Fleas are a constant problem when you have a dog. They go together and it can’t be helped. When your dog goes outside, the fleas hop on. For this reason, many people buy flea collars for their dogs to wear. They can be quite effective at killing and repelling fleas. However, flea collars can be dangerous for dogs.
Symptoms of a chunk of a collar being stuck in a dog’s intestine
Conclusion We strongly agree that pet owners should be aware of potential side effects Seresto collars or any other types of products can cause in both animals and humans, but we think the recent media reports have misrepresented the true risk of harm and discounted or disregarded the benefits and valuable protections these collars provide to tens of millions of pets and their owners who can be infected. In its totality, we think the science continues to support the safe and effective use of Seresto collars to prevent flea and tick-borne illness in pets and their human families.
Pet Poison Helpline Case Data Since 2013, Pet Poison Helpline has managed approximately 400 cases involving Seresto, the majority of which involved dogs ingesting all or a portion of the collar. Ingesting the product is far more dangerous to a pet than simply wearing one because the pesticides are not usually absorbed across the skin, but they can be directly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, any case of collar ingestion is potentially concerning. Of our more than 400 cases, more than a third of exposed dogs/cats remained asymptomatic and, for those that did develop clinical signs, the majority were mild and self-limiting. Vomiting was the most common sign, experienced by approximately 50 percent of patients. This is unsurprising as vomiting may be caused by both pyrethroids (one of Serestos active ingredients) and ingestion of foreign material (i.e., collar). Other signs included diarrhea and a decreased appetite in nearly 6 percent of patients. Lethargy was reported in approximately 13 percent of patients and often occurs concurrently with vomiting, diarrhea and anorexia. Ataxia was observed in about 3 percent of cases with panting and agitation noted in 1-2 percent. All other reported signs occurred in less than 1 percent of animals. The most notable finding in our data is the distinct lack of severe neurological signs such as tremors, severe ataxia, and seizures—signs that are consistent with pyrethroid poisoning. Despite entire collars being chewed and swallowed, there were no reports of death.
MINNEAPOLIS, May 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — SummaryPet Poison Helpline, a recognized national leader in animal toxicology and pet health, has thoroughly reviewed both the scientific literature on Seresto flea and tick collars and our own animal poison control case data. As with any medication for you or your pet, it is important to compare the potential risks of a treatment with the proven benefits. In the medical opinion of our boarded veterinary toxicology experts these collars are a safe and important treatment for the vast majority of cats and dogs. The health protections these collars provide far outweigh the extremely rare risk of a serious adverse event. People who avoid using these products out of concern for a negative reaction may be putting their pets at greater risk of harm by leaving them susceptible to diseases caused by fleas and ticks such as Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. These diseases pose a far greater health risk to a pet than Seresto collars. To help veterinary professionals and pet owners better understand the risks and benefits of Seresto, we have summarized our findings below.
As the nations leading animal toxicology experts, we consider ourselves the eyes and ears of the nation when it comes to pet safety. Typically, when products cause severe injury to pets, our center would quickly become aware as veterinary professionals would be calling us for treatment advice. The fact that nearly 40 percent of pets that ingested the collars remained asymptomatic, and when clinical signs occurred most were minor and self-limiting, provides strong evidence to support the safety profile of Seresto.
Explanation of Data Reported to EPA Many of the news stories about the potential safety concerns with Seresto are based on one article issued by a non-medical news organization that tallied raw numbers of adverse event data previously submitted to the EPA by Serestos manufacturer. It is important to understand that any time a pet owner or veterinary professional contacts a company to report an adverse effect involving an EPA (or FDA) regulated product, the company is legally required to report the allegation to regulators, regardless of whether that adverse event has been substantiated by a medical professional or was truly caused by the product. The good news is that this makes for an extremely sensitive post-market surveillance system. The challenge with such systems is that there are a lot of reported incidents that ultimately have nothing to do with the product. For example, if a pet owner placed a flea and tick collar on their dog and two days later, he stopped eating, started vomiting, and was straining to defecate, the pet owner might call the manufacturer to ask if the collar could be the cause of their dogs signs since this was the only change in their pets environment. Although these signs would not be expected from wearing a flea/tick collar, the manufacturer must still document this information as an adverse event and report it to EPA. If a veterinarian later determined that the collar was not the cause of the dogs signs and instead diagnosed him with a bowel obstruction caused by eating part of a tennis ball, the collar manufacturer must still report the dogs illness to the EPA as an adverse event, even though the reaction had nothing to do with the collar.
What is a Flea Collar?
A flea collar is a collar that’s been treated to kill fleas and possibly ticks. When a flea collar is made, the plastic resin of the collar is mixed with insecticides. On the dog, the insecticide in the collar works to kill and repel fleas for 3 months or longer.
The insecticide is safe as long as it only sits on the skin. If ingested, it can be toxic.
FAQ
What happens if dog eats Seresto collar?
Is Seresto collar poisonous?
How long does Seresto collar stay in dog’s system?
Seresto® is a collar like no other! It works by releasing its active ingredients in controlled, low doses, allowing your dog to stay protected for eight months at a time.
Can Seresto make my dog sick?