TOXIC PESTICIDES STILL IN ENVIRONMENT!

Barbara J. Andrews, Publisher TheDogPlace.org

Summer time means flea treatment and lawn sprays but remember that once-common pesticides such as Dursban banned for flea spray, dips, lawn and termite treatment, because it caused brain damage, are still in the environment and are sprayed on imported products.

Chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate known as chlordane, was used in over 30 million homes as a termite treatment before it was banned for that use in 1988. Chlordane is a thick, odorless, amber liquid, in come cases more toxic to mammals than either the carbamate or organophosphate insecticides.

New pesticides flood the market every few years and many contain the same powerful toxins in  slightly modified form. The FDA and USDA may not catch banned pesticides.  If it kills grubs, bugs, fleas, and ticks, it can harm your children or pets when they play in the yard or in public dog parks and playgrounds.

You should also be aware of dangerous pesticides on imported vegetables and wash them thoroughly.

Malathion is another pesticide widely used in agriculture, residential landscaping, public recreation areas, and in public health pest control programs such as mosquito eradication. It is the most commonly used organophosphate insecticide in the U.S.

Dursban and other pesticide aliases were/are sprayed on turkeys and used as a dip for sheep. It is used in barns and storage bins, but most important to dog owners, these organophosphates have permeated ground water, wells, and many streams and lakes which feed public water supplies.

Injected into the soil under the slab or foundation of homes and other buildings, Dursban and other toxic chemical pesticides have leached into well water and water treatment facilities. Such chemicals are long-lived, persistent in the ground, (that's how it prevents termite re-infestation) and clings to plants, which means it can accumulate in certain crops.

Although sold under many trade and chemical names (permethrin) today, these pesticides are a nerve toxin! It is not a new discovery that it causes brain damage. (See Dursban Lawsuit ^[1]) EPA and other agencies have known that for years. Can this be the next example of ignoring substances like coal dust and asbestos? Has the truth about Chlorpyrifos been kept from the public until we finally assembled so much proof and so many damage cases have been won that finally, it hits mainstream media?

In addition to brain damage, Dursban and similar pesticides can cause cholinesterase impairment and liver malfunction. Symptoms are usually delayed, beginning one to four weeks after exposure. This makes it much more difficult to pin down, especially in dogs and cats with strange symptoms. Even if the vet determines there is liver damage, will he relate it to chemical poisoning? Likely not.

Be especially diligent and watch your pets after lawn or pesticide treatment, even at the golf course or on a neighbor's lawn.  It probably contains a potent chemical component which can attack your dog's nervous system just as it does the bugs.

Do not let children crawl around on treated carpets, under the house, or play in any previously termite-treated building. Diatomaceous earth works well in carpet but what works best is a strong immune system in a healthy dog!

The risk of poisoning and subsequent brain damage is not like an allergic reaction wherein some people react and others are not affected. These pesticides are strong chemical toxins and repeated or high exposure will lead to physiological damage in pets as well as people.

Among the best phone numbers to call in an emergency is 1-800-222-1222 the National Poison Control Center which will automatically connect to their free service in your state. Depending on who answers, you may get quick, basic information for animal poisoning and it is free, 24-7.

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