Wednesday evening, I purchased a 3 pack of Gold Sargeants Flea & Tick for weight 9 lbs to 14 or 20 lbs. I have a male Bichon mix that weighs 21 lbs and his sister that weights 13 lbs. I administered to both exactly as was directed on the instructions. Within an hour, the female was flipping all over the floor, scratching and shrieking. The male was scratching and lethargic. All night the female screamed. (We bathed both of them before we went to bed that night.) The next morning the female was getting serious. We were instructed to bring both in to the vet and leave them. The vet bathed both of them and injected solution under the female’s skin. I picked them up Thursday evening at the vet. It was implied that this has happened repeatedly with the same product. When I got home both were going crazy with scratching/itching. The female still crying and shrieking. Friday morning both of them had extreme burns on their backs and the male was crying and shaking. Right now they have horrible burns on their backs that we are working with to relieve their discomfort.
Stumble it!
18 Comments Received
September 29th, 2008 @8:17 pm
Same thing happend to us! I have a male Bichon and tonight after locating fleas bathed him and applied the Sargents Gold and after an hour or so he was moaning and would not stay still. I googled “dog acting strange after flea treatment” and saw your post. I just gave him a complete wash and removed what I could of the Sargents gold.
I hope he is not burnt and am now watching him.
September 30th, 2008 @1:43 pm
I applied the Sargents Gold to my 2 Pit bulls last night and within an hour they both demonstrated severe agitation, drooling, and screamed for several hours. I called the hotline number provided and followed the instructions given. The dogs were finally able to rest after pacing, scratching and rolling for over 10 hours without let up. I too found the website a day too late.
October 1st, 2008 @7:13 am
I bought the Sergeants Gold Flea & Tick at the last minute… going out of town with my dog (a Boxer mix) and couldn’t get to vet to get real flea control. Bought this at Walmart got the 40-60 lbs. (my dog weighs 70 lbs.) .. instantly it was bothering my dog.. I just thought it was because it was still wet on her back. She kept throwing her head back and looking at her back… finally I washed her down with a washcloth then washed her again when we got home the next day… her shoulders were swollen and extremely sore to the touch. A week later she is still swollen and sore to the touch. I put my dog through hell by putting this crap on her… I took her to the vet that gave her medication and told me not to use the Sergeants on her again…(DUH!) I called Sergeants about it and they act like it is a big surprise! They want to “analyze” the rest of the flea treatments I have. After the “analyze” it and figure out if it really caused my dog discomfort then they will send me my money back… I wish I had read about this stuff BEFORE I used it on my dog!
October 1st, 2008 @10:54 pm
THANK GOD for this website! Our female cat is allergic to fleas, and to most medications meant for cats, so we use small dog treatments on her, and subsequently, on our male. We bought the Hartz small dog flea drops (I don’t know the exact brand name), and applied them to both our cats and our small dog. There weren’t any adverse side affects (thankfully), but they were very ineffective, didn’t work. We also had a hartz flea collar on our male (Our female doesnt tolerate them), and as soon as I found this site, my wife threw it in the trash. Thank you to everyone who uses this site! If anyone can tell me of an over the counter medication we can use that would be safe for both of our cats, please email me at evilrick@gmail.com and thank you again!
October 2nd, 2008 @6:45 am
Hi everyone,
My name is Julie and I am an online community relations liaison representing Sergeant’s. I first want you all to know how very sorry we are to hear about these cases and want to give each case the proper care it needs. If you have not already, I recommend each of you that experienced a reaction to call the 24-hour hotline at 800-224-7387. The reason for the recommendation is first and foremost, Sergeant’s wants to hear how your pets are feeling today and make sure they are healthy. It is also important that an investigation is started in order to help you determine why your dog had such a reaction.
When applying any flea and tick medication, keep in mind they will only be safe and effective if used accurately and according to the weight of your dogs. That is why Sergeant’s has created a website called “Look at the Label” http://www.lookatthelabel.com . This website offers information on flea and ticks as well as application tips and precautious measures that should be understood prior to use. This is not to say everyone here did not follow directions and precautions. Sergeant’s simply wants to see the reports of these types of instances go down. On the other hand, sometimes negative reactions do occur even if we take the correct measures. This is why it is so important to hear from you all.
At your earliest convenience please call Sergeant’s so that we may assist you further. Again, I am so sorry to hear about these experiences. Please know that Sergeant’s wants nothing but the best for you and your pets and places these concerns at the highest of priorities.
