Bark N Wag 15 Minute Vet Talk

Dr. Millie Armstrong discusses what happens if you put your dog's flea collar on your cat. Poisoning most often occurs when pet owners accidentally apply dog-specific topical flea/tick products to their cats. Those roducts that contain insecticides from the pyrethrin or pyrethroid family are the culprit (e.g, permethrin, cyphenothrin, etc.). While these insecticides are safe for dogs (and people),  they are extremely toxic to cats because our feline friends lack the metabolic pathway to quickly detoxify these chemicals. Dogs and people, on the other hand, are rarely poisoned by these chemicals. Cats can also be exposed by grooming a dog that recently had the product applied or, rarely, even licking the bedding of a dog following application. Remember, cats are not just small dogs. It’s best to think of them as an alien life form that does not obey the rules of other mammals.  The First Thing an Owner Should Do  Generally speaking, if you notice your mistake within a few minutes of application, the best option