Petshield KI
It is formulation of Potassium Iodide(KI) and pure beef liver powder that delivers a carefully metered dose of Potassium Iodide to protect your pet from harmful radiation in the event of a nuclear accident or other event.
Buy Now
| Title | SKU | Sell price | S&H | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PETSHIELD – KI 60GM | PETSHIELD60GM | $19.95 | 4.95 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to frequently asked questions about Merit Pet Products.
One of the most feared consequences of a nuclear reactor accident or nuclear bomb is the release of a radioactive iodine plume into the environment.
Radioactive Iodine (I-131) is a by-product of nuclear fission which occurs only within a nuclear reactor or during detonation of a nuclear bomb. What makes radioactive iodine so dangerous is that the body cannot distinguish it from ordinary iodine. As a result, if swallowed (in contaminated food or water), or inhaled (it can remain in the atmosphere for days), it will be absorbed into the thyroid gland (only the thyroid absorbs iodine) and may lead to thyroid cancer, especially in the young patients. The value of Potassium Iodide (KI) was demonstrated following the Chernobyl nuclear accident, where authorities began mass distribution of Potassium Iodide just hours after the explosion. In the years following the accident in areas where it was received, the incidence of thyroid cancer has not increased. But where Potassium Iodide was not distributed, previously rare forms of juvenile thyroid cancer have begun appearing at epidemic rates, with over 11,000 known cases. This number continues to rise and is not expected to peak after 2010.
Potassium Iodide (chemical abbreviation is KI) is used by health officials worldwide to prevent thyroid cancer in people and animals exposed to radioactive iodides caused by nuclear reactor accidents and nuclear bombs. It protects against radioactive iodine by preventing its absorption by the thyroid gland located in the neck. Thyroid cells are unique among all cells of the human body as they are the only cells which have the ability to absorb Iodine. The thyroid gland absorbs it from the bloodstream and concentrates it inside the cell to produce hormones. For radiation that is not immediately lethal, the thyroid is your body's most sensitive organ to the effects of radiation. The Radioactive Iodine is absorbed by the thyroid and can cause thyroid disease and cancer later on. Sometimes it only takes a short time if the victim is a young because a youngster’s thyroid is very active in helping with growth. PETSHIELD – KI floods the thyroid with stable iodine, shutting off its absorption mechanism, and it will remain off long enough for the radioactive iodine that your pet inhaled or ingested to be safely disbursed through the kidneys.
By using radiation detectors, emergency officials, such as FEMA, monitor the environment for detectable levels of radiation. News organizations will broadcast alerts and information on nuclear accidents and radioactive plumes that may be drifting through the atmosphere. It is important to be prepared BEFORE such an event impacts your area.
Because of the inherent safety of Potassium Iodide, it is available without a prescription for radiation protection. Its use, however, should be limited to radiation emergencies and only when recommended by emergency response authorities. PETSHIELD – KI is a dietary supplement that will provide the recommended amount of Potassium Iodide to protect your pet in the event of a radiation event.
We recommended one 60gm Bottle of PETSHIELD - KI per pet for storing at home. That will provide about a 24 day supply for pets up to 60 pounds.
Yes !! PETSHIELD – KI has a strong beef liver flavor that your pet will like. Just sprinkle on their food once a day in the recommended amount.
How much PETSHIELD – KI should I give my pet?
From PETSHIELD - KI Consumer Insert
One dose every 24 hours. Take one dose of PETSHIELD – KI as soon as possible and then every 24 hours at the same time each day. Administer potassium iodide when exposed to radioactivity or when exposure is probable as notified by state or local public health officials.
One dose every 24 hours at the same time of day.
Dosage is based on the weight of your pet.
