What about if my pet’s wearing a Seresto collar?
So what are the concerns with interpreting the recent news articles?
Unfortunately the authors elected NOT to seek the advice of a veterinarian or veterinary toxicologist (yes, they exist!) before publishing the article. If they had they would find that the toxicologists agree that the active ingredients in Seresto collars are safe for pets and they find no reason to expect that the synergistic effect (meaning both ingredients together are more potent than the individual ingredients) that would explain the severe adverse reactions described in the article.
The article fails to differentiate between correlation and causation. Correlation is when two things happen at the same time. Causation is when the first thing causes the second. It’s always sad when a pet passes away, oftentimes owners elect not to pursue a necropsy (which is a pet autopsy) that confirms the cause of death. When this is declined we never know the true underlying cause of death. This means that while the Seresto may have been worn when the pet died we have no way to know if it was a factor in the pet’s death, but it gets included as an “adverse event” anyway.
There have been a LOT of counterfeit collars being sold from online pharmacies (did you know that most of the big pharmacies can’t tell you where their supply came from… but your full service veterinarian can). We see a much higher rate of reactions from these fake collars than from real ones. Unfortunately the counterfeiters are so skilled at reproducing fakes that they’ll include serial numbers to try and fool the big buyers (which is how they end up being sold to owners online). It’s a sad reality that when something works well others want to get a cut of the profits, but at your (and your pets’) expense.
How do I know if my dog is allergic to Seresto collar?
Symptoms of Flea Collar Allergies in Dogs
If any other stomach issues (vomiting or diarrhea) develop, remove the collar and see if the symptoms resolve over the next few days. They may be in that small subset with a sensitivity to the medication (and it’s best to avoid other topical drops for this reason).
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The popular Seresto flea-and-tick collar should be recalled following research showing the roughly $70 device poses risks to pets and their owners, according to a new congressional report. The findings link the collar to almost 100,000 incidents and 2,500 pet deaths.
Almost 34 million of the collars have been sold to American pet owners, who have been attracted by the products pledge to ward off ticks and fleas for up to eight months, compared with other treatments that must be applied monthly. But the collar, made by Elanco Animal Health, is linked to a higher number of death and injury reports than competing products, claims the report from the Committee on Oversight and Reforms subcommittee on economic and consumer policy.
The report may prompt some pet owners to question if they want to buy or continue using the product, part of the $232 billion pet-care industry. During the pandemic, more Americans adopted pets, while spending on pet-related items have surged during the health crisis, according to Grand View Research.
The subcommittees report highlighted the number of reports of injury or death that owners linked to the collar, as well as Canadas decision to bar sales of the Seresto collar because its review of U.S. incidents and toxicology studies found it “posed too great a risk to pets and their owners to be sold in Canada.”
During a hearing before the committee on Wednesday, Elanco Animal Health CEO Jeffrey Simmons said the collar is safe and had been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, undergoing more than 80 safety, toxicity and efficacy studies.
“Adverse event reports arent proof of causation,” Simmons said in the hearing. “We havent found a single death due to the ingredients in the collar.”
In 2021, there were just over 17 incident reports for every 10,000 collars sold, with most of those issues involving irritation or redness, according to Elanco. In a statement to CBS MoneyWatch, the company said an analysis of all such reports between 2013 and 2021 shows “no established link between the active ingredients in Seresto and pet death.”
Added Elanco: “Given the robust scientific evidence for Serestos strong safety profile, we are proud to stand behind the product as an important tool to protect pets from fleas and ticks and the damaging diseases they carry.”