A second FOIA request about three of the active ingredients in “my” pesticide revealed that thousands of medical complaints had been filed about these chemicals when they were used in other pesticide products. Pesticide manufacturers, in performing mandatory safety studies before their products are allowed on the market, should be required to test the combined effects of multiple pesticides and the effects of their pesticides combined with chemicals that people are exposed to each day, such as plastics and drugs. The next day, my left arm and leg felt icy hot. Eisenfeld is a writer and editor in the Washington area. If the label information had provided directions for contacting my state pesticide regulatory agency to report misuse or problems, I might have called soon after my problems surfaced. This scar or defect, I was told, had chewed away some of the protective myelin that coats nerves and transmits messages in the nervous system. The pest control company said that an experienced technician had done the work. Products are intended for specific purposes. It is important to practice safety before, during and after the use of both Raid roach and flea spray. I returned to working on the book I had just started to write and the new career I had launched. This article was excerpted from the May issue of Health Affairs and can be read in full online at www.healthaffairs.org. Home Insects Flea Bites on Humans: Symptoms and Treatment. Do not use dog treatments on cats, or cat treatments on dogs. News to us. Ticks are potentially disease-carrying parasites that attach to pets as well as people. Routinely check your pet for fleas and/or ticks and remove them immediately. “What about pesticide exposure?” I asked. Signs and symptoms of pyrethroid toxicity include abnormal skin sensation (e.g., burning, itching, tingling, and numbness), dizziness, salivation, headache, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea, seizure, irritability to sound and touch, and other central nervous system effects (4,7). The report showed that from 1992 until early 2010, 156 “minor” human incidents had been reported to the agency concerning the product used in our house, as well as 24 “moderate” and 515 “major” human incidents. That's why veterinarians recommend regular flea and tick prevention treatment. She, too, developed multiple symptoms. Citizen’s Guide to Pest Control and Pesticide Safety. He called the Poison Control Center to report burning eyes and a sore throat. While we can’t comprehend or control the reason poisonous chemicals are marketed as pet health products, it’s easy for us to prevent flea treatment poisoning in pets. Clear trees and brush to add more sunlight into the yard and reduce the amount of suitable habitat for deer which carry ticks. Without additional protections, unwary consumers will continue to turn to chemical products they assume are safe. Keep the grass mowed, bushes cut short, and remove all leaf litter. Yet, on the eve of my decision, I looked at my poor kitty. I assumed that if there were risks or warnings or precautions I should know about, the pest control company, which we’d used to treat the exterior of our house against ants, would tell me. The most common signs of toxicity from pyrethrum-based flea products are muscle tremors and excessive salivation. Another woman used a flea and tick powder intended only for pets on her sweater, her furniture and her carpet. Sign up for email updates from the "Confronting the Caliphate" series. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. Similarly, if, before treating my house, the pest company had been required to provide me with the EPA’s Citizen’s Guide to Pest Control and Pesticide Safety — much as contractors, home sellers and landlords are required to give occupants certain brochures about the hazards of lead-based paint — I might have been encouraged to evaluate less-toxic alternatives or ask more questions. The agency could have sent an investigator to my house in Virginia to collect evidence to determine if the pest control company had broken any laws. Yet there had been those drops on the floor six hours later. The label instructs users to cover all food-processing surfaces, utensils and exposed food prior to spraying. Each flea product should have … Remove all food products and dishes from the area you treat or the spray may contaminate them. Groom your pet with a flea comb. Later that evening, she developed systemic symptoms, including malaise, chest pains, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, stomach cramps, tremors, blurred vision, and excess salivation. When it comes to flea treatment, we need to be careful. And my torso reacted to cold as if it were being stung by yellow jackets. As an environmentalist, I am an organic vegetarian. A man set off a flea fogger in his apartment. My doctor listened to the story of the chemical flea treatment and the coincidental timing of the onset of symptoms, and then rushed out of the room to … The next morning, I awoke to a headache in the back right quadrant of my skull. A state-by-state look at where Generation Y stands on the big issues. Mild Poisoning or Early Symptoms of Acute Poisoning headache, fatigue, weakness, dizziness, restlessness, nervousness, perspiration, nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite, loss of weight, thirst, moodiness, soreness in joints, skin irritation, eye irritation, irritation of the nose and throat. Cancer cells: negative. