flea collars for pets endanger kids

[Guest guest]

I imagine most folks on this list know enough to stay away from flea

collars for pets. But I am posting the article below for thos who may

not understand the dangers to their pets and children.

 

Alobar

 

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flea collars for pets endanger kids

(04-23) 15:12 PDT OAKLAND -- Some cat and dog flea collars leave

chemicals on fur that are hazardous to the pets and their owners, in

violation of California's anti-toxics laws, according to a national

environmental group's lawsuit Thursday.

 

Read more:

 

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/23/BA63177TIM.DTL#ixzz0\

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The Natural Resources Defense Council urged federal regulators to

remove the products from the market.

 

Two chemicals in the pet collars left residue sufficient to pose the

risk of cancer and neurological damage to children - as much as 1,000

times higher than levels established by the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, the group said.

 

" Just because a product is sold in stores doesn't mean it's safe, "

said Dr. Gina Solomon, a physician and a toxicologist with the

environmental group and an author of the study.

 

Under California's Proposition 65, which was approved by state voters

in 1986, " consumers have a right to know if a flea-control product

could make their pets or families sick, " Solomon said.

 

The group asked the federal environmental agency to cancel the

registration for use of the two chemicals - propoxur and TCVP, or

tetrachlorvinphos- on pets. The EPA has deemed exposure to flea

collars insignificant.

 

Still, the agency considers the chemicals to be carcinogens and

neurotoxins. Propoxur is on the state's list of carcinogens regulated

by Prop. 65, and the state is considering adding TCVP to the list.

 

The federal agency did not immediately respond to the environmental

group's petitions and allegations that regulators failed to safeguard

the public and their pets from dangerous pesticides.

 

In its lawsuit filed in Alameda County Superior Court, the group

alleges that 16 retailers and manufacturers, including chain pet

supply and grocery stores, failed to warn consumers that they were

exposed to unsafe levels of propoxur in violation of state law.

 

Officials at Central Life Sciences in Schaumburg, Ill., which has

taken over two of the defendants named in the suit - manufacturers

Wellmark International Corp. and Farnam Co.s - had not seen the study

and could not comment, said Mark Newberg, director of corporate

affairs.

 

Other manufacturers named in the suit - Hartz Mountain Group,

Sergeant's Pet Care Products Inc. and Virbac Inc. - could not be

reached for comment.

 

The environmental group conducted tests on nine dogs and five cats, a

sample that was equal to or larger than studies used by the EPA to

determine exposure to pesticides from flea collars, the authors said.

 

The tests for TCVP were conducted on Hartz Advanced Care 3-in-1

Control Collar for Cats and Hartz Advanced Care 2-in-1 Reflecting Flea

& Tick Collar for Dogs. Tests for propoxur were done on Zodiac Flea &

Tick Collar for dogs and Bio Spot Flea and Tick Collar for dogs.

 

Pet owners calling the National Pesticide Information Center have

complained that dogs and cats wearing collars containing the

ingredients had stopped eating or drinking and showed symptoms

including vomiting, twitching and diarrhea. There was no confirmation

that the collars caused the problems.

 

The environmental group's researchers followed common protocols,

including wiping fur to simulate petting. Measured residues were

compared to the EPA's acceptable levels using standard exposure and

risk assessments for cancer and other ill health effects.

 

-- For TCVP, after three days, 60 percent of the dogs and 40 percent

of the cats had residue levels that would exceed the EPA's acceptable

level for developing brains of toddlers who spend an average amount of

time with a pet.

 

For toddlers who have a lot more pet contact or have more than one

pet, residue levels on 80 percent of the dogs and all of the cats

would exceed the acceptable level.

 

After two weeks, none of the pets had residue levels that exceeded the

acceptable level for average contact with a pet, but 67 percent of the

dogs and all of the cats had residue levels that could be dangerous

for children who have a lot of contact with a pet.

 

-- For propoxur, after three days, all of the dogs had residue levels

that would exceed the EPA's acceptable level for developing brains of

toddlers spending an average amount of time with a pet.

 

After 14 days, 75 percent of the dogs had residue levels exceeding the

acceptable level for average contact with a pet, while all of the dogs

had residue levels that could be dangerous for children having a lot

of contact with a pet.

 

In 2000, the environmental group identified seven organophosphate

insecticides as dangerous ingredients in flea-and-tick-control

products. The EPA has since canceled residential uses for six of them,

including in pet products, leaving only TCVP.

Toxics and pets

 

-- Read the Poisons on Pets II study at

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/23/BA63177TIM.DTL#ixzz0\

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-- See the Natural Resources Defense Council's Green Paws product guide at

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/23/BA63177TIM.DTL#ixzz0\

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E-mail Jane Kay at jkay.

 

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/23/BA63177TIM.DTL#ixzz0\

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