we got a 8 week old kitten from a family that never took care of him. he was full of fleas we went to petsmart witch is a store near where I live anyways we gave my kitten a Hartz ultra guard one Spot treatment for cats and kittens, we read the instructions really carefully and followed them we thought it was OK as the instructions said that it was recommendable for cats 8 weeks and older, anyways shortly after we started applied the product he started scratching like crazy. I thought it was because of the drops itself and wet fur that was making him scratch but i was a little worried about it. shortly there after he became really drowsy and started to sleep all day and when he did get up to walk it would be like he was drunk. He would sway and fall over, he couldn’t walk in a straight line and thats when i noticed that something was really wrong. He wouldn’t eat or drink anything and we tried everything. I tried washing his neck and where the product was applied. That did nothing and he seemed to be getting worse. We then took him to the 24 hour pet hospital. They said that it was poison. They did everything they could for him and said that we can take him home and they gave us this charcodote to give to him in the morning. The following morning we gave it to him. Even 12 hours later it doesn’t seem like he is getting any better but in fact worse. I can’t believe that i took him in to help him and take his fleas away and make him better but instead I’m killing him myself. He is to young to leave this place he hasn’t even had the chance to live his life. I feel like it is all my fault I brought him in to protect him but in the process I’m killing him with my love. This isn’t fair to him. I don’t want to let him go but I hate watching him suffer how he is and it is all because of me. He is just so precious. When we first got him each time we would leave and come home he would always be at the door waiting for us and he would always follow us around where ever we went it was so cute. Now he doesn’t he sleeps all the time, isn’t playful, just wants to be left alone. I tried calling the Hartz company but they are closed but I will try again when Monday comes. I sent them an email but somehow i doubt they are going to get back to me. I just can’t take this anymore watching him suffer. I don’t want to lose my baby!!!! They should take their killer products off the shelves and be closed down!!! NEVER USE THEIR PRODUCTS!!! THEY ARE DEADLY!!!!
3 Comments Received
June 14th, 2010 @8:38 pm
I am so sorry that your kitten is suffering with this reaction. Its not your fault!!! Like many of us, you bought the product assuming it to be safe.
It happened to my cat this time last year. She was so tiny for a 2 year old cat and had a severe reaction to the drops, but we got her to the Emergency Animal Hospital right away and they saved her.
After I brought her home, however, she still seemed like she might die. I did more research and learned that these poisons they sell us are not just lethal to the fleas but are absorbed through the pets sebaceous glands and get systemic very fast~!
The absorbed toxin remains in their system 6-8 weeks~
Residue of the toxin is an oil base that is absorbed into the fur and still emits the poison, so more can then be absorbed through the glands days later, so it is recommended to use Dawn dish washing soap every day til the cat begins to rally.It really does make a difference.
***Be sure to keep your receipt for the drops as well as the empty carton and or tube. If you have them along with the Vet Bill you can contact customer service and be firm and they will put you through to their claims dept.*** I had already discarded the carton before using the product and gave the tube to the Vet Tech and it was discarded before I knew it was needed for a possible claim~
My Vet bill was $485 total~!I couldnt get it repaid without the receipt/carton/tube for proof of purchase along with the Vet Bill. I was however dealing with Sargents for my claim, so Hartz ‘might’ be a bit more cooperative~
Hartz like Sargents, outsources the manufacture of their products and the quality control is not mandated as good as it should be. They claim that they stay within the current legal guidelines and make excuses that while they sell millions of these products that only a small % have allergic reactions and try to throw all the blame back in the pet owners!! You must be firm in telling them you followed the directions on the carton.If you waffle they will blow you off.
The regulating laws need to be changed, so file a complaint by email or in writing to your Congressman. When enough people complain, they will have to legislate it.
Until then keep warning other people of their poison products that need to be banned~!!!
Meanwhile for you kitten, bathe her daily even though it doesn’t seem like it is making a difference, it is~ and ask your vet for the concentrated cat nutrient.
It comes in a small tube almost like tooth paste. It is highly concentrated nutrient and will help build your kitten’s strength back up, especially if her appetite is gone. [We used that successfully on a lathargic kitten we had several years ago that had a reaction to a bug bite that nearly killed her].
I would smear small amounts in her mouth several times a day as she didnt want to eat anything, but with it in her mouth she did consume it and it helped her to regain strength and get her appetite back.
Also while she is so weak now and probably not wanting to drink, be sure to get her to take or force her to take a few tablespoons of water every few hours.
While she is weak, if she doesnt eat or drink, she will only get weaker.You can help her to regain her strength.
While she is so fragile and so little it will take this extra effort, but in several weeks, if you can get her through this time period, she will start to rally once the last bit of toxins leaves her system.
