then all in the hot dryer to remove the dust and the dead eggs/nymphs.... you cant see em. But they are there. If the dog has his own bed, dust it good and brush it in. Boric acid dust is harmless. I've used it for years and I've always had a house full of dogs and at least one housecat.
Kill the humidity in the house. If you have fleas, crank up the AC for a month and dry the air out below 50%. They all die.

People go for the insecticidal soap for the animals, but quite frankly, you only need repellant. Sentry makes a soap called "Natural Defense" which has no insecticides in it it but lots of different herbal oils... it's very smelly (in a nice way if you like clove, rosemary and a bunch of other smelly herbs) and is an excellent repellent. It does actually kill the fleas on the cat/dog too.

The idea is, make the home flea-unfriendly. Then prevent the fleas from hitch hiking in on the pet.

I use good old flea powder a lot of the time in the warm weather, if you check the labels, Hartz uses a different chemical than most. A brand such as Zodiac is made with the old type insecticides, and the same dust is good for both cats and dogs. (look em up, I forget the names of the chemicals used.)
I think those spot on drugs are just a new way to make money, because once you HAVE fleas... you need more than a squirt of oily crap on their neck to eradicate them.

But you dont need nasty drugs and harsh chemicals to do it. On tiny kittehs you cant use any of that stuff, and soaking the little kitteh in warm water and dawn dish soap will kill the fleas on them and, the nymphs. The eggs, not so much. but killing off nymphs is easier than killing the eggs or the adults.

Fleas are like relatives, if they dont like your house, you wont have much of a problem with them for long.

For the first time in YEARS this summer was really humid and everyone has flea problems, me included. I popped an AC in the window and redusted the house. between the dust and dry cool air, no more fleas.

You DO get hichhikers coming in on the dogs. Flea combs are handy. In humid weather you'll have a few ride in from outside... it's normal. The stinky natural defense shampoo makes the outside fleas go WTF? and hop off the (pleasantly) stinky dog.

Also flea powder on the legs and paws.... excellent hitch hiker prevention.

I'd avoid those spot on products like the plague if I were you. People see "prevents, kills and repels" on the label and think they can suddenly do no work at preventing/ridding themselves of fleas. It's not that simple.

 

[Jupiter551]

a few drops of tea tree oil mixed in warm water in a bucket, dip cat, rub cat, tell cat to STOP STRUGGLING. Cat exits bucket looking silly and everyone has a laugh. Dry cat.

 

[LaylaAnn]

Hartz Victims

I went and read I lot of the stories on this site. An alarming number of the people did not follow the directions when applying what they should have known was a poison and other cases appeared to be an allergic reaction. Owners have a obligation to their pets to know what they are doing to them.

Is it really fair to blame a company because you poisoned a defenseless animal in your care? You need to research everything you do for them from food to medicine. Harts products are no different than products made for people with side effects that can include death. If directions are followed and no side effects occur they may be almost safe to use. In all honesty I suspect all of them cause liver and or kidney damage. The safe thing to do is not use the products if you do not want to risk side effects.

You could make an identical website for any manufacture of pet or human pharmaceuticals. It is easy to blame Hartz for what happened to your pets, but as the owner you decided to use the product and were not forced to do it. I have actually had one of the side effects listed on a cold medicine happen to me once and I knew it was my fault not the companies that it happened to me.

Anything you do to your pets can have very horrible results. As the caretaker of them you need to know what you are giving them and decide if the risk is worth the results.

Harsh. And judgmental. If a pet owner wants to give their animals medications to prevent fleas, ticks, and heartworms I would not say they "poisoned a defenseless animal in their care."

Not to mention, you said you experienced a side effect of a cold medicine listed on the bottle. The reactions we are describing are listed nowhere. I don't own a lab. I'm not a scientist. I have to have some trust in these companies.

 

[NoelleBright]

Tea tree oil is HIGHLY poisonous to cats.

 

[Jupiter551]

tea tree oil is poisonous to just about everything, but you don't put their face underwater or get it anywhere near their face, a small amount is enough to kill fleas and be harmess to the cat. I've done my cat like that for years, he's 11, flea free, happy and healthy

 

[Shaun__]

Harsh. And judgmental. If a pet owner wants to give their animals medications to prevent fleas, ticks, and heartworms I would not say they "poisoned a defenseless animal in their care."