Pets weighing less than 9 pounds --- 1/8 teaspoon/day
Pets weighing more than 9 pounds and less than 25 pounds -- ¼ teaspoon/day
Pets weighing more than 25 pounds and less than 60 pounds -- ½ teaspoon/day
Pets weighing more than 60 pounds --- 1 level teaspoon/day
For optimal protection against inhaled radioiodines, PETSHIELD – KI should be administered before the passage of the radioactive iodine plume, though Potassium Iodide may still have a substantial protective effect even if taken 3 or 4 hours after exposure. Give one dose as soon as possible and then every 24 hours at the same time each day. Give PETSHIELD – KI only when exposed to radioactive iodine as notified by state or local public health officials. Furthermore, if the release of radioiodines into the atmosphere is protracted, then, of course, even delayed administration may reap benefits by reducing, if incompletely, the total radiation dose to the thyroid. As time is of the essence in optimal prophylaxis with Potassium Iodide, timely administration is a critical consideration in planning the emergency response to a radiation accident and requires a ready supply of Potassium Iodide. Potassium Iodide has no impact on the uptake by the body of other radioactive materials and provides no protection against external irradiation of any kind. FDA emphasizes that the use of Potassium Iodide should be as an adjunct to evacuation (itself not always feasible), sheltering, and control of food stuffs.
Potassium iodide is extremely safe in the dosage provided by PETSHIELD – KI . Because it is widely used in other treatments, Potassium Iodide’s effects are well known. Calculations by the National Council on Radiation Protection suggest that the incidence of adverse reactions to Potassium Iodide can be as low as 1 in 10 million, and often no more than a mild skin rash. In the 1930s the government required salt manufacturers to add Potassium Iodide to its table salt (like Morton salt) because people in the great lakes region had iodine-deficient diets and had a high rate of goiters and other thyroid problems. Potassium Iodide is also added to children's Flintstone vitamins because it is an essential mineral. It has also been used as a children's expectorant for years.
Note: Iodine is found in table salt, fish oil, kelp, daily vitamins, etc.
From the FDA - "Short-term administration of KI (Potassium Iodide) at thyroid blocking doses is safe and, in general, more so in younger patients. The risks of stable iodine administration include sialadenitis (an inflammation of the salivary gland, of which no cases were reported in Poland among users after the Chernobyl accident), gastrointestinal disturbances, allergic reactions and minor rashes. In addition, persons and animals with known iodine sensitivity should avoid KI, as should individuals with dermatitis herpetiformis and hypocomplementemic vasculitis, extremely rare conditions associated with an increased risk of iodine hypersensitivity. Owners of companion animals should check with their Veterinarians that their pets are not sensitive to Iodine. There is no question that the benefits of KI treatment to reduce the risk of thyroid cancer outweigh the risks of such treatment.
5 year shelf-life from date of manufacture of PETSHIELD - KI.
Many authorities on radiation exposure and thyroid cancer have made statements about the benefits of Potassium Iodide(as provided by PETSHIELD – KI) following a nuclear accident.
Dept of Homeland Security - Ready.gov
"Consider keeping potassium iodide in your emergency kit, learn what the appropriate doses are for each of your family members and pets".
FEMA - Nuclear Power Plant Preparedness Document
"The thyroid gland is vulnerable to the uptake of radioactive iodine. If a radiological release occurs at a nuclear power plant, States may decide to provide the public with a stable iodine, potassium iodide, which saturates the thyroid and protects it from the uptake of radioactive iodine. Such a protective action is at the option of State, and in some cases, local government".
