i put a flea collar on my cat and now he has sores all over his back?

Question

it was a hartz flea collar. he was acting hyper and thats not normal for him. i was trying to calm him down and noticed a rough spot which turned out to be a sore. so i looked closer and he has them all over . he has had the collar on for 2 days. i took it off of him, i am gonna take him to the vet on monday. can he wait that long? has anyone had an experiance like this b4? hes not like puking or seizers or anything like that .

Answer 1

I would not use Hartz/regular store shelf products for flea control. Way too many dogs/cats have problems with them. Use a vet prescribed program for flea control on your pets. Long as you removed the collar, that will help. If he will allow it, try triaging the sores with a bit of water, if nothing else. It will help to rinse off any possible chemical residue still causing irritation. Good job on taking him to the vet/Monday should be fine long as he's not experiencing any other symptoms from the toxins in the collar.

Answer 2

Yes, I have had several cats that could not tolerate flea collars. One got sores, another just lost the hair there. It seems common for some breed (the 2 it happened to with me are Abysinian and Burmese) but it can happen to anyone. It is just a skin reaction to the chemical in the collar - though the balding can also happen with a plain leather collar.

It is nothing to worry about, really - I never took mine to the vet for this. The hair will grow back quickly. You might want to take a wet cloth and try to wipe off any excess chemical that might still be on his fur and then let him be. I would tell you not to scratch it or pick the scabs - but he sure will if it is itchy, and after having a collar on for any length of time, cats love to have that area scratched.

Peace!

Answer 3

I have had this problem in the past. When my cat Luke was a kitten I stuck a flea collar on him and his neck broke out in blisters. He was allergic to flea collers or any type of flea control so I had to resort to killing the fleas off of him myself.
Hartz is a good company aside from the problems they always seem to have with flea control for Cats. Several times their Cat flea control has always been recalled so I myself will never ever use it again.
I have never had any problems with the Dog flea control however.
Anyhow... You should still take him to the Vet just to be safe. The Vet can help him and ask the vet about a flea control that is safe like frontline.

Try looking at http://www.fda.gov/ every once in awhile since they list recalls.

Answer 4

It's a good thing you did take that collar off of him. Every cat I've ever had that I tried to put a flea collar on developed allergic reactions.

You may want to save the collar to show to the vet. Your cat might be all right until Monday, but keep an eye on him.

Good luck!

Answer 5

Most definitely, keep it off of him. Unfortunately, there have been many animals that have been poisoned from using Hartz products. Your vet should be able to prescribe a topical anti-biotic for the hot spots, but as for the fleas, use Advantage. It is the best product on the market, and will de-flea your home, as well. (If seeing fleas right now, re-treat cat every three weeks. As a preventative, use monthly.)

If your cat is an outside cat at all, you could also opt for Frontline, which also protects them from ticks.

Answer 6

With most flea collars and those advantage flea drops the fleas don't die until about 10 to 12 hours after they get on the animal,that gives them all that time to bite your pet.Almost seems worthless to even use the flea collar huh?Some dogs and cats are alergic to the flea bites.that's what causes the sores
I put a flea collar on my dog and for 2 weeks he just laid around .didn't want to eat or play.I won't put another one on him ever and those advantage drops made him act differently too.Read the labels and if it says it's safe for your pet,But in the instructions it cautions you to use rubber cloves when administering to the pet.Don't use it!.. That stuff is way too strong especially for cats or small dogs. I bought Sergent's flea soap it is in bar form.It kills fleas on contact and keeps them off.I bathe my dog 2 to 3 times per week.Also Sergent's has a flea powder.I don't put that on my dog because it dries his skin and causes him to itch.I sprinkle it in his bedding and after about 20 minutes I vacume it then throw the bedding in the dryer for 15 minutes on high heat.when I am going to be outside with the dog I sprinkle the powder all over the carpets and let it set for 15 to 20 minutes then vacume.To really have any control over the fleas you need to bathe the animal,do the bedding and carpets all the same day,other wise they fleas just go back and forth and all your work was for nothing! And if you keep a pretty close schedule in doing those things you will flea free but you have to stay on top of it!

Answer 7

Is he used to wearing a collar, flea or regular i mean? Maybe he wasn't used to the collar...but if you're seeing sores on his body, I'd immediately discontinue use and it's good you are taking him to see a vet for a professional opinion. In the meantime, I'd watch him closely and write down any observations as they happen so as to accurately describe them when you speak with the vet....I hope everything turns out alright. But if you're truly worried your cat won't make it to the vet visit on monday, I would call up your vet and ask that question to him/her. It never hurts to ask.

Answer 8

Its obviously an allergic reaction. Is it Hartz brand? They sell this brand at Wal-Mart, its popular because its cheap and easy to obtain, but it has caused problems in MANY animals I know. One cat I know had multiple seizures and hasn't been the same since. Regardless of brand, if the sores change in number or size take him to the vet ASAP. If they stay the same and he doesnt appear to be in too much pain, you could probably go to PetSmart or PETCO and find something topical to put on the sores to hold him over until the vet appointment.

Answer 9

I would at least call the after hours line and see if you can talk to a real person. Watch him closely and make sure he is eating and drinking. If not, you need to go in right away. Those collars never work anyway. There are many better options when he is well. Ask your vet.

Answer 10

Allergic reactions to flea collars is very rare, but that is not to say that isn't what is happening. Go to the vet, asap. If it isn't an allergic reaction, it could be a reaction from flea and tick bites.

Good luck and best wishes.