Organophosphate
poisoning
There are several chemicals on the market which pet owners use to eliminate ectoparasites (ticks, fleas, lice, etc) and which have a base ingredient of organophosphates or carbamates.
Some of the more popular ones are Sevin dust (powder), Supona, Malathion, Dichlor-vos.
All of these are potential killers. I often tell clients (and though I have not done a statistical analysis, it is probably true) that these medications probably make more animals sick and are more lethal than all of other virus diseases combined.
These chemicals are in and of themselves very dangerous. But their deadliness is increased, because of the misuse and wrong usage of these substances by caregivers. For example, many of us feel that if