Pet Owner Concerned About Over-The-Counter Flea And Tick Treatment

Gail Rankin of Washington County, Tennessee, worries a popular over-the-counter flea and tick product could harm or even kill your pet. She says her cat nearly died from Hartz flea and tick drops last week.

“She staggered, she foamed, she was having seizures,“ Rankin said.

Rankin says she rushed her pet to the emergency clinic where she was diagnosed with toxicity poisoning. After spending a night there, Rankin says she took her cat to Town and Country Animal Hospital for further treatment. Despite using the same product a handful of times before without any problems, Rankin says she’s finished with Hartz.

“I don’t want to go through it again, no way,“ Rankin said. “It’s just too heartbreaking.“

Rankin’s horror story is not uncommon. Town and Country Animal Hospital Veterinarian Dr. Lisa Webb says she treats three to six cats a year for reactions to over-the-counter flea and tick products. Webb says she’s even seen cats die from them. She believes Hartz is too unpredictable.

“Even if it’s labeled for cats, just because it worked last time, doesn’t mean they’re not going to have a reaction the next time,“ Webb said.

That’s why she advises pet owners to avoid over-the-counter products and instead buy flea and tick treatment from their local veterinarian. She recommends products like Frontline, Advantage, and ProMeris.

Robinson Animal Hospital Veterinarian Dr. James Robinson agrees that a vet’s recommendation is your best bet. However, he says Hartz often unfairly gets a bad wrap. He says at his animal hospital, almost always the pesticide alone isn’t to blame.

“Most of the cats that come in here, it’s owner problems,“ Robinson said. “The owners are not reading the labels. They’re saying, ‘oh, I got a product that’s going to kill fleas, I’ll put it on my cat’...what people are doing is they’re buying a dog product and they’re putting it on a cat.“

Rankin says that is not what happened in her case. She’s convinced the product is to blame.

“Hartz has been around for years and years and years and like I said, I had used it on her before, but never again.“

Hartz Mountain Corporation released this statement regarding this case:

“Flea and tick season is upon us and protecting our pets from harmful parasites is an issue for every pet owner. 

Hartz products are licensed by the EPA and are safe and effective when used in accordance to the label instructions.  Hartz has been providing useful products to the public at reasonable costs for more than 80 years. 

Many millions of pet owners have protected their pets and their family from potentially dangerous parasites by using our products.

All flea and tick products sold in retail settings must pass the same tests as the products sold in the veterinary setting.  The results of the tests are reviewed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) before the products can be registered for use on pets.

A review of our records shows that we have not received a call from the consumer concerning this matter. 

These products are safe and effective when used in accordance with the label directions.

The health of our pets is of first concern to pet owners, veterinarians and pet product companies alike.  Flea and tick products sold in retail settings are an excellent option for pet owners, but consumers must carefully follow the label instructions to minimize the chance of any adverse events.“

Concerns about Hartz flea and tick products first surfaced in 2002. In 2005, at the request of the Environmental Protection Agency, Hartz agreed to stop making and selling several of its flea and tick applications. At the time, the EPA said the product injured thousands of cats and killed at least a dozen others. Back then Hartz also agreed to re-label other products so they included stronger warnings.