How Toxins also affect our dear Pets
Cindy my dog with little Jasmin
Our pets are also at risk
I have been writing quite a few posts on the dangers in our daily life. Some of these are in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the foods we eat.
In big cities, the air is often so polluted that it is dangerous to our health and when small dogs go out for their daily walks, they even breathe a bigger amount of bad air as we do, toxins are heavy and stay close to the ground.
Our tap water often has a cocktail of bad things in it. These particles are invisible to the naked eye but negative to our health. The same applies to our food when you look at the labels of men made food you can hardly pronounce the word and neither do you know what it is.
When we think about our pets, our dogs, and our cats, we want the best for them. We want them to be healthy for many years. The air they breathe is not so easy to influence that. Don’t take your dogs for a walk on the streets if you can avoid it. The best is to go to a park or the outskirts of a city.
With free-roaming cats, it is not possible to decide where they go as they go where they want. To keep a cat, especially alone, always inside is sad as they love to go out and explore with a bit of hunting on the side.
The water your pet drinks is important
You might think to avoid giving your animals tap water, you would do better to give it bottled water. If so, then it cannot be from a plastic bottle, which is also unhealthy. I have a trick to improve their water. It is cheap and easy to do. I put a layer of clay, like a finger thick, and then fill up the bowl with water.
Only a glass bowl or ceramic, never a plastic or metal bowl. For more details on the use of clay read my post Helpful Clay and the Unique Ways to Use It.
You take care of your pet’s food, not too much salt, fat, or additives. There are many brands, be it dry or wet food. Some people like to give their animals raw food or home-cooked meals.
If you have outdoor cats, they add some food while hunting. Whatever you do, you do with the best intention to maintain your pet’s health.
What do you do when your pet has fleas?
What does one do when you discover your pets have fleas? You will probably go to your vet or visit a store specialized in pet care. You might buy the well-known product FRONTLINE.
Please do not do that, it is dangerous. Dogs and cats alike have been suffering from severe side effects, after all, it is a pesticide, and sadly some of these animals have died.
Please have a look this video and this linked website.
The day of Shugars’ arrival
Michael and Shugar arrive in Spain
To end this post, I want to tell you about the personal experience Michael and I had with his cat Shugar. They both emigrated from the US to Spain in Aug. 2016. Shugar is a big, beautiful, white, and deaf girl of 13 years old. I had called her Rolly Polly, which irritated Michael some. He would call her Rubenesque.
Here is a photo of the day when I had picked her up from Malaga airport, 1 day before Michael was to arrive. On coming home she immediately went to eat on the upper floor, which would be her home as it was planned Michael would have his workroom there.
Michael and Shugar in the pergola
We had Shugar on the patio but as she is deaf and was talking a lot in the beginning months, my other cats took a while to get used to her. Cindy, my dog who loves cats, had no problem with her at all, and Shugar also got used to having Cindy at a short distance without getting nervous.
As she was moving more than in Nampa/Idaho where she lived with Michael, she started to lose some weight also due to the fact she had to get used to the cobblestones. Walking on those stones was a proper exercise.
Flea attack
In the first week of July, we noticed that the cats started to scratch, so they had a minor attack of fleas. Michael went to the vet here in the village and got some Frontline for the family.
About a week after applying it we noticed Shugar was deteriorating, eating less, having weak back legs, and she started walking on her entire foot from the toes to her heel. As you know, cats walk on their toes so we were concerned. The other cats were doing fine.
It did not take long, but then Shugar stopped eating and Michael took her to the vet. He gave her some pain injections and a vitamin paste, but it did not really help. After some more days, which included 2 more visits to the vet, he said we better take her to the hospital in the next village where they have a 24-hour service.
By that time she was very weak, had not eaten for over a week, and had therefore lost a lot of weight. As I said, she used to be a big girl with some 9kg and was now about half.
Shugar is very sick
We took her to the hospital on a Friday, and they took a blood test. It would take 45 minutes for the result, so we went for a coffee. The young doctor spoke some English and said it does not look good at all. She had a severe liver infection with toxic levels being well over double safe levels. Shugar had to stay there, and we went home rather upset.
