Bug Spray in APT Complex cause of Liver trouble?

I also posted the other thread about Dylan and have been treating him for Hepatic Lipidosis. (which it turns out it may not be after all--will know tomorrow)

After talking with several people about Dylan's condition...and remembering what one of the vets asked me last week...

"Could your cat have been poisoned? Do you have any houseplants your cat could have eaten? Are there any new cleaning products being used, or perhaps a pesticide being used in the apartment?"

At the point when the vet asked, I only told him that I have no plants, and went through the list of cleaning products that I use, and the precautions that I take to make sure they don't bother Dylan.

When I came home, however, there was a sign posted that the pest control guy was coming on Saturday. Normally I ingore these postings because he comes during the week when I am at work. But with my vets question ringing in my ears... I read the disclaimer below the notice.

It said something along the lines of: "be sure pets food & water bowls are removed from area before spraying, and do not let animals or people walk on or near area until it has completely dried as it can be hazordous to health." Or something like that.

Now here is my question...I have had my cat for 10 years...and had lived in the same place for 5 years, until 4 months ago when I moved into this new apartment complex.

Dylan started getting sick about a month ago with the following signs:
1) not pooping for over a week, then irregular bowel movements--maybe 1x a week
2) gradual decrease in appetite & water intake
(in order to get him to eat I switched him from crunchy to canned food...since he wasn't touching his usual dry food anyway--and was desperate to get food in him.)
3) lethargic and not interested in much more than sleeping


When I finally took him to the vet after that first week that I noticed something was wrong, he did the blood work and told me his liver level was 403 and told me it should be around 70 (I think) and said that he thought he had hepatic lipidosis based on this.

DO YOU ALL THINK THAT THE Bug spray that the apartment complex is using is the reason that this entire health issue could have come up in the first place? He was extremely healthy before we moved here. (and I thought because it was a "luxury building" that we were moving up to better life...with boyfriend, and kitty....and me!) and the more I think about it...this new place could be why my baby is in the Vetrinary Hospital today!

Please let me know if you have ever heard of similar things happening, and tell me everything!!

Thanks...
Susan
Dylan's Mommy

I really don't know much about bug spray, but I know that the spray that the pest control company uses that sprays our apartments is pet friendly.... they don't have any warnings on the little card they leave on the counter. I actually thought that legally they can't spray with animals in the house if the spray is harmful to them.... Sorry I guess I am not much help

I would investigate to find out what type of spray was used, then you can determine side effects.

Some places use a spray that has chrysanthemum extract in it, others use toxic chemicals. It really all depends on what they sprayed as to how damaging it can be.

I don't know how much stock I would put into the spray. Of course it's possible, but then again most of the early symptoms you describe could be linked to any sort of liver disfunction. There are a large amount of cats who have liver disfunction because of age, predisposition, or unknowns.

I believe I read somewhere in my cancer research that cats can't metabolize toxins well, therefore they are stored in major organs. The liver would be logical, you may be onto something here. I lived in an apartment once where the landlady had it sprayed and I was told to have Gus out of the house for at least 8 hours after the spraying, I took him to work with me. You have to consider all toxins though including smelly household cleaners, scented candles, paints. Even and especially Teflon! I have a parrot too and have learned so much through him about toxins in our environment.

Most pesticides use a class of poisons called "cholinesterase(sp?) inhibitors," I won't describe how they work other than to say they are neurotoxins, not blood or organ toxins. It's possible that it may be another poison or even a lingering effect from a neurotoxin. The best thing to do is call the pest control company and ask them for what toxins are in the spray they use. They are required to keep all of that information on file and it should not be a big problem for them to find it. I am sorry your kitty is not feeling well, my family lost our first kitty to some unidentified liver disease as well.

Well, the vet was able to confirm Hepatic Lipidosis and through ultrasound early phase of kidney problems.

I asked her about the bugspray, and told her what Dylan's old vet had said about him possibly being poisoned.

She gave me a list of things that would be wrong with him if the bugspray were to blame...and they were more neurologically based problems.

She told me that the liver problem was prob. caused because of the kidneys. Said he didn't go to the bathroom for awhile (several days) got constipated and tummy ache, then stopped eating, thus Hepatic Lipidosis.

Even so, I am going to contact the leasing office at my apartment complex and get more information about the bug spray. Especially now that he has a weaker immune system. I would prefer to have too much knowledge than to let anything else happen to him in the future because I was unaware.

Thanks for your responses.

Susan

I'm sorry Dylan is ill, and hope he's feeling better soon.

When you contact your apartment management about the spray, you might want to request that they not spray your apartment anymore just to be safe. The management shouldn't have any problem with that as long as they know you're keeping the place clean & bug-free on your own. If they won't go along with that, you could ask that they notify you far enough ahead of time that you can arrange to board Dylan for the day the spraying is done.

I am sorry to hear about Dylan.
In former apartments, the cats were put in carriers and we all went outside and waited for them to finish spraying, and for the spray to dry.
I also lived where this didn't have to be done. Maybe a different spray was used.