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The Trust Project

Original Reporting This article contains firsthand information gathered by reporters. This includes directly interviewing sources and analyzing primary source documents.
References This article includes a list of source material, including documents and people, so you can follow the story further.
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(Provided by Gigafact.)

Yes.

Permethrin, a mosquito insecticide commonly sprayed in residential areas by Colorado cities and counties, can be toxic to pets in high concentrations.

The chemical, also found in some dog flea collars, is approved for use in products in low concentrations — often diluted to 1/100th of a pound with water or oil. Fort Collins, Loveland, Longmont and Broomfield are among the Front Range communities contracted with a mosquito management company that frequently uses a 30% permethrin mixture, applied at no more than .007 pounds per acre.

Exposure to permethrin can cause dogs and cats to act strangely, twitching their ears or rolling on the ground. 

Cats are especially sensitive to the chemical. Exposure to concentrations over 45% can affect their nervous system and lead to death. The Fort Collins city website recommends bringing pets indoors during fogging.
Cities and counties usually spray permethrin in July and August when West Nile virus levels spike. 

See full source list below.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

The Colorado Sun partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read our methodology to learn how we check claims.

References:

Synthetic Pyrethroids For Mosquito Control, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, accessed July 2025. Source link

VDCI’s Colorado Customers, VDCI Mosquito Management, accessed July 2025. Source link

Products Utilized for the Management of Mosquito Populations, VDCI Mosquito Management, accessed July 2025. Source link

Aqua-Perm X-UL 30-30, Specimen Label, accessed July 2025. Source link

Permethrin General Fact Sheet, National Pesticide Information Center, accessed July 2025. Source link

Permethrin toxicosis in cats, Australian Veterinary Journal, January 2008. Source link

West Nile Virus, City of Fort Collins, accessed July 2025. Source link

West Nile Virus and Mosquito Control Frequently Asked Questions, Colorado State University Extension, accessed July 2025. Source link

Type of Story: Fact-Check

Checks a specific statement or set of statements asserted as fact.

Tyler has spent the last three years reporting on the environment, culture and local government in Colorado. Most recently, he spent time as a staff reporter and photographer for Boulder Weekly, where he covered the rapidly growing city of Longmont and the communities that make it one of the most diverse and unique cities on the Front Range. His...