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Pentagon: Don't Send Flea Collars!
By John Bacon with staff and wire reports
From USA Today,
04/24/03
The Pentagon is
warning family members not to send U.S. troops in the Persian Gulf flea
and tick collar designed for pets. They don't get rid of sand
fleas, and they can cause dangerous pesticides to be absorbed through
the skin, said Army Maj. Dwight Rickard, contingency officer for the
Armed Forces Pest Management Board. Some soldiers have been asking
family members to send them animal collars to wear over their boots, a
common practice during the Persian Gulf War of 1991. Despite
previous warnings, some support groups still include the collars in care
packages with lip balm, sunscreen and other items.
© Copyright
2003 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.
NPA Comment:
The main ingredient in
most flea collars is permethrin. Permethrin is also the active
ingredient in the majority of lice shampoos. The Pentagon recognizes
that exposure to this chemical can be hazardous!
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