Advantix Alert!!!! -- Update on Chloe & Lexi

Update 3/15/2009 - Thank you everyone for your prayers and good wishes. After three weeks I think we are totally out of the woods. Financially, it took around 2K to get both my dogs right (read on if you want the history of this message). Chloe recovered after one week of fluids and Lexi is rebounding very well. After the swelling we changed her out to Benadryl, an ECollar, and her antibiotic to ensure no infection to the open sores. She had chewed all the hair off her paws and started on her hind quarters. She looked absolutely pathetic.

I finally took the brush to her last night and she had a lot of dried skin (like large dandruff) coming off as well as almost all of her undercoat. I had a huge pile of hair (keeping in mind this is a Golden Retriever that is low shedding). I brushed from her and all of the sores she developed in the midstream finally dried up and started coming off. The inside of her ears are all healing and we're almost completely white from drying out last week.

Sorry for all the gross details. The moral of the story: "Consider reading about other experiences with products before putting anything like this on your loved ones."

Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers. It's certainly worth knowing we can all reach out to each other and Adina is wonderful for keeping this site going for all of us to share the good and the bad.

-------------- INCIDENT INFORMATION ---------------------

Incident on 2/21/2009 - This week has been the most unbelievable week I have spent since I have owned dogs (which has been for all my life). I read several blogs about Frontline not working and decided to alternate products and purchase Advantix -- alternating between Frontline. Living in Georgia, I don't ever have problems with fleas, but after reading some of the blogs about problems, I decided that this would be a good thing to do. NOT!!!! Advantix wreaked havoc on my homelife and my budget.

Chloe, my Goldendoodle spent the entire week being fed with fluids to correct her runny/bloody stools and vomiting. After a late Saturday dose of Advantix, Monday morning she was running to the straw to poop and stopping in mid stream to vomit. She went to the vet that day and spent from Monday-Friday on fluids to correct the problem. What was the problem? The vets kept asking what was in the mix? Nothing.... Chloe is three years old and has never had runny stools except when she had her two litters (twice -- diarhea two times in three years from eating a Placenta).

On Tuesday I came home and noticed Lexi, my Golden Retriever chewing herself. I turned her over and to rub her and soothe her and saw a patch of red. Well, this got worse. Once again, the vets couldn't believe that the product was a problem and asked several questions until Friday... Lexi was seen at the vet. She was fire engine red in the ears, and all over her body. They finally decided that this might be a bad batch, or maybe a changed effort on behalf of Bayer without telling their customers.

During all of this I read several postings on the internet about the product and how some dogs almost died. Most everyone had similar stories of Chloe, some had the same as Lexi. Unrealistically, it's hard to believe that some dogs have one and the other have the other symptoms. Not fair dog lovers! I'm in to it for $1500 and it's not over. Lexi was at the emergency vet today and she looked like a Shar Pei. She has a slim face and had wrinkles on her forehead and swollen eyes. She was absolutely miserable. This is one week and one day later and I'm still battling.

The good part, Chloe is recovering. She is still on meds but picks up the ball and is eating chicken and rice with a little dog food. Lexi, my Golden Retriever on the other hand, is not out of the woods.

If you use Advantix, reconsider if you have just purchased a new batch. Is it a new blend? Don't take the chances. Is it Bayer finally taking the opportunity to make good to their customers by changing the blend and not telling anyone because they read all the blogs? We called 4 times now, no admittance to any problems. The vet has called, no admittance to anything. Please note, the EPA is aware of the problem because we reported it. Bayer is aware because we reported it. No excuse Bayer. Own up! Stand up dog lovers! If you have a problem and they don't own up, let them know you have a great rapport with friends from Doodlekisses and that we all love our dogs. I have more things to do then spend one hour writing a message about the problems they are introducing to our loved ones if they think these messages are all crap. I need to be in there making sure my dog doesn't chew her paws raw and to be sure she understands that I'm here for her if she needs me.

If you are concerned about a lot number it is as follows: KP059V(U)L & KP057DB

If you want pictures I have them.

The Problem