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Sentry Pro Flea and Tick Shampoo

Species: Dog
Breed: Border Collie/Chow C
Age: 11-15 years
Hi Dr. Marie,

Last night around 8 pm I gave my dog a bath with Sentry Pro flea and tick shampoo. Afterwards, I noticed he was licking his arms and legs heavily, and his eyes started tearing up and watering. I was worried there was chemical still left on his fur. It had gotten too cold outside to hose him off again, and my landlord won't allow me to use the indoor bathtub for him, so I wiped the fur off with a wet washcloth the best I could. He continued to lick, so, since I still had a plastic cone from the last time I had surgery, I put it on him so he couldn't lick until his fur dried.

This morning, I heated up water in a plastic bin and stood him in it to see if I could rinse him off more - it wasn't high enough to reach his underside, but I was able to rinse his legs. Afterwards he was licking his legs again.

Should I be concerned about poisoning and take him to the vet when I get home from work? He seemed completely fine when we got up in the morning, but I am worried.

Also - I'm worried that the water I used was too hot. I had to fill the plastic bin and rinse my dog off quickly before the landlord came in case he would have a problem with that. My dog was in the water for about 2 minutes before I realized it was too hot - so hot that I couldn't keep my hand in it for more than 10 seconds or so. When I realized that I put a lot more cold water in, and he seemed totally fine when I took him out. But I'm worried I might have burned his legs or it might have caused him some other problem.

Related Article: How to get rid of fleas!



Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for your question.

I looked up Sentry Pro flea and tick shampoo to get the ingredients. It contains primarily pyrethrins and permethrins. These products are usually safe for dogs even if some gets ingested. (They're definitely not safe for cats).

They can cause some salivating. The runny eyes were probably because of exposure to the chemicals, but this doesn't sound like a toxic reaction.

Signs of serious problems with pyrethrins include:
  • Extreme salivating

  • Tremors

  • Seizures

  • Vomiting

  • Diarrhea



It sounds like you did the right thing by trying to bathe Shadow to wash off some of the chemical to help him feel a little better. If he seemed perfectly fine this morning then it is very unlikely that he has a problem.

It's extremely unlikely that you did damage to him by using hot water. He definitely would have let you know if it was hot enough to burn him. Keep an eye on his skin but I think he will be fine.

Just as a side note, I find that pet store products simply do not work for fleas. I usually recommend a product like Frontline, Advantage, or Revolution.

It sounds like everything will be ok, but let me know if you have more questions!

Dr. Marie.


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.