My cat was 6 lbs when this happened and was at death’s door for more than a month it seemed. More fur fell out, she got thinner and ribs showed, she barely got up to walk and was uncoordinated, walked like a drunk or like she had an inner ear infection. While she was used to dry cat food before this, her jaws seemed to be sore as well so I bought her canned food but had to put it into her mouth in order to make her eat~! I would put the can in front of her and she would give it a lick, but then turn her head and go back to sleep, so I held her and forced her to eat little bits at a time buy smearing it in her mouth like I did with the tube of kitten nutrient on the other cat several years ago.
When cats aren’t feeling well, they will look to crawl off to a corner somewhere and just sleep. While you need to let her sleep [as that is when the body starts to regenerate] you also need to wake her periodically to make her take a spoonful of milk or water and give her a smear of food on her tongue until she gets strong enough to start eating on her own again.
She’s hurting and petting her will help soothe her too. My cat even while she suffered and was in pain, would force out a purr, when I pet her and held her.I did that for hours at a time, usually when it was TV time, so I could sit with her on my lap and keep some food and water next to me to offer her every so often.
It is now a year later and my cat has nearly doubled in weight and is healthier than ever.
I no longer use flea collars or flea drops or flea baths!! Flea season is starting again now , but I have found some natural remedies online like boiled lemons in a spray bottle that will repel the fleas if she gets them again.
I also bought a non toxic lice removal kit [meant for small kids] at Sally Beauty Supply, that includes a non toxic wet gel for easy combing and a little comb that can be rubbed on and combed through and then rinse my cat afterwards. I have to manually pop and kill the fleas but last time I used it she only had 2 fleas and so far this year she has none.S
he doesnt mind the combing but doesnt care for getting too wet with the gel stuff, but I dont have to use much. The good thing about the gel however is the fleas get stuck in it and cant jump away, giving time to kill them.
Once I have done her body, I have a dishpan in the bathroom filled with warm water and slowly sit her in it and rub and rinse her with a washcloth, then wrap her in a towel and cuddle til she is dry.She doesnt mind the attention and best part is not being eaten alive by fleas~!!
I hope your kitten recovers swiftly and that you don’t get discouraged by her current condition. Cats/kittens are resilient and you can still help to bring her back and make her more comfortable as her little body fights off these toxins.
June 15th, 2010 @10:34 am
I just can’t believe ALL THE HORROR STORIES about using hartz flea and tick products. THEY WILL NEVER TAKE IT OFF THE SHELVES people. THEY ARE ACTUALLY PRODUCING MORE under OTHER BRAND NAMES! DON’T USE ANY OVER THE COUNTER PRODUCTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I WON’T even use VET RECOMMENDED. I would rather try something NATURAL if anything at all. WE ALL LOVE OUR LOST LOVED PETS. THESE CRIMINALS, have the audacity to PRODUCE DEADLY PRODUCTS for our LOVED ANIMALS. I would rather let my cat have fleas and pick them off one by one than to use A PRODUCT WITH PESTICIDE. YES! THAT’S RIGHT — PESTICIDE. THEY ARE PRODUCING HARMFUL PESTICIDE PRODUCTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DON’T USE HARTZ or ANY products FOR FLEAS AND TICKS for any ANIMALS. PESTICIDE WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This product KILLED my 9 MONTH OLD LOVED CAT name JURNEE. He suffered for a week before he DIED. I MISS HIM EVERY DAY. HE WAS VERY LOVING AND AFFECTIONATE and HE DIDN’T DESERVE TO DIE THIS WAY!!!!!!!!!!!! SHAME on YOU HARTZ!!!!!!!!! GOD WILL G E T YOU! D O N ‘ T U S E O N Y O U R A N I M A L S (IF) Y O U
L O V E T H E M!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HOW TO GET RID OF FLEAS IN THE HOUSE — S A L T — S A L T will KILL FLEAS! DON’T LET THE ANIMAL DIGEST IT THOUGH. THERE are NATURAL products FOR KILLING FLEAS on ANIMALS. LOOK ON THE INTERNET!
NO ONE IS TO BLAME FOR USING THIS STUFF, UNKNOWINGLY IT KILLS, SO DO NOT BLAME YOURSELF! The blame belongs to producers and sellers of products that kill!!!!!!!!!!!!
VIOLET REEVES
violetxx52@hotmail
MAD in TEXAS!!!!!!!!!!!
June 29th, 2010 @1:21 am
Wow Glad I found this site! .. I bought 3 packages of Hartz ultra guard one spot coz i have 8 cats.. Id heard some stuff about over the counter before.. but a girl who was in the pet section told me they were ok even though shed never used them before. Well.. now i will call walmart and take the product back. Its in a small town so there is a possability they might take it off the shelf with some knowledge about it. Ill try the natural stuff too as the vet stuff is soo expensive.. ( 80 dollars to treat 8 cats )
Thanxz and god bless..
u saved my kitties :0)
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