FirstShield Flea Medication manufactured by Summit VetPharm

This in via an email from Jonathan:

Do not use this product. I have listed all the information I can find below. Our vet gave our kitten one treatment and she it is now dead. The Kitten was 12 weeks old and weighed approximately 2.5 lbs. The kitten was administered the treatment during a routine checkup. She was given a clean bill of health by the vet but he also recommended we start her on a flea treatment. That is point where the worst 24 hours of my life began. Within 12 hours the kitten became lethargic and non responsive. It exhibited heavy breathing and would not eat nor drink any food or liquids. We rushed her to the vet (the one that administered the treatment) and he refused to believe the medication was the cause. The vet had no willingness to help the kitten unless we paid him $500 so he could monitor her overnight. Unfortunately that money we did not have at the time. Within 24 hours the kitten was dead. During her last few minutes alive, she was writhing with pain, rolling on her back, and crying a loud sound. Her stomach (near her liver) became swollen and hard, her tongue dry and white, and her pupils fully dilated as well. I’m no rocket scientist, but if a perfectly health cat dies within 24 hours of being administered flea medication for the first time, there is no doubt what the cause is.

FirstShield Flea Medication manufactured by Summit VetPharm. VetPharm list the product in their Vectra line . This product is primarily sold and distributed at Petsmart via the Banfield pet Hospitals found onsite. Drug Facts: http://www.drugs.com/vet/vectra-for-cats-kittens.html .

The main ingredients are as follows:

Dinotefuran 22% – http://www.epa.gov/opprd001/factsheets/dunotefuran.pdf & http://www.cdms.net/LDat/mp74M000.pdf

Pyriproxyfen 3% – http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/minoruse/pyriproxyfen-petition.pdf

Permethrin is a neurotoxin insecticide.Permethrins are synthetic pyrethroids that are more stable and last longer. It works by disrupting the nervous system of insects, killing by contact or ingestion. The EPA classifies it as a carcinogen ,it causes lung cancer and liver tumors in mice. Permethrin is indicated as a possible carcinogen by the EPA, causing liver enlargement and cancers in lab. mammals. It is embryotoxic in rabbits, and causes liver damage in mice.

“Pyrethroid toxicity targets nerve and muscle cells in pets, according to a study published in The Veterinary Journal in June 2008. The study found that dermal exposure by application to the skin or coat is the most common route of toxic exposure, potentially causing hyperexcitability, tremors, profuse salivation, and seizures. The seizures can result in brain damage or, less frequently, death.
The EPA approved the company’s pyrethroid spot on treatments just as it has approved all spot on treatments, but the agency has a history of approving pet products in the past only to pull them from the market later

Carcinogen: liver and lung tumors
Organ damage: kidney enlargement, changes in the lung
Neurotoxin: tremors, incoordination, elevated body temp. increased agressive behavior, learning disruption
Reproductive: fertility affected
Autoimmune: bone marow changes in lab. animals

But they are also linked to thousands of reported pet poisonings, and they have stirred the ire of pet owners, the concern of veterinarians, and the attention of regulatory agencies.
At least 1,600 pet deaths related to spot on treatments with pyrethroids were reported to the EPA over the last five years, according to an analysis of EPA pesticide incident exposure data by the Center for Public Integrity. That is about double the number of reported fatalities tied to similar treatments without pyrethroids, such as Frontline and Advantage — although these products also have critics.
Pyrethroid spot ons also account for more than half of “major” pesticide pet reactions reported to EPA over the last five years — that is, those incidents involving serious medical reactions such as brain damage, heart attacks, and violent seizures. In contrast, non-pyrethroid spot on treatments accounted for only about 6 percent of all major incidents.

Pyriproxyfen An active: sterilizer
Reproductive:reduced weight gain, toxicity to pups

Manufacture and Distributor Info:

http://www.banfield.net/r/safely-protect-your-pets-from-fleas-and-ticks-

http://www.summitvetpharm.com/Pet-Owners/Products/Cats-Kittens/

This product needs to be pulled of the market. If you are a pet owner or know someone who is, please pass along the word.