Not to mention, you said you experienced a side effect of a cold medicine listed on the bottle. The reactions we are describing are listed nowhere. I don't own a lab. I'm not a scientist. I have to have some trust in these companies.

Fleas, ticks, and heartworms are all living things. The products poison them at some stage of their life cycle. Just last month I was talking to someone who has lost several cats. I questioned him and learned he had been using canine products on them. Even if they had been dogs however the weight limits for it would have meant it should not be used for them. Should I direct him to that website?

Active Ingredients

(S)-Methoprene (CAS # 65733-16-6)3.6%
Etofenprox (CAS # 80844-07-1)40.0%
OTHER INGREDIENTS:56.4%
Total100%

Etofenprox and Methoprene are both insecticides or in other words poison.


As to the evil Hartz. They are so evil they reported a product they made was unsafe and asked that no one be able to make it ever again.

In 2005, the EPA canceled permission to use phenothrin in several flea and tick products, at the request of the manufacturer, Hartz Mountain Industries.[1][2] The products were linked to a range of adverse reactions, including hair loss, salivation, tremors, and numerous deaths in cats and kittens. In the short term, the agreement called for new warning labels on the products.

Phenothrin is still used in dog products and that is why I am so pissed off. :angry4: If those owners had done any research those animals in their care would still be alive. DO NOT USE DOG PRODUCTS ON CATS AND DO NOT USE POISON ON OR AROUND LITTLE KITTENS AND PUPPIES. Telling me you did not know means you did not ask your vet if it was safe like the box tells you you have to do before using.

 

[Rosemary]

I was a vet tech for 5 years AND as a child used HARTz on my older cat. I hate it.

I have experienced so many horrible episodes of seizures, epic vomiting, and skin infections from animals who are treated with Hartz. It's the bane of Veterinary existence and I have yet to have a vet OK it. This goes for bio spot, too, for which we lost poor Connor to (not mine, but a feline patient who was awesome). The BEST products are: Frontline, Advantage (for kitties), and Advantix (for doggies). If it's a puppy or kitten, Frontline is usually the preferred in a tiny dose or as a spray. We have always dripped ONE drop or sprayed ONE pump onto a wash cloth and gently pet them. This is common practice in emergency medicine. That being said, dawn soap works great, too, just don't over do it or you can cause a skin infection from over-drying their skin and causing little cracks and irritations that they dig at.

Whether or not it's a pesticide doesn't matter, it's the dilution and sensitivity. This goes with anything. My own story is I put HARTz on my cat only to find her later unable to stand, wobbling, twitching, and really out of it. No one else was home. I freaked out, put her in her carriage, and proceeded to walk to my vet clinic many miles away in the hot afternoon sun after not eating or drinking anything prior. I was sobbing because I thought I was going to lose my best friend and someone I knew took pity as they were driving by and helped me to the clinic. I remember my mom being so mad at me for going without telling her, but I'm glad I did. This bitch is still my BFF.

I'm going to C/P something Aeden posted in Model's only since it's very, very well written and concise!

First off, most of the flea population is not what you see. It's creepy to think about but 96% of the population are eggs & larvae which live in your carpet, floor cracks, furniture, sheets, etc. It's going to take a lot of work & patience to get rid of all of these stupid little buggers but if you start now you have about 3 months (maybe more) until the entire infestation will be exterminated.

Tips to a successful battle against wicked fleas:

> Avoid over the counter flea / tick control drops, flea shampoo & flea collars: These products can contain chemicals that are EXTREMELY dangerous to your cat(s) / dog(s). Some of these chemicals can induce seizures and kidney failure. NEVER USE HARTZ FLEA CONTROL I cannot stress this enough! Unfortunately, I've many sweet families lose their pets because of this horrible product. For more info: http://www.hartzvictims.org/

> Apply Frontline, Advantage or other flea drops (from your local veterinarian) when you have money. Make sure that you apply these every 3 - 4 weeks. Wash your cat with a normal shampoo 3 - 5 days before you plan to purchase / apply the drops. You want your kitty clean before application but need enough oil on her skin / hair for the medication to adhere. This is why we wash her a few days beforehand. **Do this immediately when you have the funds**

