Warning: Undefined variable $href_target in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/phpGiggle/phpgiggle-config.inc.php on line 44 Pyrethrin toxicity - used dog flea product on cat. | Ask A Vet
I accidentally treated my kitten with a store bought flea treatment meant for dogs and she began have serious muscle tremors. I immediately washed her with Dawn dish soap and rushed her to our vet. He was incredibly useless and offered little information.
As the night progressed, Abby's shaking subsided and she went from listless to alert within an hour of washing the medicine off. Today, 24 hours later, I notice Abby is still suffering from muscle spasms. We spent much of the night awake as she wanted to eat, drink and use the litter box, but seems to have difficulty with said tasks.
I had to hold her and pet her while she used her box and she has been able to drink, but seems to have difficulty eating as much as she would like, no more than a few pieces at a time. Abby seems to be having this bizarre twitches, I'm assuming neurological effects from the mistreatment. If we are petting her, she doesn't seem to get these triggers. When we aren't petting her, or if we stop, she has a twitch every 15-30 seconds. She will twitch her leg, lick herself, bite herself, etc. Each twitch lasts for about 10 seconds max. I am wondering if these symptoms will subside as the toxic chemicals clear out of her system, or will she have permanent neurological damage?
I don't want her to suffer, but I don't want to rush to have her put to sleep because she presently seems uncomfortable. She is still alert, able to purr, move about, etc.
I apologize this is so lengthy, but please, please, please help!!
Warning: Undefined variable $related_questions in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75
Deprecated: strlen(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75
Warning: Undefined variable $related_articles in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75
Deprecated: strlen(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75
Dr. Marie replied:
Oh I am so sorry to hear that this happened. I get very very frustrated that they are allowed to sell these types of flea products. Many over the counter flea products made for dogs are extremely toxic to cats as you have found out. Also, they do not work very well at all, even on dogs.
The good news is that once a cat gets to this stage that you are seeing, she will eventually just keep improving. If a cat is actively seizuring repeatedly then this can be fatal. But at this point when you are just seeing the occasional tremor and twitch. The bad news is that there is not a whole lot you can do to stop the seizures and tremors. A vet can administer an IV medication called methocarbomol to help with pyrethrin toxicity. However most vets don't have this on hand. You may find that an emergency clinic near you has the product. You can ask your vet whether administering methocarbomol is a good idea.
These small twitches and tremors can last up to a week unfortunately. There is likely to be no long term damage as long as she is not seizuring.
I'm assuming you have already bathed her as well? I usually recommend a bath with diluted dawn dishsoap. This will help to remove any residue from the pyrethrins on her.
I hope things improve soon!
Dr. Marie.
Warning: Undefined variable $displayed in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/answer_np.php on line 253
Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?
Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.
Customer reply:
Yes, I bathed Abby, immediately upon noticing her convulsions, in baby soap and then followed that up with Dawn soap.
She is doing soooo much better now! I just came home from work and she's almost completely back to normal. I really appreciate you responding to my question so promptly. It gave me great peace of mind while I waited for improvement.
Thank you again!
Search for similar questions:
Popular questions...
Hyperthyroidism and stress. My cat Harry, who is approximately 12 years old, was just diagnosed with... (12353 views)
Vomiting Dog. I contacted you about Little White Dog on April 24. She had had an exploratory to... (22133 views)
Tapeworms in kittens. Hey there,
I spoke with you a few days ago about my kittens that have worms. The... (15712 views)
Repeated diarrhea and vomiting. Dr. Marie: Thank you for your input and warning -- this will be a bit lengthy. I... (14176 views)
Disc problems. Hello,
Two weeks ago my 9 year old Black Lab start to have problems with his hind... (14079 views)
Not eating and vomiting. Our Dog won't eat and drinks very little if any.
Friday last weekend Harper's... (22659 views)
Is this mammary tumor cancerous? We have an 8 yr old shih Tzu, female spayed before first heat and we noticed a lump... (6992 views)
Dog has teeth stuck in her cheek. i noticed my dogs mouth was bleeding a little bit while we were playing so i opened... (15152 views)
Dog looks depressed. Hello, Dr.
My dog is pretty active but he usually looks "depressed" out of the... (11578 views)
Crusty sores on cat. I noticed Robin had a sore that seemed infected under the right side of his chin. I... (36971 views)
Veterinarian, Dr. Marie created this site to be able to provide quick, accurate veterinary advice online. She would love to help with your pet's problem!
Dr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.
Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.