Fipronil (= Frontline) egg scandal

[sandgrubber]

Curious.  Can anyone explain why there's such a big fuss about fipronil being found in eggs when it's been permitted in flea meds for years.  If it's that dangerous, why is it allowed in routinely used pet meds?

Edited August 12, 2017 by sandgrubber
Clarification

[persephone]

6 hours ago, sandgrubber said:

 If it's that dangerous, why is it allowed in routinely used pet meds?

..because our pets are not part of our food intake ? 

Fipronil is not licensed for food destined for human consumption...therefore , if found , that food must be disposed of.  It is an insecticide ..and human food shouldn't  have insecticides therein ...   ?

[sandgrubber]

But the news reports mention liver damage if taken over a long period of time.  Not good...or perhaps other animals metabolize it differently?

[PossumCorner]

 

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/839293/EU-Egg-fipronil-contamination-Belgium-Denis-Ducharme-Netherlands-health-crisis

 

We don't feed it to our animals though, isn't it the content of a spot-on?, so not direct into the digestive system, kidneys, liver.  Like ivermectin topical (not oral).  All animals need to be treated with parasite protection whether lice and mites or internal worms.  The neglect of not treating them is worse than the possibility of damage the meds might do - it's not ideal because poison is poison, but images of totally neglected dogs with mange plus worm infested is much worse on balance than the occasional bad reaction to a med.  I think. 

Another spin off in reaction to this egg throwing is the BRexit - those in favour doing a justified point and laugh because EU members are now snarking at one another - and the anti-Brexit had used the argument that the UK would be the ones suffering from this lack of control, not the EU.

[Scottsmum]

How's it getting into eggs / chickens?

[PossumCorner]

Poultry farms use it to control lice and mites on chooks.  The little bloodsucking things (aside from just inflicting pain which reduces egg production due to stress) cause anaemia which reduces egg production, feather-mites destroy feathering, and scaly leg mite make legs scabby, causes lameness.  And that's aside from internal parasites like worms and coccidiosis.

So the poultry farms variously spray pens and it gets into the bird's system topically, absorb through skin: or worm them the same as we do dogs, mostly by mouth, sometimes by spot-on treatment.  Once in the bird's system it can absorb into internal organs including eggs.  There are all sorts of safeguards in the regulations but when did they ever work in the livestock industries? 

[Scottsmum]

4 hours ago, PossumCorner said:

Poultry farms use it to control lice and mites on chooks.  The little bloodsucking things (aside from just inflicting pain which reduces egg production due to stress) cause anaemia which reduces egg production, feather-mites destroy feathering, and scaly leg mite make legs scabby, causes lameness.  And that's aside from internal parasites like worms and coccidiosis.

So the poultry farms variously spray pens and it gets into the bird's system topically, absorb through skin: or worm them the same as we do dogs, mostly by mouth, sometimes by spot-on treatment.  Once in the bird's system it can absorb into internal organs including eggs.  There are all sorts of safeguards in the regulations but when did they ever work in the livestock industries? 

Oh. I had no idea! 

 

Thanks PC.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

Hopefully less mites and lice on the true free range chooks here ie stocking rates of 1500 per hectare (not 10,000 per hectare like coles and woolies redefined free range). 

[PossumCorner]

Ongoing problem Rusty, free range do catch things just as much, often from wild birds which are all carriers.  It's all a bit lose/lose.  Some egg producers hardly treat birds at all, but then they cull at 12-18 months old, so if birds are infested, well they're past their use-by date for laying anyway.  Emptied pens can then be power-sprayed or fogged, and a new lot of layers started.

 

And yes the new stocking rates are sickening.