All the best,
Julie and The Sergeant’s Team
October 9th, 2008 @2:54 pm
The only thing the label omitted was that it will kill your animal after it is applied. I lost my cat after 4 days of seizures. Tell me why it is still out there? I’ve spent more than $1,000 in hospital bills and was told there are many cases from the chemical “pyrethrins”. This has been going on for years!!! I am going to do anything I can to get it off the shelves.
October 19th, 2008 @11:10 pm
My poor Panther! My mother suggested I try a flea medicine from the store instead of Advantage since my money was tight. Panther started itching even more almost immediatly. The next day I went to my vet to pick up real flea medicine (I assumed the Sargeants was just inaffective). I was told to wash him and wait 2 days to apply the good stuff. Meanwhile, Panther has chewed his backside bloody and when I was online, I looked up to find him lying in his litter box. Called Sargeants and they were nice but even they suggested I take him to the vet. I hope this turns out for us OK,; just finished reading other stories about this nasty product. I plan to go on at http://www.care2.com and write a petition to get this product removed from the stores.
October 20th, 2008 @11:09 am
I can not beleive it!!!!!! I just bought this product at Walmart the other day!!I bathed my two cavalier King Charles spaniels and applied the flea and tick…about an hour later the first dog went ballistic!!!!! She winned and cryed and kept trying to scratch and roll on the floor–she began panting—I immediately put her back under the water…did that about 7 more times…she finally calmed down enough to fall asleep…I watched closely my other dog…he did not show any symptoms…until the next morning when he bagan whinning and running around the house going to each room…he tried and tried to roll on the floor, couch and anything he could….My husband threw him under the water immediately and this very moment he is still bathing him.,….this product is terrible and I will tell everyone I come in contact with NOT to buy it…Normally I use frontline….I have learned my lesson..Here I am trying to help my precious dogs and I end up burning and hurting them….I am outraged…the box only states some animals experience a reaction!!! sounds like all to me…I can only hope this has not effected them worse!!!!!!!!
October 29th, 2008 @7:48 pm
I bought and applied it to our Wheaten Terrier and within the hour he was going crazy. He was very agitated, couldn’t stay still, drooled, and was even starting to walk funny. I called a vet and she had me bath him in dish soap to get the oils off of his skin. He was a bit goofy the rest of the evening, but was better by the next day. Oh…and yes I did buy the right one for his weight. I thought that maybe our dog was just sensitive, but after reading all of these posts I now believe that there is a problem with this product.
October 30th, 2008 @9:18 pm
My dog is having a sever reaction to Sergeant’s Gold Flea and Tick Prevention.
I used Sereant’s Gold a flea & Tick prevention for 40-60 lbs dogs bought from Wal-Mart. I used 25% of it on my French Bulldog “Trixie” and 75% on my American Bulldog/Boxer mix “Mugzy”. I have always used Frontline however I was out and buying from Wal-Mart was easier…BIG MISTAKE. I applied Sergeant’s Gold on both of them before I left for work around ten when I came home around three Trixie had vomited all of her food and every time she drank water she would vomit. After observing her I realiezed she was have trouble breathing, coughing some, and sratching near the sight where I had admistered the Sergeant’s Gold. I wiped the sight with a wet towel and she seemed to calm down. I had to run out and when I returned home she was is obvious dicomfort her eyes were really red and glassy. I called the hotline on the back of the box and they said to wash her three times with a dish soap they said that the product is oil based and that a soap with a degreaser would wash the product off. The next step we were told to do is use Vitamine E as the antidote. The people from the hotline said to encourage her to drink a lot of water and some ways to encourage is to use chicken broth or tuna water. The hotline said not to feed her any more to avoid vomiting. Mugzy is showing no signs of reaction at this point. We have taken the same steps on Mugzy that we did on Trixie and plan on keeping them under constant supervision. Theys are my babies… Do Not Use Sergeant’t Gold! I hope no other dogs suffer as Trixie is and for those who have please keep us updated on their condition.