On Saturday they told us she had eaten a tiny bit of food and on Sunday, after calling, we went to pick her up again. She looked rather awful, I must say.
The first week she stayed very weak, dragging herself over the floor. A sad sight indeed. No strength at all in her back legs and on top of all this misery she had started to pull out her hair. We will have to bring her in for a new blood test to see if there is any improvement.
She is having special dry food, which is indicated for liver problems. We have decided to give a small bite of tuna as breakfast with 1 drop of CBD oil. She is also drinking clay water. Every day she is improving a tiny bit and trying to walk on her toes again.
Shugar is sick
If you love your pets and I am sure you do never ever give it Frontline again. Perhaps nothing happens the first or second time you apply this product, but it could well happen in the future.
Although I have written about the reactions suffered by my cat Shugar, other pets suffer equal pain. Frontline is also used on dogs, so please be careful.
Just an update on our cat Shugar
We have started giving her a drop of CBD oil each morning with her breakfast, and she appears to be improving. She appears to be redeveloping muscle mass in her rear legs.
I have just been sent a video discussing the benefits of using the Sacred Plant on your pets. We have learned that all mammals have cannabinoid receptors throughout our bodies. It is to be expected that our furry friends would benefit just like humans, but on a smaller scale.
Here you can watch a very interesting video on CBD and pets. I gave Cindy my dog CBD, the last years of her life. I am convinced it helped her manage the pain.
Sad News
Shugar is no more. On the 3e of February 2020, Michael decided to call the vet. She came to Spain and had light diabetes, which got worse over time. She needed an injection in the morning and evening.
Last year she had a couple of episodes where she would stop eating. We would take her to the hospital in the next village, staying a couple of days, and on coming home she would recuperate again.
You know cats have many lives and I think Shugar definitely used up all of them. Her last day was not good, so it really was time to say goodbye. Michael asked me to call the vet, and he came quickly to the house. When she got her injection, she was purring and peacefully fell asleep.
She has a pretty grave in the garden next to Cindy and Missu. We miss her and for Michael, it is very difficult, as his workroom is kind of empty.
I have made a special page for my visitor. You might like to check Recommendations as there could be something of your interest.
Source: My Life
Photo Source: Private
A modern home can be a health hazard not only for humans but as well for pets. You might like to read the following post on pets.
Comments
Nancy
Frontline products are loaded with chemicals. Many pets have died and many others have serious side effects all the way from seizures to losing hair. Please DON’T subject your pets to this poison.
Taetske
Good afternoon Nancy,
Thank you for visiting my website. Frontline is an awful product which should be taken off the market. When we look at human food which is laden with chemicals, pesticides, additives, and GMO’s one can hardly be surprised this product is on the market for animals.
Regards, Taetske
GiuliaB
Taetske, I feel blessed in a way that we have never given our dog Indy Frontline. We treat Indy to vet prescribed Advocate, which is in fact only available from vet surgeries. But I know of so many pet owners who opt for Frontline as readily available online and in shops.
Your post has prompted me to do my own little research. I can’t believe the number of negative reviews on Frontline. Your Shugar may have been one of the most unlucky cases – and she does look so tired in the picture, poor thing ❤️ But there are indications that Frontline may cause skin problems and nausea and vomiting. And to add up to all this, it has also been reported that Frontline does not work as promised in killing pest on your pet. I’m certainly going to point anyone using Frontline in the direction of your post, as pet owners have the right to know. Thank you.
Taetske
Good afternoon Giulia,
Thank God that you did not use Frontline on your dear dog Indy. The symptoms might not come the first time, neither the second time but then suddenly it happens. Shugar had Frontline applied once while still living in the US and that spot lost its hair, she did not do that as that spot was out of reach for her. This time the symptoms were really severe and we feared for her life. She is getting better slowly and I will be so happy when she walks on her toes again. Thank you for visiting, hope to see you again.
