Pet safety and online shopping

Just had a long day trying to sort out a problem I encountered with online shopping and pet safety. I ordered some things from Pets at Home. One item, made by an American company called Petkin and called itchstick was a first time buy for me. We have a rescue cat that habitually licks its fur off down to open weeping sores. The vets have tried everything to help but haven’t managed to stop it. I ordered this stuff as it said that it controlled licking in cats and dogs.

The online info said that it was safe for puppies and kittens over 6 weeks of age but that it was for “external use only”. Now, firstly, tell me how you stop an animal from licking off an unusual substance that has been applied to its fur.

Anyway, I ordered it. When it arrived I looked for the ingredients. Main one listed is Benzocaine. I Googled that. Loads of research papers saying that Benzocaine is toxic to cats, dogs, people etc. It has a rapid and sometimes deadly effect on the blood.

So I went to Pets at Home chatline to tell them that they are selling a toxic product. Waited ten minutes, gave my details, gave my info about Benzocaine. Got cut off. Tried again and got cut off before I could even give my details.

Went to Trading Standards. They said don’t bother us, try the Citizens’ Advice Bureau. Went there. Waited 30 minutes only to be told that apart from telling me my legal rights to a refund all they could do would be to tell Trading Standards, who probably wouldn’t do anything about it.

I contacted Petkin. Only available via their USA website. They wanted to know what state I was in. Despair wasn’t an option. I said I was in UK and worried about the toxicity of Benzocaine and wondering why they were saying that it was for external use when they are selling it for dogs and cats that will lick it off. No reply so far.

 

If you go to Pets at Home website and scroll down to the bottom there is a link to their Facebook page - might be worth posting there or messaging them?

 

Ah, thanks for that. I’m afraid I’m a complete stranger to Facebook. But I shall send them an email though. (Don’t think it will do much good, but I’ll try. )

 

It seems something that maybe you should avoid using on your cat.
Out of interest I had a Google about it.

Until not long ago it was the main ingredient for a gel for teething babies - rubbed on the gums! but is no longer used for that, but seems to be widely available for pets and many human uses.

If your cat licks it off, then maybe try something else to be safe.

I know that as far as dogs are concerned that Heinz bodies (mentioned below) will form on red blood cells if the eat any form of onion. It can be fatal if they eat sufficient, but if only a little has been eaten, then then blood will fully recover over period of about 6 weeks.

 

It’s gone straight into the bin, unused.

I think it is highly irresponsible of shops to sell things to the general public that could be deadly if used without proper veterinary knowledge and training.

 

I don't know how it works in the main pet industry but in aquatics there are all kind of snake oils which don't have any regulation. It's common for these to have false claims and not even list the ingredients.

 

I’ve emailed Pets at Home (3 days’ to get a reply they say) and I’ve emailed the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, who regulate the drugs that vets at least are allowed to dole out, asking if they can help to possibly save a pet’s life.

Apropos of nothing, if anyone is in favour of assisted dying becoming legal, they can write to their MP now and ask that the MP votes in favour of Kim Leadbeater’s Bill which is having its second reading on 29th November 2024. It might be a good idea to include a personal experience of a death without the benefit of a compassionate ending to support the letter, if that is possible. My sister in law, in Queensland, died exactly a year ago of pancreatic cancer with a phone number by her bed. One phone call was all it would have taken for a professional person to come to her home and to put her out of her misery, if that is what she would have wanted. She didn’t make use of the service but was very happy to know that it was there.