November 9th, 2008 @5:07 pm
I purchased Sergeant’s Gold from WalMart on Saturday and applied it to all 4 of my dogs, two chihuahuas, one terrier, and a beagle mix per their weight and size and ALL 4 had immediate reactions, burning of their skin, you can still see the red marks on them from it, going crazy with discomfort so bad it broke my heart to see them in this pain. We immediately bathed them which helped a little bit, the terrier and beagle mix are fine now but my two chihuahuas are still in pain and discomfort! To read all of these issues with other people and their pet’s experiences…WHY IS THIS STUFF STILL ON THE SHELVES?? In reading Julie’s post defending Sergeant’s I find it a little too late and not comforting at all, sorry Julie but as consumers we rely on the compaines to “know”, “guarantee”, and “PROTECT”, our well being for our pets and Seargant’s has not done so. I read the labels on your product (boxes) and find it to be lacking in information. This was my first and last time buying anything created by Seargant’s. You hurt my pets and in doing so I have no respect for Seargant’s or their products. I hope everyone’s pets are doing well. Thank you.
Karen
December 4th, 2008 @7:35 am
I am horrified reading these testimonials. I had never used Sargeant’s products before, and I never will again! Our poor dog, Rocco, has been itching and going crazy for 2 days! We have never seen this type of reaction in him before since we always used Hartz products.
The company should be ashamed that their product does this type of damage to animals.
I’m sorry Julie, but your hotline is not what we need at this point. We need reimbursement for a harmful product!
December 6th, 2008 @9:19 pm
well I thought regarless of all this bad talk I would try it. For the first 2 hours great, Then the drooling started ,the itching like crazy and yes finally the vomiting. So needless to say i will never use this product again,how it was passed by the EPA is beyond me. I did wash her in liquid dish soap as instructed by a news clip. I would like to be reimbursed as I cannot take back 3 tubes . I agree with others I do not need your hot line I need my money back. Are you really that desperate for money that you knowinly sell products that cause harm and yes I used it properly and read directions and proper weight size.
December 11th, 2008 @8:19 am
My 8 year old dog feel victim to this horrible product. I normally do not buy store brand flea and tick medicine but did so just the other night from Wegmans. Within minutes of applying the product my dog went nuts. He ran all over the house and rolled around on his back. At first I wasn’t that concerned because he acts like this sometimes after a bath or when he gets his face washed. But as the night went on I realized something else was going on. He couldn’t sit still for one minute, he kept twitching and jerking like fleas were biting him. I decided to give him a bath to help get those nasty biting fleas. While in the tub I didn’t see one flea and knew then it was something else. All night long he never slept, neither did I, and by morning he was only content to constantly pace. He has a history of back problems so I started to fear the worst. Last night I did some research online and that’s when I found this site. It’s been just over 48 hours and he’s finally showing signs of improvement. He’s just exhausted and so am I. I was able to get him to lay down last night to get a little rest, but this was only possible by me stroking his head. This morning he’s drinking & eating but still pacing but can sit for a few minutes. I feel awful and will warn everyone I know not to use store flea and tick products, they might be convenient and cheaper but it’s not worth the risk. I don’t want my money back I just want the product off the shelf.
December 19th, 2008 @11:11 pm
Hi
My 1 year old tortiseshell Suzy had the same problem except it was very minor cause I caught it right away she heeled ok
January 23rd, 2009 @8:28 am
I was just trying to get a coupon for sargeants gold flea med. for my cats. Thank goodness theese testimonials were here for me to read. I could have killed all 3 of my cats and been devasted for ever.
April 4th, 2009 @4:55 am
My dog is just starting to get her personality back 36 hours after applying this POISON labeled Sargeants Gold. She started showing signs within minutes, scratching rolling all over everything, whining. Within hours she was hiding and had crazy eyes. She was miserable and would only calm down if I sat on the floor stroking her head and belly. She is a very social mini labradoodle. Her personality changed. She became anti social towards other dogs and people. She has always loved people and dogs. I have given her 3 baths with Dawn dish detergent, I have been giving her benadryl and chicken broth. She has finally started eating again. This morning she greeted the kids with enthusiam, but within half an hour is sleeping. I imagine she is exhausted from the first 24 hours of NO sleep. I will never use this product again and will warn everyone I see with a dog of it.
May 19th, 2009 @9:43 am
Yesterday we had the repeating story of all the other posters with our Bichon/Poodle puppy. Within an hour he was itching and crying. We washed him two times and he continued to get worse. We took him to the animal hospital and they said in the spring, they see this same thing 2 – 3 times a week. We purchased the Silver. It was for the correct size and weight. We followed the directions. NEVER AGAIN will we buy this brand at all. Frontline all the way for our precious puppy! Please contact the store you purchased the product from and WRITE THE COMPANY to complain!! This stuff needs to go!!
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