Regards, Taetske
Valerie
Thank you Taetske for the warning about Frontline. It is terrible to learn that such dangerous products are on the market, and how animals are at risk due to thoughtlessness of company owners who allow such dangerous items to be produced.
I hope that Shugar will soon be restored to full health and able to enjoy her life to the fullest.
Taetske
Good afternoon Valerie,
It is so sad that these products are on the market and pose a health hazard to our dear pets. Frontline seems to be a real bad one. Shugar is getting better day by day and I hope to see her walking on her toes again so she can enjoy the Spanish Patio.
Thank you for visiting my website.
Regards, Taetske
John ツ
Thanks for sharing this information Taetske. My wife and myself don’t have pets anymore but, being international house and pets sitters, we take care of other people’s pets. So it is good to know so that when we have a client who is using a Frontline product (which is very common), we can advise them to stop.
I always enjoy reading your articles and I look forward to the next one.
Best wishes,
John ツ
Taetske
Good afternoon John,
Nice to see you again visiting my website. This Frontline is really awful, just imagine we would have lost Shugar because of using it. Yes, do spread the word to people who use this product, the sooner the better. I have sent an email with the website to all my friends world wide.
Regards, Taetske
Jessica
Taetske,
This is terrifying. I am so sorry your kitty went through this due to the poison these drugs contain. I am eager to learn about natural treatments for fleas and ticks though I am lucky to live in Alaska where we don’t need them! I get many questions about this however and if we ever moved somewhere else I would want to know what to use.
Thanks for spreading the word on this dangerous product! It is scary to think how many dogs and cats get this every day!
Jessica
Taetske
Good Morning Jessica,
Thank you for visiting my website and leaving a comment on Frontline. These later years in my life I have become more conscious about the dangers around us. That is also why I write about these things on my website. But I had not been thinking in depth about what I do by giving my animals this pesticide. I have not given it often as my cats are mainly outdoor cats but this time I saw that they all had an itch. Michaels cat who most of the time stays indoors also started scratching so that was the moment I took action which had these horrible results. I will now look into finding a natural solution in case the fleas come back again.
Regards, Taetske
Rox
Thank you very much Taetske for this article, your experience has truly woken us up as to what other things our dogs are exposed to. Often times we take the vets word as good and do not give it a second thought. We will definitely be stopping front line now and look for natural solutions for fleas, thank you again for bringing this to light!
Best,
Rox
Taetske
Good Morning Rox,
Thank you for reading my article on Frontline, the more people read it the better. It is so true that when going to the vet one accepts the advice given. Now we know it is a harmful product which should not be used for our fur friends. Also when we go to the doctor one normally accepts the pills or treatment he prescribes. It is time we start analyzing all these things. Big money making companies are behind it and in general, it is not our health or the health of our pets which really interests them. Thank you for your visit and I hope to see you again.
Regards, Taetske
Trish
Hi Taetske,
With the recent increased coyote and fox population within our Canadian cities, so now it is no longer advisable to let your cats roam free during the nights. Though, I have to admit, my cats were never allowed to be outside during the night.
Heck, my own city (Oshawa, Ontario) now destroys cats they deem are feral (the mayor in 1991-2003 did this, grrrr!), simply because too many ignorant humans didn’t like cats peeing on their gardens. Horrifying, I agree! But then who have ever accused humans for being truly smart about our environment.
Yikes… I used to give my dogs bottled water (years ago now) when traveling by automobile with them, but now? NEVER!
What I did was put a filtration system on my home back in the ‘90s after witnessing a black ring around the top of our toilet bowl water within a day of cleaning it. That filter takes out 80% of the contamination (big particles only, of course), and I was advised to not filter our water any further so that our immune systems would be healthier and better able to fight off any contaminants from water that may be consumed elsewhere when out and about.
I DO like your idea for using a glass water bowl with a layer of clay…
You’re soooo right. Flea and tick control meds can be lethal!
Sorry to learn that Michael’s Shugar suffered so from those nasty chemicals. My Nugget died from using such a product whose name I won’t mention here… but I have written a warning to pet owners about that brand too.
