Hartz Syndrome
Attention Hartz One-Spot or Advanced Care Anti-Flea treatment users
by Sylvan Solloway ROGERS, Ark. 

Some pet owners are uniting to take a pet product manufacturer to court, after several television stations, starting with 5News, talked to vets who say their products hurt animals and in some cases kill them.

Robin Stephens' cat Kirby is doing great now, but she looked awful just a few months ago. "I went over and she was just shaking, we called the vet and she was like, you used Hartz, and I was like yeah, we had to take her in emergency," says Stephens. "We call it the Hartz syndrome, that's our official title for it, it's a toxic reaction to a pyrethrum which is the ingredient in the product," says Veterinarian Dr. Rose of the Cat Clinic in Rogers. "No where on the label does it say it's not safe or that it might cause these types of reactions."

She's referring to Hartz One-Spot Flea Control and Hartz Advanced Care. But Hartz says its products main ingredient is a synthetic pyrethrum and it's EPA approved. Hartz Doctor Albert Ahn admits it can cause adverse effects but says they're rare. However, Rose disagrees saying she's seen at least 20 cats in her clinic alone with the symptoms, and at least three died from it. "It makes them have muscle tremors, inability to walk, seizures and occasionally death, we see it over and over it's very very common," says Rose. And Rose says that became apparent after other TV stations throughout the country found similar cases of the problem, and showed the disturbing video. "We've been causing a stink, you can't deny what a tape shows you," says Rose.

Hartz has offered to pay the vet bills for some cat owners, like Robin who owed $500 for Kirby's treatments. But before she got the check she had to sign a release saying she won't sue. "At the time I wasn't aware there was going to be a lawsuit, there's power in numbers so I wish I could be a part of that," says Stephens.