Flea treatment Trifexis linked to numerous dog illnesses, deaths
It took its sweet time getting here, but it looks like the nice spring weather is finally arriving.
And if you own a dog, that means one thing: At your next vet appointment, you can expect to get an earful about how important it is to start your pooch on flea and tick meds.
But before you let Fido pop that first pill, there’s an urgent warning you need to hear.
Because one of the top-selling flea drugs on the market today has been linked to everything from organ failure to deaths.
And the damage can start with the very first dose.
Trifexis is a monthly chewable tablet that’s supposed to protect our dogs from everything from fleas to heartworm.
Its website even invites us to “celebrate the bond” with our pooches.
But lots of pet parents learned the hard way how fragile that bond can be after they gave their dogs Trifexis.
Over the past couple of years alone, reports have poured in from all over the country of dogs collapsing and dying or going into organ failure and having to be euthanized after being given this drug.
It took just one dose of Trifexis for Fergus, a Scottish terrier, to lose all muscle control and go into liver failure.
“The initial reaction from taking that one pill was horrible,” Fergus’s owner recalled.
The FDA has received more than 1,000 reports of dogs that died or had to be put down after taking Trifexis. Even the drug’s manufacturer, Elanco, admits it has received over 1,500 calls about dogs, just like Fergus, who also lost muscle control after taking Trifexis — a condition called “ataxia.”
Ataxia has even been added to the Trifexia label as a possible side effect — along with seizures.
Now you’d think all these pet deaths would be enough for our government to put Trifiexis in the dog house – and pull it off the market – for good.
One vet even said a couple years back that there was no way the FDA would “allow a product… that is going to continue to hurt animals.”
Yeah, well, good luck with that. Trifexis is still sold everywhere, and lots of vets are still recommending it right now.
We all know what a nuisance fleas can be. But I’m not about to let my border collie, Django, anywhere near Trifexis – and I’m guessing you feel the same way about your dog.
Fortunately, there are plenty of natural – and completely safe – ways to keep your pooch flea-free, such as:
- Regular citrus rubs: Fleas are repelled by citrus, so squeeze a lemon or orange and lightly rub it into your dog’s fur.
- Frequent baths: Fleas are actually washed away pretty easily by water. So giving your pup regular baths with a light shampoo can work wonders.
- Combing for trouble: Buy a good flea comb and make sure you’re performing regular checks. That will help you spot flea problems before they get out of hand.
Sources:
“More owners, vets claim dog deaths may be linked to Trifexis drug” Jim Strickland, July 31, 2014, WSB-TV, ajc.com
