Fort Dodge Animal Health of Overland Park, Kan., reports that, despite widespread e-mails claiming that its topical flea and tick product ProMeris caused adverse reactions in seven dogs, the report is isolated to one case. The company statement was posted at www.promeris.com. “Based on the high number of e-mail forwards and Internet postings, it may appear there are multiple adverse events being reported,” the statement reads. “However, based on our research, it appears that all of this online activity stems from a single case.” Fort Dodge was contacted April 11 by a veterinarian reporting an adverse reaction involving six Siberian huskies and one mixed-breed, all of which live in the same household. The report states that the dogs exhibited vomiting, lethargy, pruritis and behavior change several hours after administration . Fort Dodge says it is working with the veterinarian to collect all relevant information. Since the product’s introduction to the market late last year, the company says, the most common adverse event reported is lethargy, which can occur if a dog ingests the product. “We suspect that the dogs ingested the product by licking each other after application,” says Tom Lenz, DVM, vice president of professional services at Fort Dodge. The e-mail also claims that the dogs' owner experienced similar symptoms, such as disorientation and swollen mouth, nose and eyes. “It’s possible that the owner kissed the dogs shortly after application or that the product somehow came in contact with her mucous membranes,” Dr. Lenz says. Fort Dodge recommends that veterinary staff describe proper application techniques when introducing the product to pet owners. Unlike some other flea and tick control products, ProMeris is applied to the dog’s skin in a single location. Fort Dodge says that ProMeris contains a patent-protected formulation designed to prevent absorption through the skin and that it shouldn’t be compared with other amitraz formulations. The amitraz formulation works by disrupting the tick’s normal nerve function, which leads to reduced feeding and attachment, paralysis and death of the tick, according to the company. ProMeris also contains the active ingredient metaflumizone, a new compound in the animal health industry that attacks fleas’ nervous systems , resulting in paralysis and death of the flea, according to the company. The next step is to wait for the full report and then discuss possible reimbursement, Lenz says. Typically, Fort Dodge will pay all diagnostic tests as well as “reasonable” treatment costs. Fort Dodge will also file a report to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “It’s unfortunate that something on the Internet has been blown out of proportion,” Lenz says. “Many people think that what’s written is true, and that’s not always the case.” <HOME>
