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Millions of owners provide Hartz products. If the product caused death and severe illness, you'd think that they would be a major pandemic of sick cats. I don't recall hearing/reading about millions of cat deaths.
Thanks for the warning. Sounds similar to warnings one hears about not immunizing your children because it causes autism.
You're going to need to post more than an anti-Hartz website to get me to believe you.
No actually, judging from the context of your replies here, the only way you'll become convinced is if it happens to you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BucFan
... That doesn't necessarily give credence to what some of those whackos are publishing on the internet.If there are any Vets who post here, I'd like their professional opinion on why Hartz products are inferior to the others on the market.
This, consumer affairs.com was just the first hit from a quick google. And if you solely depend on the worthless mainstream mediots for any vital info, my condolences.
Geez, I just had this discussion with my vet about this just two weeks ago!! I was doing a check up with Gumbo and we were talking about what I used on my strays, (I like to call them my part-timers), when I mentioned I used the Hartz or Sargent's, (yes he included Sargent's), he told me that it would be better for me not to use anything than to use those products. He said that those products have been known to kill and I would be better off using the Frontline spray. So needless to say, I haven't been very popular after the spraying, and Baxter won't let me near when he sees the bottle, then again Bax hasn't thought much of me since our little "incident."
You're going to need to post more than an anti-Hartz website to get me to believe you. There's no knowing who is responsible for developing that website. There are also anti-Walmart anti-McDonalds anti-Ford anti-Sears websites on the internet. That doesn't necessarily give credence to what some of those whackos are publishing on the internet.
If there are any Vets who post here, I'd like their professional opinion on why Hartz products are inferior to the others on the market.
Here's my experience. I, by accident, became an owner of a 5 month old kitten several months ago. Not really knowing anything about cats/kittens or even pets in general, I thought I should worry about fleas since we met this kitty on the street (even though kitty appeared healthy and fine). So when I was at the store looking at food and toys for cats I see the Hartz flea collar and decide to buy one of those thinking that every pet probably needs one (even though this is an indoor kitty).
When I tried to put the collar on the kitten, it was so impossible because of his immediate reaction that I gave up after several attempts. A short time later while searching for some cat/kitten info, I came across a forum that was strongly advising against Hartz products and in particular flear collars from Hartz.
I thank God that my kitten reacted so negatively to the collar and that I listened and didn't force the issue. I have since decided to forgo any vaccination for kitten (though kitten may have had some done by previous owner, but since there is no known history, that is unknown) and so far the kitten has been a healthy and happy kitten. I just pray to God that it continue that way.
I just finished drowning little moo in the kitchen sink. I didn't have any "nice" dish detergents, so I grabbed a bottle of clarifying shampoo out of the bathroom, and went nuts.
I scooped up a triple pack of hartz flea and tick drops from my moms, when I moved out here to the farm - and didn't think twice before I put them on. But not even five minutes later I was googling what might happen if they licked some of it off, (cause I was worried i put it a little too low on her shoulderblades) - and I am so scared I'm shaking. She was licking it off, and running around irritated. She wasn't showing any symptoms of a reaction to the drops - it hadn't even been 10 minutes - but after everything I read about people's animals dying by pesticides, and that Hartz wasn't claiming any responsibility, - not even 10 minutes went by before I had her in the kitchen sink, task at hand - save the kitty, whether it was an over reaction or not. I had the warm water on, oozed her whole back and neck and top head, and started scrubbing, rubbing, rinsing, scrubbing rubbing rinsing. I tried soothing her with my voice, I gave up on the fact that I wasn't going to come out of this adventure dry by any means - and hugged her close to me, about 5 minutes into her makeshift torture napalm bath, she gave up fighting and went limp. Her heart stopped racing - I couldn't feel it at all. I shook her alarmed at the change in everything - and she closed her eyes. She wasn't shaking, wasn't crying, wasn't fighting or clawing to get out like she had been at first. (keep in mind she's never had a bath ebfore)
I quickly finished rinsing her off, propped her up on the carpet to squeeze what i could off of the water, mummied her in my good bath towel, and sat on the couch in the livingroom with her on my lap. Guys, I was so scared I was shaking angry. She wasn't moving, she wasn't resisting anything, she wouldn't open her eyes. And she just looked so strange all wet and thin and old and helpless - and still. I just started crying and praying and rubbing her gently to dry her off. My little moo! I'm crying as I write this.
I sat on the couch with her curled up on my chest, on a towel, while I rubbed her face and spoke softly to her. I could tell she was alive - I just didn't understand why she was comatose. It was a full 10 minutes before she opened her eyes and cried back at me. I apologized over and over and over, and shifted positions to begin the real "drying off" (although it was more of a gentle embrace, than a thorough re-fluffing). I need to find a thick haired brush to help her smooth back her fur. After a few minutes she stood up shakily on her own and sat next to me on the couch and began giving herself a bath.
