The first of every month, my dogs get their heartworm preventive medication along with flea and tick treatment. The cats also get their monthly treatments. The other day I lined up the dog’s ParaStar Plus. I like that product. It is made in America, has the same ingredient as Frontline, plus an added ingredient that provides a faster kill. It is labeled for dogs only because of the second ingredient. One of the reasons I chose this product is for safety. While the second ingredient is effective, it is a low percentage and therefore low toxic potential compared to many other products. I also got ready to treat the cats with EasySpot, also made in America, safe and made with the primary ingredient in Frontline.

So, as many pet owners do, I got a bit distracted and decided to start on the cats first. I picked up a tube and picked up Buttons, my sweet calico RagaMuffin that was sitting nearby. I applied the liquid in the tube to the back of Buttons neck. I realized immediately due to that larger volume of liquid that I had made an error and applied the dog product! I was horrified, running to the sink with Buttons and immediately putting her under running water and soaping the area up. I scrubbed the area several times, rinsing thoroughly. I could still feel a residue. The veterinarian in me knew the product and knew the treatment I had done was adequate. The pet owner in me was not sure. So, I called Pet Poison Hotline.

For $49, I got a veterinarian that was trained in toxicology on the phone. I was asked about Buttons’ species, sex, breed and weight. I described the mistake I made and what my treatment had been to that point. After a brief pause, I was told that Buttons would be fine. The doctor added that I could bathe her all over as an added precaution and to watch her for the next three hours. Having someone reassure me that my kitty was going to be fine was what I wanted to hear. Buttons went back to the sink for a complete bath.

The next day, Buttons looked wonderfully clean. I vowed to NEVER treat both species at the same time again.