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The VIN News Service broke this story, following clinical observations from VIN member veterinarians, who were trying to sort out what was causing some rather alarming symptoms in pets. VIN’s Edie Lau reports:

The spreading popularity of topical hormone treatments in people — especially but not exclusively menopausal women —  is having unintended medical consequences for the users’ pets.

Spayed dogs and young female puppies are showing up in veterinary exam rooms with markedly swollen vulvas as if they are in heat. Male dogs present with enlarged mammary glands and abnormally small penises. Animals of both genders experience fur loss.

The phenomenon frequently stumps veterinary practitioners; sometimes patients go undiagnosed for weeks or months because clinicians don’t recognize the connection. Medical doctors in the human realm likewise are unfamiliar with the situation, a Veterinary Information Network (VIN) News Service inquiry found.

The problem appears to stem from the use by pet owners of hormone replacement treatments in the form of lotions, gels or sprays that are applied to the arms — especially inner elbows and wrists — or legs. The users then handle and snuggle their animals, unwittingly transferring the drug to the pets.

Here’s the rest of the article. We shared the VIN News story here on the blog, and on FB and Twitter as well. And I was pretty surprised that it seemed to go unnoticed after that. Or at least, it seemed to.

Apparently the FDA was paying attention, because today they issued a warning on the use of transdermal hormone treatments around pets and children:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reviewing reports of adverse effects from Evamist in children who may have been unintentionally exposed to the drug through skin contact with women using this product. FDA has also received reports of inadvertent exposure in pets.

Evamist contains estradiol, an estrogen hormone. It is used in women to reduce hot flashes during menopause. Evamist is a topical product, sprayed on the skin on the inside of the forearm between the elbow and the wrist.

Patients should make sure that children are not exposed to Evamist and that children do not come into contact with any skin area where the drug was applied. Women who cannot avoid contact with children should wear a garment with long sleeves to cover the application site.

Children unintentionally exposed to Evamist may experience premature puberty. Female children may experience nipple swelling and breast development. Male children may experience breast enlargement.

Pets exposed to Evamist may exhibit signs such as mammary/nipple enlargement and vulvar swelling.

Here’s the rest from the FDA. I hope this story gets some traction now. It needs to get out there to everyone who is using these products.

Big tip of the hat to the team at VIN News, and a credit to them for the image as well.