> Begin vacuuming everything in your house (floors, floor cracks, carpets, furniture, etc.)! As I said, most of the population is -not- on your kitty but everywhere else waiting to be on your cat. The stupid eggs & larvae are waiting to big & strong to suck bloooood. If you have a bag, wash it after EVERY use. =If you have a canister, bleach it out after EVERY use! The eggs can hatch and re-infestation can occur.=

> Wash sheets, pillow cases, cushions, etc. often

> Wash your kitty with standard kitty shampoo (Oatmeal shampoo is the best IMO). Leave the shampoo sitting on your kitty for 5 - 10 minutes, rinse. The doctor I worked for said this technique is just as effective at killing live adult fleas as those potentially harmful flea shampoos. This technique will not kill all of the adult fleas but it should help. The only way you can really begin killing the adult fleas off is with Advantage, Frontline, etc. but until you have the $$... this can help.

> Avoid some of the alternative flea killing methods like tea tree oil. There could be some that are effective but I haven't heard of any. I do know that tea tree oil can be toxic to kitties and it should be avoided.

SOURCES I was a Veterinary Technician for many years & worked for an incredible veterinarian who studied under the "God Father" of Veterinary Medicine, Stephen J. Ettinger DVM DACVIM. He wrote the Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine which most vets use as a guide in their practices. The tips I've listed are taught by my former boss to all of her clients.

It's a frustrating battle but you can be rid of these perky buggers in a few months. Good luck! Remember, it takes awhile but patience is a virtue.

I will also note that I ='d an addition I had in the quotes and that Frontline and Advantage is starting to become over the counter, but are still great products! Another important thing to note is that fleas, like germs, become 'tolerant' to products, so if one does not work, wait the 3/4 weeks before trying the next one. I have had some patients do better on one than the other. In the future, there will be newer, better flea treatment options. This is part of the evolving medicine, so don't be frustrated when someone finally says, "Alright, don't use frontline it's useless!", that's just the way it goes. Right now, those are top products!

 

[AedanRayne]

Nudeeee, I am really happy your kitty is okay because it could have been much worse! *EXTRA BIG HUG*

I was a Veterinary Technician before I was a camgirl and have seen the damage that the Hartz products do. Many cats do not survive when their products are applied to them and it is not the fault of the human mommy/daddy! Many times cats were admitted to my hospital having full blown seizures while their kidneys were shutting down. I cannot tell you how many kittens and adult cats I've seen die from this f#$king horrible "medication"!

You tried to help your darling and should not feel responsible. Lots of people are fooled into believing that this product is legit but it is not regulated like other products on the market (Frontline, Advantage, etc.) There are many people who are working hard in attempts to get this crap off the shelves including my good friends/former bosses that are incredible Doctors! I hope they are successful in their venture.

 

[SoTxBob]

Hartz has been on the do not use list for years with the rescue organization I work with and bio spot was recently added.

The sad thing is that so many of the problems do arise from owner assumption and not following directions for weight or cat vs dog products.

I see a lot about Tea Tree here but nothing about Neem Oil. If you look at any of the natural products available tea tree is usually used as an antiseptic or antifungal and neem as a pesticide alternative. I buy in gallon bulk and due to the numbers of different animals I use the shampoos on, am perhaps over cautious about allergic or toxic reactions. I've never had any problems with the natural pesticide alternative shampoos made by Kelco, Wild Animal or Natures Choice.

I also make a yard spray for fleas from neem oil and it also doubles as a bug spray for the veggie garden. The great thing is that neem is non toxic to bees and other beneficial insects.

 

[Paulie Walnuts]

tea tree oil is poisonous to just about everything, but you don't put their face underwater or get it anywhere near their face, a small amount is enough to kill fleas and be harmess to the cat. I've done my cat like that for years, he's 11, flea free, happy and healthy

Good cat pose to prove there's nothing w-w-w-w-wrong with him.
:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Neudiin]

Thank you for all the kindness =)

I am happy that he is ok. Today he came in, ran over to the fridge, sat down and meowed for some noms. He is back to his normal playful self as well. I had decided he was going to the vet yesterday if he wasn't lots better, ended up he was so....lesson learned.

