Bad Hartz!

On 4/15/2011, my wife had purchased HARTZ Ultraguard Plus Flea & Tick drops for 4-15lb. dogs. We decided to treat our 2 dogs (Lucy=A terrier mix and Misha=Jack Russell Terrier) prior to us going outside to mow the lawn that day. My wife preceded to mow the front yard while I was picking up in the fenced-in back yard. Lucy continued to follow me around the back yard while Misha ran around running-a-muck as she normally does with her energetic self. Upon walking up the slight incline in our back yard, towards the house, I noticed Misha was laying down on the lawn. I thought she was doing what most dogs do when they don’t like the smell that is on them, and that is rolling around in the grass/dirt. I called Misha’s name, too which normally she would jump up and be right at my heels, and she didn’t budge. I ran up to her and put the trash bag down that I had in my hand and knelt down beside her. She appeared to me to be having a seizure or “seizure-like” activity. She was very lethargic and trembling with excess saliva foaming from her mouth. By this time my wife was coming around from the front lawn to where the front meets with the fenced-in back yard and noticed Misha doing this and me at her side. She comes in through the fence calling her name and asking me what is wrong. I said, “I think she is having a seizure”! I picked her up and made sure she was pointed slightly towards the ground so that she would not get strangled on her own saliva. I said we need to get her to a vet ASAP. We called our local vet to which we found it was just after hours and they referred, per answering machine, to go to the emergency vet hospital in the city that is near us. We hopped in my truck and headed that way. Long story short, we spent countless hours in the emergency vet hospital to which they took her straight back to wash her off very good. She was diagnosed with Pyrethrin Toxicity and muscle tremors and was given Methocarbamol (muscle relaxer) to take at home. Yes, we were lucky enough to bring her home. IT RAISES A RED FLAG WHEN THE VETs AND VET ASST.’s ALL WONDER WHY THESE PRODUTCTS FROM HARTZ HAVE NOT BEEN PULLED FROM THE SHELF! I feel for the owners that lost their beloved pet while we were able to save ours. I can only sympathise with them and pray that they reach closure. I hope this posting helps at least one person from making the mistake we did. All-in-all, if your animal has any reaction, bathe them immediately with dish detergent (Dawn is preferred by vet) very well and get them to a vet so meds can be administered if they are actually having a seizure or “seizure-like” activity muscle tremors. Be safe and love your animals! Thank you for reading and spread the word to people that you know that may use the cheap alternative!