FDA - Radiation Emergencies
In December 2001, the Food and Drug Administration released their final guidance on Potassium Iodide as a Thyroid Blocking Agent in Radiation Emergencies. Quote - "FDA maintains that KI is a safe and effective means by which to prevent radioiodine uptake by the thyroid gland, under certain specified conditions of use, and thereby obviate the risk of thyroid cancer in the event of a radiation emergency". FDA December 2001
World Health Organization Prophylaxis Following Nuclear Accidents
In 1999 the World Health Organization (WHO) updated their Guidelines for Iodine Prophylaxis Following Nuclear Accidents. Quote - "Stable iodine administered before, or promptly after, intake of raddioactive iodine can block or reduce the accumulation of radioactive iodine in the thyroid glands of humans and animals. Intake of radioactive iodine by inhalation begins when the radioactive cloud arrives at a location and continues during the passage of the cloud. Action to implement stable iodine prophylaxis, and thereby reduce the dose to the thyroid, will be required promptly". WHO 1999
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
"The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its emergency planning regulations governing the domestic licensing of production and utilization facilities. The final rule requires that consideration be given to including potassium iodide (KI) as a protective measure for the general public that would supplement sheltering and evacuation. KI would help prevent thyroid cancers in the unlikely event of a major release of radioactivity from a nuclear power plant". - NRC January 2001
"At last count, some 1,800 children in the former Soviet Union have developed thyroid cancer as a result of the [Chernobyl] accident. Almost all were very young-in the womb or under 2 years old-at the time of exposure. In adults, thyroid cancer is usually slow-growing, but in the Chernobyl children, it has proved to be aggressive. In more than two-thirds of cases, the malignancy has spread beyond the thyroid by the time of surgery. The disease has a long latency period, so thousands more cases are expected in coming decades". - in a letter from Peter G. Crane, former attorney for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
The American Thyroid Association - Radiation Emergencies
In November 2001, The American Thyroid Association endorsed the usage of Potassium Iodide for Radiation Emergencies. "The American Thyroid Association endorses the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission's December 2000 action requiring states and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to look into having potassium iodide (KI) stockpiled and available for populations at risk for exposure to radioactive iodine from a nuclear emergency." - ATA November 30, 2001
National Academy of Sciences - KI Distribution
"A radius of 20 miles [KI distribution around nuclear plants] is required by the Bioterrorism Act of 2002 (P.L.107-188) but this is much too restricted in light of the Chernobyl experience". - In response to the National Academy of Sciences Study of Strategies for KI Distribution and Administration.
"...both an expert committee of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Thyroid Association endorse the use of KI and have confidence in its safety..." - Letter from ATA President to Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C.
"The seminal event that opened the world’s eyes to the importance of KI distribution was the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident, releasing a fallout cloud that spread radioactive iodine and other radionuclides throughout eastern and central Europe. Starting a few years later, infants, children, farm animals and pets who had been exposed to the fallout were diagnosed with an unusual and aggressive form of thyroid cancer, except in Poland where the government had distributed KI pills". From an ATA news summary titled, Experts Discuss Potassium Iodide Distribution in Case of Nuclear Incident (PDF document)
Public Citizen - NRC's Failure to Stockpile Potassium Iodide
Public Citizen is a national, nonprofit consumer advocacy organization founded in 1971 to represent consumer interests in congress, the executive branch and the courts. Their website covers are aspects of consumer protection including their statement on The NRC's Failure to Stockpile Potassium Iodide & Protect the Public Health and Safety. "For over 25 years, the use of blocking agents such as potassium iodide to prevent the accumulation of radioiodine in the thyroid gland has been known. The effectiveness of potassium iodide administration for thyroid gland protection in the event of releases of radioiodine was recognized by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurement in 1977. The Food and Drug Administration authorized use of potassium iodide as a thyroid-blocking agent for the general public in December 1978." - Public Citizen 2001
Union of Concerned Scientists - Precaution for Nuclear Accident
The Union of Concerned Scientists is a nonprofit partnership of scientists and citizens combining rigorous scientific analysis, innovative policy development and effective citizen advocacy to achieve practical environmental solutions. Read their release entitled, "Precaution for Nuclear Accident a Stitch in Time That Saves Way More Than Nine". Quote - "A January decision is expected by the Commissioner of Public Health for the State of Massachusetts on whether to recommend that potassium iodide be stockpiled to protect public health in event of an accident at a nuclear facility. The Union of Concerned Scientists joins many others from the environmental and medical communities in urging the Commissioner, Dr. Howard Koh, to recommend this crucial precaution." - Union of Concerned Scientists December 22, 1999