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. Signs of a negative reaction include headache, dizziness and seizures. Fleabites have several common symptoms. The label provided the important information that children and pets should be kept away from treated areas, especially while powder is still visible on the surface. The federal law should require an assessment of such alternatives as part of the pesticide approval process, eventually restricting the use of certain chemicals as safer approaches and technologies become available. We hadn’t been told to do anything like that — to remove the dishes sitting out on our drying rack, to cover our cutting board or the fruit and vegetables on our counter. When he came back, he reported that the company’s medical staff said no one there had heard that their product had caused such symptoms. Organophosphate poisoning can be short- or long-term. This idea would be a new way of thinking, but it is time for the outdated regulatory approach to pesticides to move into the future. It also says that the sprayed area should be ventilated after treatment. The chemical used needs to be strong enough to kill and prevent a flea infestation. Would you like to try a study question? Signs of Flea Control Product Toxicity in Cats and Dogs. The best way to control fleas and ticks is to keep them from contacting your pet or entering your home or areas surrounding your home in the first place. They are very itchy, and the skin around each bite may become sore or painful. Thankfully, I am completely recovered. You will also learn how to treat and prevent the bites to avoid this problem in the future. I then contacted the pest control company and the manufacturer to report the incident. My icy-hot sensation began to fade, and my strength began to return, although a full recovery took several months. The next morning a man came to our house with two aerosol cans of a pesticide and targeted our hardwood floors and rugs, as well as the concrete floor in the basement. Consider wearing gloves when applying. Some are for pets, some for furniture or carpets; others may be for people. This damage was scrambling messages being sent throughout my body about temperature and pain and strength and balance. They will find that they may be protected from bugs — but not from harm. This … When we called the pest control company, the manager was perplexed. Although incident reports made to the manufacturer may be considered proprietary, the manufacturer must give them to the EPA, which also collects incident reports from the public and from other government agencies and nongovernmental organizations. What Went Wrong: The area had been recently treated. We went to the source. Other signs and symptoms of toxicity include abnormal facial sensation, dizzi - ness, headache, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea and irritability to sound and touch. Some products are for pets, while others are to be used strictly on carpets and furniture. The label directs pesticide applicators to avoid thoroughly wetting the surfaces being sprayed. The neurologist said my symptoms could also be caused by multiple sclerosis, lupus, thyroid disorder, tuberculosis or other diseases. The longer the exposure and the larger the dose, the more toxic the effects. A seven-year review of exposures reported in 11 states showed that the majority of people exposed had mild temporary symptoms including headache, dizziness and tingling … Tuberculosis: negative. You have signed up for the "Confronting the Caliphate" series. So I filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the EPA, the federal agency responsible for regulating pesticides. Signs of flea control product toxicity can occur from one to 12 hours after application and may vary depending on the type of flea control product poisoning. Flea treatment poisoning is behind over 50% of major pesticide poisonings in cats and dogs, many of them lethal. What Went Wrong: They did not read the labels before using the spray or powder. It can be caused by large or small doses. Treatment of Flea and Tick Collar Poisoning in Dogs Flea collar poisoning is treated with support therapy and medication. This hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. What Went Wrong: Total release foggers, also called "bug bombs", can pose health and fire hazards if used improperly.The directions provided with the product said to leave the area after the fogger was activated, stay out during treatment time, and ventilate when returning. Infection from flea bites can occur because of scratching the bites. It can also be toxic to the nervous system, particularly if ingested. To guard her cat, Hobo, against fleas, Sue Eisenfeld had her home sprayed with a pesticide. He recommended that we mop up the residue, then throw away the sponge. This content is paid for by an advertiser and published by WP BrandStudio. I struggled to brush my teeth, write, type and lift a fork. This is why flea treatment is applied using a pipette on the nape of the neck. First I found the pesticide label online, with its information about using the product properly. The directions provided with the product said to leave the area after the fogger was activated, stay out during treatment time, and ventilate when returning. Sand Flea Bites on Humans – Pictures, Treatment and Prevention If you think you’ve been bitten by sand fleas and want to know what sand flea bites on humans look like, this is the place. Despite applications of topical anti-flea drops, he’d been licking himself raw during the past four months. Pregnant women agonize over whether to get coronavirus vaccine, Coronavirus updates: Third state identifies more transmissible variant as U.S. cases surpass 20 million, How the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation ended up in Congress’s $900 billion relief bill. If you've discovered flea bites or have found fleas in your hair, consider the following advice, directly from the World Health Organization: Of course, there's a much simpler way to deal with any kind of flea problem. These combs are made to remove adult fleas, flea dirt, and dried blood from your pet's skin and fur. The best way to prevent fleas on pets is to make sure you regularly and thoroughly clean pet resting areas, including pet beds, furniture, carpeting, and vehicles. To prevent the worst of the irritation, you should put on a pair of gloves, goggles and a mask before you attempt to use the poison. You'll receive e-mail when new stories are published in this series. In more severe cases, pulmonary edema, muscle fasiculations, seizures and coma can develop. Lyme disease: negative. Some pet owners have reported numbness after having contact with Advantage. Most of the common flea and tick medications are topical drugs (applied to the skin over the neck/back) that contain pyrethrins or pyrethroids. Not wanting to waste time on home remedies that might not work, I thought, “Let’s just get it over with.”