*gropes Aedan as she hugs me* always a perv hehe

 

[Paris_Lee]

my dog is very allergic to any brand of the neck drops flea prevention, she starts foaming at the mouth and gets very ill. a lot of that stuff is bad news. i get the pill kind from my vet.

im so sorry this happened to you.

 

[Rosemary]

my dog is very allergic to any brand of the neck drops flea prevention, she starts foaming at the mouth and gets very ill. a lot of that stuff is bad news. i get the pill kind from my vet.

im so sorry this happened to you.

Mmmm, yes! I forgot about the pill-type of prevention! Still some dangers with misuse, just like the drops and, well, anything, but also another option! I think the consensus was that the pill isn't the most effective treatment, but for situations like yours it is perfect!

I'm just glad they finally have a topical dewormer for cats. Oh profender, how I wish to make sweet sweet love to you bb I so don't miss shoving foul tasting pills down a pissed off cats throat, lol!

 

[Jupiter551]

I so don't miss shoving foul tasting pills down a pissed off cats throat, lol!

I remember holding my cat with one hand and trying to feed him worming tablets and thinking he was swallowing them, then when I put him down I saw he'd just made them soggy and spit them out the other side of his mouth onto the floor >.<

 

[NoelleBright]

I remember holding my cat with one hand and trying to feed him worming tablets and thinking he was swallowing them, then when I put him down I saw he'd just made them soggy and spit them out the other side of his mouth onto the floor >.<

When my cats have to take pills I usually wrap them up in little pieces of lunch meat and pray that they eat the whole thing. It mostly works, but when it doesn't it's an ordeal. I usually sit on the ground and pin them between my knees, pry the mouth open and shove the pill in. I hold their mouths shut for a little while and lightly massage their throats and they always go down.
It's shitty and they hate me for like a whole day afterwards.

I still would never put my cats in even extremely diluted tea tree oil though. There are safer natural alternatives that still work, so I've never wanted to risk it. Plus tea tree oil stinks.
I wash my cats in doctor bronners soap with peppermint oil in it, which will repel fleas but is 100% safe for all parties involved.

 

[Rose]

Glad to hear your kitty is ok. My doggy is allergic to pretty much everything on the damn planet so I have to be careful what I use. She gets bathed with the special soap that I use on myself and she gets special flea drops from the vet. It makes me sad when I hear about people using pet products that are known to be unsafe.

 

[Rosemary]

I so don't miss shoving foul tasting pills down a pissed off cats throat, lol!

I remember holding my cat with one hand and trying to feed him worming tablets and thinking he was swallowing them, then when I put him down I saw he'd just made them soggy and spit them out the other side of his mouth onto the floor >.<

Yes, the deworming pills are the worst! I now gag when I see a cat drooling because of my ordeal with Dali, my old crispy lady. I tried over and over when I was younger and she'd spit and drool and it was just gross!

A little trick us vet techs use is to gently scruff or hold their head, then pull their head back, and their mouths automatically pop open a little (they're unable to keep their jaws closed all the way like this). You gently pull the bottom jaw down and drop the pill in the back of the throat OR, like me, I just slide my finger over the hump of their throat. Or...just get profender, it's way less stressful :lol: And not every cat is pillable. I thank my lucky stars when my cat will eat her meds (she gets bladder issues from time to time) in a small wad of wet food. I always get them nice and hungry before dinner time and give them the 'meatball of secrets and lies' before they're allowed to eat.

Dali is a bitch to pill. If I ever have to pill her again I'll try and get it on video. It's good for a laugh.

 

[AedanRayne]

I so don't miss shoving foul tasting pills down a pissed off cats throat, lol!

A little trick us vet techs use is to gently scruff or hold their head, then pull their head back, and their mouths automatically pop open a little (they're unable to keep their jaws closed all the way like this). You gently pull the bottom jaw down and drop the pill in the back of the throat OR, like me, I just slide my finger over the hump of their throat.

Perfect advice! I blow a lil' puff of air into the cat's nose once the pill is dropped into their throat; while holding their mouth shut. That causes them to swallow and most of the time it's very successful (unless the cat is a demon)!

Rosemary, you make me miss my Vet Tech days! *vet tech huggles*

 

[Rosemary]

I know, Aedan! I want to hug you every single time, too! You're so freakin' smart, I love reading your posts.