Just like our own medical care, we need to do the research on ANY meds our Vets provide or advise us to use on our furry (or feathered!) babies.
Taetske
Good evening Trish,
Thank you for visiting my website and leaving a comment.
How awful to hear there are cat hunters where you live. I can understand you keep your fur babies in the house at night. My cats go hunting at night and just the other day little Jasmin ran on the garage roof direction window of my workroom. She had a present, a dove, in her mouth. Well, I did not open the window. Shortly afterward the roof was covered in feathers, well, that is nature.
To put clay in drinking water is a good idea. I have sometimes even used it directly in my small fishpond on the patio.
Shugar is a lot better now but as she is deaf she has not made friends with the other cats. When she is put outside, she lives in Michaels workroom, she calls too often. The other animals do not understand why.
It is important to be informed about the dangers of animal medicine and treatments often just as dangerous as human medicine.
Regards, Taetske
Nuttanee
Thank you so much for the warning! Omg, I have been using the tick and fleas heart guard the one that you put on your pet neckline and the edible one forever. Poor Shugar, Shuhar looks exactly like my Snow Snow. I am sure Shugar is in a good place.
I will not use FRONTLINE anymore. I will look for a herbal alternative. Back in Thailand my grandmother used to use turmeric powder but the orange color is annoying though. Sorry for your loss.
Taetske
Good afternoon Nuttanee,
Nice to see you again, it has been quite a while. Thank you for your comment.
Yes, we miss Shugar, but as you said she is now in a good place.
I am a big fan of Tumeric, I always put it on my breakfast eggs and different dishes and soups.
Frontline is definitely a harmful product and it is good when you do not use it anymore. I do not understand why humans always invent harmful products as there really is no need for that. Mother Nature provides for our needs.
Regards, Taetske
Parameter
It gladdens my heart when I see pet owners take good care of their pets this way, many pet owners don’t take care of these lovely creatures, they do not learn to show them love which is essential.
So sad that Shugar is no more, y essential take away is how effective the CBD oil could be in animals too, I have used it several times for my pets.
Taetske
Good afternoon Owoeye,
Thank you for stopping by and for your comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.
We miss Shugar. Especially Michael who emigrated with her to Spain. CBD is great for humans and also animals.
We have to be respectful of creation and take care of fauna and flora. The environment is after all our habitat.
Regards, Taetske
Michael
Thanks, for the valuable tips Taetske.
I never knew I was doing my pet more harm than good, It really saddens me to know that I have been not a good owner and not taking the right care that my pet deserves. I took my pet just about any time and when my other pet got fleas they always recommend the product Frontline. I will stop using that product and refuse it if the vet suggests.
Thanks a lot, for shining light on the subject.
Taetske
Good Morning Yunis,
Most people love their pets and only want the best for them.
It was a real eye-opener when I found out about the dangers of Frontline. From that moment on I have not used it anymore on my animals.
Thank you for stopping by and for leaving a comment. I hope you have downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.
Regards, Taetske
muslimapapiya
I like animals and cats are one of them. I am impressed to see such a type of contribution where someone writes about the danger of Frontline as it is a product used worldwide. Pets are important companions in our daily life. Sadly, they are being neglected by us.
Proper care should be their social right. This is our vital duty.
You talk about the care we should provide for our animals. Medical services should be available everywhere for our pets. I am sorry to hear about losing Shugar.
Taetske
Good Morning Muslima,
Thank you for stopping by and for your comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.
Yes, it was very sad to lose Shugar as she had been Michale’s cat for 15 years and emigrated from the U.S. to Spain.
When Frontline made her so sick it really opened my eyes and I understood to never use chemicals on your pets. I live on a green farm and do not use pesticides so why should I put it on my pet? Anyhow, it was a hard lesson.
Regards, Taetske
Perryline
Thank you for sharing this amazing article. I have not had pets for a long time, but I like to take care of dogs and cats. This is very important news because most pet owners use the Frontline product. I had no idea this product could be so harmful to pets.
