The products, Hartz Advanced Care 4 in 1 Flea and Tick Drops Plus for Cats and Hartz Advanced Care 3 in 1 Flea and Tick Drops for Cats, will still be sold in retail outlets through to the 31st of March, 2006. The Hartz drops are one of several formulations of new flea and tick repellents. Called "spot-on" repellents, they have largely replaced the old-fashioned flea collar in the past 10 years. A few drops of the chemical are touched to the back of the cat or kitten's neck, where the chemical is absorbed into the skin, providing a systemic repellent for up to a month. Adverse reports began to arrive at EPA headquarters in 2001, shortly after Hartz changed the formulation of the products to include 87 percent phenothrin, a potent pesticide. Only a few other tick and flea products use phenothrin, and all at concentrations of less than 10%, says Jim Jones, director of EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs. Symptoms in the affected animals included skin irritation, hair loss, effects on the nervous system, tremors, convulsions and, in a very few cases, death, Jones says. What To Do The EPA says the products being phased out shouldn't be used on cats under 6 pounds, older than 13 years or under 5 months old. If symptoms occur, bathe the cat with mild soap, rinse with lots of water and consult a veterinarian. In 2002, the EPA asked Hartz to re-label the product to ensure that it was being used correctly. "But we didn't see any meaningful change in the profile of what appears to be happening to cats that used this product," Jones says. "So in January, we told the company that something far more meaningful was going to have to be done." The EPA and Hartz announced that Hartz would stop selling the product by the 31st of December, 2005 and that by the 31st of March, 2006, it would be off store shelves entirely. John Mullane, a spokesman for Hartz, says the 7,000 reports were "a very small number compared to the number of applications." Hartz, which sells more than 1,500 pet products, has not been able to verify any cat deaths related to the product, Mullane says. (Moggies comment: Hartz are seasoned liars, and continue to choose not to acknowledge that their products are killers.) "We feel there is an adequate margin of safety for this product," he says. "But there's no question that cats can show a sensitivity to the product." Numerous Web sites and Internet discussion groups are devoted to cat owners who say their animals were injured or even died after the Hartz products were used. The status of a class-action lawsuit filed by several cat owners in New York in 2001 because of injuries their cats suffered, which sought to ban the products, is unclear. Shelly Rubin, chief of staff at Blum Animal Hospital in Chicago and a spokesman for the American Veterinary Medical Association, says he's not surprised to hear of the withdrawal. "There have been a number of cases of toxicity from this particular product," he says. "The bottom line is when you're using a pesticide, it's always important to discuss with a veterinarian what the effects might be." The change includes the following pet product brand names: Hartz Advanced Care 4 in 1 Flea & Tick Drops Plus+ for Cats and Kittens. Hartz Advanced Care Brand Flea and Tick Drops Plus+ for Cats and Kittens. Hartz Advanced Care 3 in 1 Flea & Tick Drops for Cats and Kittens. Hartz Advanced Care Once-A-Month Flea and Tick Drops for Cats and Kittens. |