I scooped her up gently and kissed her, and I could feel her shaking, but she didn't resist. I don't know whether the Hartz would have been bad for her, but I wasn't about to take a chance with my baby moo. She's always been so little, so weak, the runtling, the quiet one, who speaks more with her eyes - and the meaningful looks we share - the other half of my heart.
I put her onto her mini shelf that I turned into a padded kitty perch next to the computer, and is bathing herself as I write this. I can't pick her up without feeling her shaking - or shaking myself. And I'm going to watch her like a mommy-hawk, but she is beginning to calm down.
I am very glad for all of the information that I found on CD-Land, when I looked up Hartz. People seem to have mixed feelings about whether it's harmful or not... but I don't have any mixed feelings about my little moo. And I don't need to guess and have her life left to chance. I won't ever put her or me through that again.
Tomorrow, I'll look for something else. Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome. I remember growing up we had these white chalky flea collars that you stretch to activate then put on - do they make those for cats? And are they reliable?
Last edited by Marylandkitten; 08-30-2011 at 07:48 PM..
I'm glad little Moo is doing better now. I remember when you lost her last year, then finally found her again, she's your special kitty!
This makes me think, perhaps I shouldn't use the stuff I bought for my Marshmallow's ears. he appears to have ear mites, I bought some stuff at Petco, its by a company called Excel. we put some in last night, today his ears were pinkish inside, perhaps we should stop that? I read that mineral oil is good for ear mites, just put in a few drops 2x day, it drowns the mites and can't hurt the cat.
We saw many Hartz reactions at our hospital. If an owner called reporting a pet that was shaking, drooling, or having a seizure, the first question is if they recently used one of these products.
At the same time, one of the reasons this happens is failure to read back of the product. The Hartz dog products contain a chemical that is poisonous to cats, but owners don't read the box and use the wrong product on their cat
I will saw that purely in my own experience, we saw many more reactions to the Hartz products, even when used properly, than Frontline or Revolution.
I sat on the couch with her curled up on my chest, on a towel, while I rubbed her face and spoke softly to her. I could tell she was alive - I just didn't understand why she was comatose. It was a full 10 minutes before she opened her eyes and cried back at me. I apologized over and over and over, and shifted positions to begin the real "drying off" (although it was more of a gentle embrace, than a thorough re-fluffing). I need to find a thick haired brush to help her smooth back her fur. After a few minutes she stood up shakily on her own and sat next to me on the couch and began giving herself a bath.
I scooped her up gently and kissed her, and I could feel her shaking, but she didn't resist. I don't know whether the Hartz would have been bad for her, but I wasn't about to take a chance with my baby moo. She's always been so little, so weak, the runtling, the quiet one, who speaks more with her eyes - and the meaningful looks we share - the other half of my heart.
I put her onto her mini shelf that I turned into a padded kitty perch next to the computer, and is bathing herself as I write this. I can't pick her up without feeling her shaking - or shaking myself. And I'm going to watch her like a mommy-hawk, but she is beginning to calm down.
I am very glad for all of the information that I found on CD-Land, when I looked up Hartz. People seem to have mixed feelings about whether it's harmful or not... but I don't have any mixed feelings about my little moo. And I don't need to guess and have her life left to chance. I won't ever put her or me through that again.
Tomorrow, I'll look for something else. Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome. I remember growing up we had these white chalky flea collars that you stretch to activate then put on - do they make those for cats? And are they reliable?
I'm glad Moo is doing okay.
Flea collars are just as bad.
Advantage (now available OTC) by Bayer, Frontline and Frontline Plus by Merial and Revolution for cats by pfizer are safe to use. Check with your vet before using anything, since you have just used the Hartz.
Advantage is weight sensitive, you need to know the exact weight of the animal being treated and use the appropriate dose. Read the box and make sure you have not bought K9 Advantix which is deadly to cats. Revolution is available by prescription only (in other words through the vet).
I, personally, will not buy flea medications from anywhere BUT the vet. It is the one way to know for sure that you have gotten the real thing. I use Frontline Plus and Revolution, when necessary.
I normally don't need to treat my cats at all, but there have been occasions, for instance when rescuing a cat who is flea ridden (happened twice) and just now, after helping my mother with a serious flea infestation I am sure I've brought home some fleas or eggs, so my cats are being treated, until my mother's problem is fixed.
I use both Frontline Plus and Revolution because I have one cat who has a sensitivity to the Frontline Plus, so she gets the Revolution.
Years ago, I used Hartz flea/liquid drops on my then 5 cats...following all directions...
45 min later, 2 of them could barely walk-both appeared partially paralyzed in back legs...over the next few hrs, they gradually returned to normal with no lasting issues.
Never again will I use anything but Frontline.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BucFan
Millions of owners provide Hartz products. If the product caused death and severe illness, you'd think that they would be a major pandemic of sick cats. I don't recall hearing/reading about millions of cat deaths.
Thanks for the warning. Sounds similar to warnings one hears about not immunizing your children because it causes autism.
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