Please don't use Hartz pet products on your animals...

by sinis 10 Replies latest jw friends

  • sinis
    sinis

    Well, last night was from hell. About four months ago my wife and I brought in to our house a stray kitten. Looked healthy, vibrant etc.

    About 10 days ago I put flea collars on all of my cats (some some scratching once and a while and assumed they had fleas - probably didn't). When I put the collar on this cat about 10 days ago it got a little excited as it probably never had anything around its neck before and started to bit and lick the collar. This went on for about two days.

    Gradually over the course of the 10 days the cat started getting lethargic, drinking lots of water and just not its usual self. I assumed it had a cold of some kind as it seemed to be getting better. Last night I came home from school and my wife was very upset as the cat was throwing up any food, including some broth she made it. It was constantly at the water bowl. A few times I went over to it and she gave me this really sad meow.

    I was hoping it would make it through the night as I was going to take it to the vet but it seems to have taken the ferry ride around 4:00 am. Very sad. Woke up around 4:00 am (waking up every couple of hours to check on it) and noticed all of my cats starring under the bed - bad feeling. So I took it outside and buried it.

    Here are some of the symptoms:

    whitish gums
    some weight loss
    lethargy
    drinking lots of water
    throwing up


    I called the vet and asked them what they thought. They said it could have been an allergic reaction to the collar or worse yet a disease such as FeLV. Now if it were FeLV or similiar would it have brought a healthy cat down in less than 10 days? I wonder if I inadvertently poisoned it with the flea collar?

    After doing some research it looks like Hartz has had problems with killing animals. I feel depressed and very guilty for my mistake.

    So I sat there last night in bed thinking about what I learned as a JW and from my own studying, and I feel cheated. I laid there thinking about my recent grandmothers death, the poor animals death and all the death that goes through the whole world on a daily bases and kept wondering why? Why do we suffer? I was always taught it was because of the Universal Soverignty issue. But as I thought about the reasoning behind that I came to the conclusion that cannot be correct. Jehovah is all knowing, and all loving. He creates angels, who more than likely assisted him in creating the world and humans. More than likely these angels knew how to create "flesh and blood" and thus these were the few who materialized and co-habited with women.

    The society would like for us to believe that jehovah could not simply destroy Adam and the angels who sinned because of "universal Soverignty", or does man have the legal right to rule. I'm sorry but if Jehovah is all knowing, then these angels who sinned were also high up on the pyramid and knew right from wrong. They knew ahead of time that they would not succeed. So Jehovah could have destroyed Adam and Eve, and created a new pair but realistically he would be back at square one with his creation.

    I thought about a mighty ruler, who governs a nation and allows a coupe to take place to see if they can rule better than him. This is not logical nor plausible.

    I kept asking myself why does God allow suffering when it is within his means to eliminate it. Why do I have to pay for what my ancestors did? None of this makes any sense and although I still believe in God I have doubts about his caring and oversight.

    I really do not know where to go from here.

    Sorry for the rant, just feeling a little sad...

  • coolhandluke
    coolhandluke

    I'm with you. Asking these same questions of myself, of God, of others. Cheated, definitely. Honestly, it doesn't all make sense. Should it? Will it?

  • BrendaCloutier
    BrendaCloutier

    It hurts like hell to go through what you have. To think you're doing something right by your "kids" and to have one die because of a bad product.

    File a complaint with the company, with the store you bought it from, with the BBB, with the FDA, Humane Society, or anyone else you can think of. It won't help the poor kitten, but it will help voice your grief and concern.

    I use Frontline drops. I get them online from PetCareRx.com, a reputable source, for about 1/4th of the cost of buying it from the vet. We buy 12 applications at a time for about $110 dollars including shipping. Vets charge over $50 for 3 applications. It works well, and there are few, if any side effects from it. It lasts longer than Advantage - especially in winter when the fleas are down. For us, it is well worth the price. Flea collars just don't work well and subject the cats to pesticides that are unhealthy.

    If you have indoor cats, you probably won't need to use the drops more often than every 2 or 3 months, or less. I don't actually use the drops until I find evidence of fleas... a bit on myself (they love me) or an actual flea.

    I'm very very sorry for your loss.

    Hugs

    brenda

  • Shania
    Shania



    So sad for your loss. When we lose something or someone we love it causes all these emotions inside to start wondering and searching for the Whys and What fors? in life.

    Thank you for relating that information concerning Hartz products........when your kitty was having those reactions to the collar, did you remove or leave it on?

    There are many kitty lovers here who will give you hugs and sympathy, you need it right now along with your other little kitties, they know something is wrong........so cuddle them a little more.

  • Sad emo
    Sad emo

    ((( sinis )))

    that's so sad to hear what happened to kitty. It's awful to watch a pet fade away so quickly and being unable to help them. Like shania said, make sure you give your other cats extra cuddles - I had 2 cats and one died through illness, I nearly lost the other because he missed her so much that he got depressed and stopped eating. I ended up getting another cat to keep him company.

    Brenda mentioned Frontline drops. I use these as well - its a very good treatment.

  • horrible life
    horrible life

    We lost a pet a few weeks ago. Its funny how we think of them as family. Sinis I gave this to Elsewhere for his birthday. I think you could use it also. Here is my gift to you. HL

    http://www.bassfiles.net/cleanscreen.swf

  • Elsewhere
    Elsewhere

    Poor kitty.

    Next time try getting the flea pills from the vet. I'm not sure but I think it uses a "flea birth control" that gets into the cats blood and then the fleas drink it.

  • glitter
    glitter

    About 10 days ago I put flea collars on all of my cats

    I read that and my heart just sank. I can't believe those things are still on sale or that more people aren't aware that they are poisonous.

    I'm so sorry. :( Give the company hell.

    Frontline is brilliant stuff.

  • Leolaia
    Leolaia

    Wow...thanks for the heads up. So sorry about the kitty. I love kitties so much.

  • peacefulpete
    peacefulpete

    All flea collars and dips are pesticides. Frontline and similar drops are simply very concentrated forms of the same pesticides. All of these products have labling that makes clear that some animals react badly and who to call. In fact if you read the lables on cat collars it clearly says the minimum weight of the cat it to be acceptibly safe. NEVER USE COLLARS OR DIPS OR DROPS OR WORMER ON KITTENS.

    If you touch the collar when petting the cat you are supposed to wash your hands and not touch your mouth.

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