Permethrin

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Regarding the inadvertent presence of permethrin in a brand of cat flea control products, it’s worth reviewing the situation for rabbits.

This chemical is very toxic in cats and much less so in rabbits, but given the unknown nature of the situation, in particular how much is present in the product, we would strongly advise against using this product on rabbits and to return it immediately. Even if using “safe” doses, care must be taken to avoid rabbits grooming each other and potentially overdosing themselves.

As a general rule, it’s important to only use flea control products designed for and licensed for rabbits unless given under the direction of your veterinary surgeon, who, based on their clinical judgement, may use other drugs that have been published as being safely used in rabbits. In particular, products containing the drug Fipronil are contra-indicated in rabbits.