9/17/08
Our 2 year old sheltie had gotten fleas . This is the first time any of our dogs had fleas so I went to the store and picked up Sargeants Gold. Sargeants has been around for a long time so I assumed it was perfectly safe.
Within 45 minutes after putting the medication on , I could tell something was wrong. Our dog was restless, winning and drooling heavily. He would not sit still. His leg stated jerking and he walked around aimlessly. I washed the medication off twice within the next two hours. He still would not settle down. It was now midnight – 5 hours after I put the drops onto our dog.
I sat up with our dog all night long reading story after story on the internet about how this medication is dangerous and even lethal to animals. I feel like a knife is in my stomach. How could I have been so stupid… why didn’t I read this one day earlier. Something has to be done to stop companies from putting things on store shelves that could harm dogs and cats.
My dog continued to pace hour after hour. His leg continued to twitch as well. First thing in the morning Icalled our vet who had me come in to the office. He gave our dog a shot to counteract the poison from the flea medication.
It took three days for our sheltie to relax. He did not sleep for 48 hours and he still jerks slightly. Not 100% back but I am seeing light at the end of the tunnel
Please, get the word out-
1 Comment Received
September 26th, 2008 @7:21 am
Hi Celeste,
My name is Julie and I am an online community relations liaison representing Sergeant’s. I want you to know how very sorry I am to hear about the recent experience you and your dog encountered. If you have not already, I strongly recommend that you give Sergeant’s 24-hour hotline a call at 800-224-7387.
I recommend this action for two reasons. First, we of course are very concerned and want to make sure your dog is feeling better and is healthy today. Sergeant’s will also want to gather some more information from you in order to start an investigation into why he may have had such a reaction. If you ever notice your dog reacting negatively to medication, it is best to wash him with light dish soap such as Dawn right away. Calling your vet was a good idea.
Sergeant’s has also been making pet owners aware of their “Look at the Label” resource, http://www.lookatthelabel.com . LATL is an online resource designed to offer useful information on flea and ticks as well as application videos and best practices to ensure your pet does not taste or ingest the product by accident. In the past, we have seen this happen and due to the bitter taste, it has been reported that dogs have become scared, agitated and will drool. It is our hopes that this resource is used and shared to prevent such occurrences. It is also important to keep in mind that some dogs may experience an allergic reaction to certain medications, just as humans do, even if all instructions and precautions are followed. This is why we would like to gather as much information from you as possible and help you determine what may have caused the reaction.
Please call the hotline to follow-up with Sergeant’s further. Again, I am so sorry about your experience. Please know Sergeant’s does not take this lightly, wants to help you further and only wants to see your pets happy and healthy.
All the best,
Julie and The Sergeant’s Team
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