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Cats Dying Due to Dog Flea Treatments
I'm sure that no-one on this forum would ever dream of doing such a thing, but here's a cautionary story from last weeks daily papers. I'm posting it here because I think all cat and dog owners should be aware of this.
A recent study has shown that hundreds of cats are dying every year because their owners use dog flea treatments on them.
Over the counter dog flea treatments contain a chemical that is fatal to 1 in 10 cats and leaves 88 per cent twitching and suffering with convulsions.
The chemical, an insecticide called Permethrin, is hugely dangerous to cats. The Veterinary Poisons Information Service says that this chemical is so toxic that cats will fall sick just by sharing bedding with a recently treated dog. Victims need 2 to 3 days of intensive treatment to recover.
Dog flea treatments that contain Permethrin include Bob Martin Dog Spot On, Johnson's Insecticidal Flea and Tick Drops, Wilko Dog Flea Drops and Armitage Flea and Tick Drops for Dogs said the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.
Martin Johnson of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association said, "People either use them accidentally or to save money - by splitting one dose into several ones".
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