I will recommend your article to friends of mine who do have pets and need to know about the danger of this product. I found this a good article with important information. I hope to see other interesting topics on your website.
Taetske
Good Morning Izueke,
Thank you for your comment on my post. I hope you have downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.
When a pet you love suffers so much it is really heartbreaking. Shugar survived and still lived for some years. I will never ever treat any of my dear animals with this horrible product Frontline.
Regards, Taetske
sabrinamou
I truly need to initially value your exertion in assembling this incredible site and composing this article. Much obliged to you Taetske for the notice about Frontline. It is difficult to discover that such perilous items are available, and how creatures are in danger because of the neglectfulness of organization proprietors who permit such hazardous things to be delivered. But you can do this, well done and you are a real animal lover. I think your article will benefit everyone who has pets.
I appreciate your articles. I must say that this article is very helpful and informative. If you don’t mind, I will share this article on my social media account. Thanks
Taetske
Good Morning Sabrina,
That is very kind of you to share my article on your social media account, thank you. The more people know about how harmful Frontline is the better. Advertisements can be very misleading making us believe something is good and healthy. Nowadays one has to be really careful.
Thank you for your comment. I hope you have downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.
Regards, Taetske
Srinivasan
Thank you for the alert on Frontline. We used to have a pet dog a few years ago. I understand the pains of bringing up a pet in a healthy way. Why do vets recommend Frontline when it is so harmful? I will share this article with friends of mine who have pets so they can avoid this killer. I am truly sorry for the demise of Shugar. Let’s take action to prevent such cases.
Taetske
Good Morning Govindasamy,
Thank you for visiting my website and for your comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.
Yes, it was very sad to lose Shugar. In 2018 I lost Cindy, my Rottweiler lady, and shortly afterward old Missu. She came walking in when she was still a baby in 1995.
It is quite awful that this harmful product is being sold worldwide. Frontline should be banned the same as Roundup. When money is involved it is a difficult battle.
Regards, Taetske
deborah
Hi,
This is such an amazing article. Albeit a sad one too. So sorry, Michael, lost his beloved cat. They are precious our pets. They are family members at the end of the day. We miss them as such too.
I never knew about Frontline until now so I cannot thank you enough for the warning you have given us all.
Thank you again. Such a needed article.
Kind Regards,
Deborah
Taetske
Good afternoon Deborah,
So nice to see you again. Thank you for your visit and your comment.
Yes, it is a sad story but important to know for people who have pets. It is much better to use natural products for typical pet problems. Did you also look at that website that is dedicated to spreading the news on Frontline? They have a lot of pet stories.
Regards, Taetske
Jeff
Awesome article every pet owner should read to learn about Frontline, I just lost my 9-year-old Rottweiler filled with tumors despite I fed him the natural chemical-free dog food since a puppy. Now I am wondering if the flea drops I was using on him recommended by my vet could have caused these tumors, what do you think about this?
Jeff
Taetske
Good evening Jeff,
Thank you for stopping by and for your comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget
It is so sad to lose a fur friend, so sorry to hear about your dog.
As to your question, I have only experienced 1 case and that was Shugar. I would suggest you contact the people from the website I mention in my post. As they have lots of experience for many years I am sure they will be able to help you. Here is the link http://www.frontlineproductssilentkillers.com/
Regards, Taetske
Ezra Mtambeka
Usually alarming. I am so sorry your kitty went through this because of the poison these drugs contain. I am energetic to memorize approximately normal medications for insects and ticks, although I am fortunate to live in Gold country where we don’t require them! I get many questions about this and on the off chance that we ever moved some place else, I would need to know what to use.
Thanks for spreading the word on this unsafe item! It is terrifying to think how many pooches and cats get this each day!
Taetske
Good Morning Ezra,
Thank you for stopping by and for your comment., I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.
Because of this awful experience, I have been in contact with this lady of the website. When you read all these heartbreaking stories, it works like a wake-up call.
I went organic on my Spanish farm in 1981 and never use pesticides. It did not dawn on me I was putting toxic substances on my dear pets. It is a learning curve.
Regards, Taetske