Class Action Against Spot-on Flea Product Manufacturers

[sandgrubber]

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/08/26/Biospot.pdf

In the US a $5,000,000+ Class Action lawsuit has been filed against the manufacturers of certain spot on flea protection products which have sickened and in some cases killed the animals they were manufactured to protect.

Much background on this can be found at

http://www.biospotvictims.org/

I guess courthousenews is news . . . this one belongs in more mainstream news. Too bad they are more interested in the morbid and grotesque.

[Dju]

I've seen a few reports now that say that spot-on treatment for dogs is doing more harm than good, but.. what are the alternatives? I hope the lawsuit will encourage companies to make "natural" spot-on treatments (if there ever could be such a thing)--I'm sure they'd be a hit with the public!

[Staranais]

That's interesting, I wonder if they'll succeed with the lawsuit? The link says it's frontline (fipronel & methoprene) and revolution (selamectin) that are being litigated against.

I don't know if any effective insecticide is totally safe for all animals (no matter how natural it is), but being covered in fleas is pretty miserable too. I only do my guys when they actually have fleas.

[sandgrubber]

Some are worse than others . . . I think Frontline is generally ok'd by the people doing the lawsuits. Here's the HSUS take on the bad and the ugly of flea control. I got interested in this after one of my girls nearly died from taking a cyphenothrin based product (ie, a particularly nasty pyrethroid). The vendor gave no warnings. Their HOTLINE number didn't work . . . the symptoms . . . very bad seizures that continued until I finally got the advice from a vet to wash the stuff out.

The chemicals

Besides pyrethroid-based products, ingredients to be wary of are organophosphate insecticides (OPs) and carbamates, both of which are found in various flea and tick products. A product contains an OP if the ingredient list contains chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, phosmet, naled, tetrachlorvinphos, diazinon, or malathion. If the ingredient list includes carbaryl or propoxur, the product contains a carbamate. According to the NRDC, the potential dangers posed by these products are greatest for children and pets. There is reason to be concerned about long-term, cumulative exposures as well as combined exposures from the use of other products containing OPs and carbamates. The Center For Public Integrity's study said permethrin is classified under the most toxic category by NRDC because the EPA says it is "likely to be carcinogenic to humans" if ingested orally.

The products

The NRDC's report lists flea- and tick-control products marketed under the following major brand names that have been found to contain OPs: Alco, Americare, Beaphar, Double Duty, Ford's Freedom Five, Happy Jack, Hartz, Hopkins, Kill-Ko, Protection, Rabon, Riverdale, Sergeant's, Unicorn, Vet-Kem, Victory, and Zema. To protect their pets and children, consumers should consult with a veterinarian before purchasing any over-the-counter (OTC) products.

That's interesting, I wonder if they'll succeed with the lawsuit? The link says it's frontline (fipronel & methoprene) and revolution (selamectin) that are being litigated against.

I don't know if any effective insecticide is totally safe for all animals (no matter how natural it is), but being covered in fleas is pretty miserable too. I only do my guys when they actually have fleas.

[*Bones*]

I gathered the courtcase referred to BioSpot, not Frontline etc? Some of the plaintiffs said they had used Frontline previously without problems, on the animals affected by Biospot.

Dogs have had bad reactions to some of the spot ons, including Frontline and Revolution. I have never heard of Bio Spot.

One of the case histories says the active ingredient is permethrin, and the product acts by the product entering the bloodstream. Not surprising that the animals had fits.

Edited October 12, 2010 by Octavia

[sandgrubber]

You're right. These products are widely available and much cheaper than Frontline in the US. I think the more interesting issue is class action against veterinary products manufacturers. I'd think, for example, there is a case to be had for suing manufacturers for vaccines that cause ill effects (eg, standard doses applied to Chihuahuas or k9 cough vac's that give k9 cough to a litter of puppies).

The focus seems to be on a certain permethrin which seems to have much worse effects on dogs. It's called cyphenothrin. I don't know much about how drugs are licensed for vet use in Australia, but it is a drug that should not be permitted.

I gathered the courtcase referred to BioSpot, not Frontline etc? Some of the plaintiffs said they had used Frontline previously without problems, on the animals affected by Biospot.

Dogs have had bad reactions to some of the spot ons, including Frontline and Revolution. I have never heard of Bio Spot.

One of the case histories says the active ingredient is permethrin, and the product acts by the product entering the bloodstream. Not surprising that the animals had fits.