Toxic Drugs are Hidden in Popular Flea and Tick Treatments for Dogs

As a dog owner, you are told by the veterinarian to use flea and tick medication on your dog. While the intention is good the chemicals used to create the treatment are harsh and toxic. In addition, they put your dog at risk of experiencing serious side effects and death.

Here are commonly used parasiticides used in flea, tick, and heartworm treatments that you need to be aware of now!

Isoxazolines

Isoxazolines are found in popular treatments such as Credelio, Nexgard, Bravecto, and Simparica. You will be surprised to know Isoxazolines are a synthetic chemical class that is absorbed into the bloodstream and gets distributed throughout a dog’s body. When a parasite such as a flea or tick ingests your dog’s blood the Ioxazolines die.

While this might sound like a great way to protect your dog from parasites, it’s also increasing the risk of your dog experiencing neurological adverse reactions from ingesting the treatments themselves.

The FDA has published safety communication about this class of chemicals and their serious side effects. Common reactions in a dog that take these treatments include muscle tremors, seizures, loss of coordination, and unsteadiness known as ataxia. The FDA has requested all manufacturers that use Ioxazolines to clearly reveal the ingredient on their product labeling.

Moxidectin

This chemical is used in popular brands such as Advantage Multi and ProHeart. These treatments are created to kill whipworms, roundworms, hookworms, and heartworms. It’s also combined with imidacloprid which is a treatment for fleas.

If a dog ingests this topical cream by licking their skin, they can experience adverse side effects. Studies have revealed that dogs that ingested this treatment experienced dilated pupils, depression, generalized muscle tremors, heavy panting, incoordination, coma, and death.

Fipronil

Fipronil is a topical treatment that is administered in low-volume spot-on or high-volume spray options. This chemical can be found in Frontline and Pet Armor Plus which are two popular options dog owners choose for their pets the most.

Fipronil is used to control a variety of pests including fleas and ticks in addition to mole crickets, beetles, ants, weevils, thrips, rootworms, and more.

This chemical might treat pests but it also causes side effects in dogs such as skin problems, convulsions, loss of appetite, unsteady gait, body twitches, thyroid cancer, liver, and kidney issues, decreased litter weights, and increased deaths of newborn puppies.

Selamectin

This chemical is an antiparasitic that is used topically on dogs. It’s found in the popular brand Revolution and it treats fleas, scabies, ear mites, certain ticks, and heartworms. However, Selamectin causes side effects in dogs.

Common side effects experienced with this drug include hair loss at the site where the treatment was placed on the skin. Other side effects include vomiting, loss of appetite, muscle tremors, diarrhea, redness, itchiness, salivation, lethargy, and a fast breathing rate.

Imidacloprid with Flumethrin

This chemical is used in the popular flea treatment Advantage and the flea collar Seresto. This product is applied directly to the skin via topical application or the Seresto collar.

Imidacloprid causes side effects especially if your dog licks the product. Side effects from this drug include vomiting, excessive drooling, shaking, decreased appetite, sleepiness, hyperactivity, itchiness, and skin irritation at the application site.

While veterinarians recommend the flea treatments mentioned above they often avoid discussing the serious side effects your dog can experience. For example, a dog can accidentally overdose with too much treatment for their body weight when wearing the Seresto collar which could lead to serious results.

All of these chemicals rushing through your dog’s body can lead to toxicity poison and death. It’s wise to consider natural flea and tick treatments for your dog. Consult with a holistic veterinarian for further assistance.