The following info is courtesy of SHIRLEY'S WELLNESS CAFE - as website we highly recommend that you visit!

Pet Products May Harm Both Pets and Humans
Products intended to kill fleas and ticks can also poison pets and the people who handle them. 

Each year, Americans purchase and apply to their pets a vast array of toxic chemicals intended to kill fleas and ticks. These include collars, sprays, dusts and more. Other pet owners take their pets to veterinarians to be dipped in chemicals. Many consumers probably assume that the products they and their vets use have been subjected to rigorous testing, and must, by virtue of their very ubiquity, be safe. After all, how could the government let deadly poisons be sold on grocery store shelves without applying stringent standards?

The simple truth, however, is that the poisons in many of these products are not safe, either for pets or humans. Government regulation of these products has been sketchy, and testing of their impact in the home has been inadequate. The result is that many of the products sold by the millions in grocery, drug and pet supply stores, even when applied as instructed on the box, can cause serious health consequences to pets and humans. more

Insecticides Associated with Bladder Cancer in Dogs - A statistically significant association between exposure to topical flea and tick dips, and the occurrence of bladder cancer in dogs has been found. The risk of bladder cancer was increased further in dogs living in proximity to areas sprayed regularly with insecticides for mosquitoes. An increased rate of bladder cancer in humans has recently been reported (Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, 1989(28): 407-414). 

Insecticides and Feline hyperthyroidism - Since the early 1980s, increasing numbers of cats have been found with hyperthyroidism, enlarged thyroid glands and high levels of thyroid hormone in the blood. Cats which were regularly treated with flea powders and sprays, and were also exposed to lawn pesticides, have been found more likely to have hyperthyroidism.  A higher level of canned cat food in the diet was also an increased risk factor (Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 1988(6): 295-309). Thyroid enlargement has been seen in Great Lakes fish and in rodents fed on these fish. This has been attributed to pesticides and other contaminants in the lake water (Advances in Modern Toxicology, 1992(XXl): 129-145).

Chemical Flea Control Product WARNING for Cat and Dog Households! 
Learn about safe and effective flea control and prevention 

Pets as Sentinels of Pesticide Toxicity
Rachel Carson described the detrimental effects of pesticides on animals including robins, caddis fly larvae, quail, salmon, and cats. Silent Spring shows clearly how deeply caring and fiercely protective Rachel Carson was of wildlife. Her concern extended to pet animals as well. Pesticide residues in our food and in the environment reflect years of chemical production and use. We face the continuing problems of the toxic by-products of manufacturing, runoff from outdoor applications, ground water contamination, and finally disposal of unused material as hazardous waste. Pesticides are used in virtually all public buildings, golf courses, schools, restaurants, hotels, hospitals and private homes as well as in agriculture and forestry. Rachel Carson's Silent Spring warned us of the threats to life attending widespread use of chemical pesticides. As a result of her effort the EPA was founded in 1970 and DDT was banned in 1972. 

Feline hyperthyroidism Frequently Asked Questions, Information About Overactive Thyroid Conditions in Cats. Some practitioners use alternative therapies for cats with mild hyperthyroidism. Because of the potential seriousness of hyperthyroidism, it's recommended that you work with a good holistic veterinarian or naturopath who specializes in pets to determine an effective treatment regimen for your cat.

Brandon Brooks, DVM  - "Many (if not most) Over The Counter (OTC) or non-prescription  flea control products are very toxic to cats and kittens- especially the ones only approved for use in dogs. Many people mistakenly buy these for their pet (it's not always their fault, the companies that make them want you to buy it, they don't really care about the dangers involved) so it pays to be extra careful when buying flea control products." Brandon Brooks, DVM is the former Staff Veterinarian, AsktheVet News Forum 

According to Dr. Brooks, even though the cat or kitten does not have the OTC flea control product directly applied to it, the cat or kitten may still become ill through indirect exposure if it is applied to a dog in the household, household furnishings, bedding, etc.. Also, many OTC dog flea control products are not only toxic to cats, but dogs as well. 