. Finally, EPA should be required to assess whether any “green” products can achieve the same results as pesticides, with less risk. No one knows why I was affected and others in my household weren’t. I would now just have to wait. Not obeying the label instructions is a violation of federal and state law, and in Virginia, the company could be fined up to $5,000 for this violation, a penalty that could motivate it to train its technicians better and provide homeowners with more information. Within a day, she was having health problems. Four months after my neurological episode, when I was finally able to walk in a straight line and not have my right hand buzz every time I bent my head toward my chest, I had another MRI. Flea treatment poisoning (overdose or administration of a dog flea product): If possible, apply a small amount of dishwashing detergent such as Dawn or Fairy Liquid (the type you use to wash dishes in the sink) directly to the back of the neck where the product is, apply warm water, lather and rinse the detergent off. They bite and their bites are itchy and sometimes painful. “It’s no big deal.”. Use the correct product. What this told me was that the technician had not given me enough information. I could have left it at that: gratitude, a new beginning, a renewed commitment to health. Source. When faced with a potential toxicity situation, it is important to remember that there is help available. A few weeks later, I got my response: an 82-page report from the EPA that made it clear to me that MS wasn’t the cause of my symptoms. Soon my test results started streaming in. Would you like to try a study question? If you have ever had an experience with fleas, you can testify that they are tiny and irritating insects. He called the Poison Control Center to report burning eyes and a sore throat. Flea Bites on Humans: Symptoms and Treatment. Poisoning signs can be seen by others, for example, vomiting, sweating, or pin-point pupils. Labels contain important information about proper use. Outdoor examples of "hot spots" for fleas are dog houses, flower beds, gardens, and under decks or porches. But I knew something more needed to be done to prevent incidents like mine — or worse — from happening to others. But the law never defines “unreasonable.” It says only that to determine “unreason­able risk,” EPA must take into ac­count “the economic, social, and envi­ronmental costs and benefits.”. Before applying pest control products directly to pets or in your home, read and follow the package directions. By evening, my arms were buzzing with an odd, electric energy. I had to take some kind of action, and fast. Symptoms are any functional changes in normal condition which can be described by the victim of poisoning, and may include nausea, headache, weakness, dizziness, and others. “We can’t know for sure about multiple sclerosis,” my neurologist explained, “until you get a follow-up MRI in four to five months, to see whether the lesion is still there or if there are any new ones.” A definitive diagnosis, he explained, requires either two “episodes” like the one I had experienced, or two or more lesions on the spinal cord. Call Poison Control if: Call the poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 if the person has done any of these things and is alert: Swallowed too much medicine or the wrong kind You may experience hives or develop a rash near the site of a … Pyrethrin and pyrethroid are insecticides typically used for treating flea and tick infestations. Transverse myelitis can be the result of a viral infection such as chickenpox, shingles, herpes, flu, HIV, hepatitis A or rubella. Desktop notifications are on   | Turn off, Get breaking news alerts from The Washington Post, Last winter, despite a low-level warning beacon in my gut, I hired a company to apply a chemical flea treatment in our house. They will give you further instructions. While it's important to keep these pests off of your animal, care should be taken when dealing with treatments containing potentially harmful pesticides. Wisconsin pharmacist who ‘intentionally’ spoiled more than 500 vaccine doses is arrested, police say. And they need regulatory backup protection. A dog's reaction to pyrethrins or pyrethroids can range from mild to moderate allergies or hives to nausea, respiratory distress and tremors to vomiting and shock. Follow the tips on this page for indoor and outdoor flea and tick control as a way to avoid an infestation. In a poison emergency or for poison information, call the Poison Control Center. The other thing is that getting rid of them can be hard. My decision to use a chemical pesticide in my home was a moment of weakness, a test of blind faith in a system that was supposed to protect me from harm. A woman used a carpet and upholstery spray on her dog and inhaled the mist. “Don’t worry about it,” he wrote back. Fleas are easier to prevent than to get rid of once an infestation has taken hold. My husband and my cat were fine. Wash fabrics and bedding in hot water and high heat dryer setting. If you have pets, there's a good chance at some point you may have to deal with an annoying infestation of fleas and ticks. Standing up in the shower and lathering my hair became things I could no longer do at once. Here’s what matters to millennials. A pruritic rash developed on her hands and arms approximately 2 hours after exposure. 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