---
UPDATE MONDAY, APRIL 20 2009 : I was in contact with the EPA on Friday and they have agreed to my request to include the brand name Hartz on the chemical noted "RF2004(CCSO)" on their link. However, the person I spoke with seems to have a hard time interpreting that etofenprox is a pyrethroid, despite the pesticide chemical name databases.
---
(April 16, 2009 EPA release) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is evaluating the safety of spot-on pesticide products to control fleas and ticks for pets following a sharp increase in adverse reaction incidents.
In a statement released Thursday, EPA reports that it is intensifying its evaluation of whether further restrictions on the use of these products are necessary to better protect pets. In 2008 alone, more than 44,000 potential adverse reactions were reported to EPA, ranging from skin irritations to seizures and, in some cases, death.
Although incidents with flea and tick products can involve the use of spot-on treatments, sprays, collars and shampoos, the majority of the incidents reported to EPA are related to flea and tick treatments with EPA-registered spot-on products. Spot-on products are generally sold in tubes or vials and are applied to one or more localized areas on the body of the pet, such as at the base of the neck, in between the shoulders or in a stripe along the back. This advisory pertains only to EPA-registered spot-on flea and tick products; these products have an EPA registration number on the label.
EPA recommended that pet owners take precautions when using these products. Specifically, the EPA urged pet owners to carefully follow label directions and to monitor their pets for adverse reactions after application, particularly if using a product for the first time.
EPA advises pet owners to take precautions when using spot-on products, adding that they should follow label directions and monitor their pets. The agency also suggests that pet owners should consult a veterinarian about how to use flea and tick products responsibly and effectively.
EPA plans to “meet shortly” with spot-on product manufacturers to address the issue. The meeting will be held in conjunction with Health Canada, the Canadian health department, which has identified similar concerns about the use of spot-on flea and tick products.
EPA recommends that veterinarians report any incidents with the National Pesticide Information Center’s Veterinary Pesticide Adverse Effects Reporting website. http://pi.ace.orst.edu/vetrep/
For a complete EPA release statement and a list of the products and their manufacturers, see here:
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/fl ... ntrol.html
(note that "RF2004(CCSO)" in the list refers to 5 Hartz Mountain products, interesting that the brand is not listed by name, only the chemical, which is etofenprox, a pyrethroid).
Incidently, this also comes about 4 months after the AVMA announced a new area on their site for incident reporting by vets and pet owners: AVMA's Reporting Adverse Events website