Alert!  "Farnam's Bio Spot  Flea and Tick Almost Killed our Dog (click here to read more)."
One day while shopping, we came across an over-the-counter product, called Bio Spot Flea and Tick Control (by Farnam Pet Products).  It looked similar to the Frontline product, but it was much cheaper, so we decided to try it.  The Bio Spot seemed to work just as well as Frontline, so we used it again six weeks later.  An hour after applying the Bio Spot, we found Hamish thrashing about on the ground.  His body was completely stiff.  His head was raised in the air, and his jaws were opened wide.  A thick foamy saliva was spewing from his mouth.  Horrified, I tried to determine if something was stuck in his throat.  His windpipe was clear, but he was not breathing.  His eyes began to roll back in his head.  He was dying and we did not know what to do to save him!  We made a desperate call to our veterinarian.
 

Alert Zodiac flea control killed 2 cats
" We have just lost 2 cats because of Zodiac flea drops. They died one after another , 2 healthy pets, we used this Zodiac drops for about 2 moths as instructed on the package. The vet said it went through the skin and damaged the liver. We will e-mail the company as well." Andrei in Canada : andreikraev@yahoo.ca

Alert! "Hartz Mountain Company is currently manufacturing and distributing a pet product specifically intended for cats that is highly toxic and dangerous.  Following is a detailed explanation of events that have prompted my recommendation that this product (Hartz Advanced Care Brand Flea and Tick Drops for Cats Weighing Over 10 Lbs.) be recalled immediately, and extensively investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)."  learn more

Alert! Advantage and K-9 Advantix Flea products

• Here is a testimonial from a distraught cat owner "Used Advantage on my cat and she's sick" 

•  Mary Ann  lost her beloved bearded collie 'Kaimen' as a result of using Advantage Flea Drops. "Advantage flea drops were recommended by my veterinarian to control Kaimens flea problems. The drops were placed on the back of his head in the nape of the neck. After using Advantage for 13 months a growth the size of a golf ball emerged in that very same spot where the Advantage flea drop were placed.  The growth was made of a grey colored flesh with a putrid odor. A purulent putrid liquid oozed out of it. Kaimen was taking to the vet,  where I learned more about the growth and just how deadly Advantage is to our pets. The pesticide that is used in Advantage is called lmidacloprid and should NOT be absorbed through the skin. I learned that dogs and rats who were used to test this pesticide developed thyroid cancer and it affected their appetite. My dog Kaimen died at the age of two as a result of using Advantage which caused  a tumerous cancer to develop in his neck and which metastasized in his brain. I sent Bayer, the maker of Advantage, a letter with a return receipt but they never bothered to reply to my letter."

• A friend used Advantage on his dog who got sick from it. He stopped using it and the dog recovered.
• K-9 Advantix is highly toxic to cats, even if it is on your dog & the cat gets it on itself.

Natural treatment for flea bites, allergies and hotspots: a drugless approach

Shawn Messonnier DVM - "The Allergy Solution for Dogs provides owners with honest and objective information they can use to help plan a holistic treatment approach to dealing with their pets' allergies. Nothing bizarre or strange, simply proven treatments that I have used on thousands of pets in my years in private practice. Each day I help pets with allergies get off of steroids and help them live longer, itch-free lives" 

Learn more about safe and effective flea control and prevention 

VISIT SHIRLEY'S WELLNESS CAFE

---

Here are a few more links that will tell you more about these products.

FIPRONIL - LETTER FROM THE NEW YORK STATE DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/insect-mite/fenitrothion-methylpara/fipronil/new-act-ing-fipron.html

THE RECONSIDERATION OF APPROVALS AND REGISTRATIONS RELATING TO FIPRONIL (FRONTLINE) http://www.apvma.gov.au/chemrev/fipronil.pdf

RECONSIDERATION OF APPROVALS AND REGISTRATIONS RELATED TO FIPRONIL (FRONTLINE) http://www.apvma.gov.au/gazette/gazette0310p59_v2.pdf

FRONTLINE SPOT ON FOR DOGS - SUMMARY OF PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS http://www.imb.ie/view_spc.asp?pa_number=10857%2F005%2F001

NOVEL DRUG DELIVERY STRATEGIES IN VETERINARY MEDICINE - (FRONTLINE)                    http://www.ukicrs.org/VDDR.htm

FRONTLINE FACTS                                                                                                            http://www.redmap.co.uk/ferretsabout/html/facts.html

MEDICAL ALERT: PROBLEMS REPORTED WITH NEW TOPICAL FLEA PRODUCTS                     http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/health/vet-talk/frontline.html