Flea and Tick Medications Harm Tens of Thousands of Pets

Use of flea and tick control products has resulted in an alarming increase of reports of pet injuries and deaths in the past few years. This has prompted the Environmental Protection Agency to announce that they will be taking stricter measures in the marketing of these products. The number of pets affected is in the tens of thousands. The EPA received 44,263 reports of harm suffered by pets in 2008, a drastic increase compared to the 28,895 reports received in 2007. Pet owners reported skin irritations, burns, welts, drooling, vomiting, seizures, disorientation, neurological problems, and death. It is estimated that 600 of these injuries resulted in death.