There has been a recent USA Today article claiming that Seresto collar has killed up to 1,700 pets. APF veterinarians would like to take this time to provide additional information for concerned pet owners.
- APF veterinarians have not experienced adverse effects of Seresto collar in our patients beyond rare hair loss or skin irritation at the neck where the collar is worn. We believe Seresto collars to be safe and effective and we use/recommend them in our own and staff pets.
- Bayer has not recalled Seresto collars for adverse events.
- Fake/imitation collars being sold as Seresto brand collars are commonly being sold online, and they can sometimes look just like the real thing, but have different ingredients. There have been documented cases of these counterfeit collars harming pets. APF purchases authentic Seresto collars directly from Bayer distributors for sale at our shelter and clinic.
- The Consumer Questions phone number for Seresto collars found on the packaging is 1-800-422-9874.
- Elanco/Bayer (maker of Seresto collars) is preparing a statement response to the article in USA Today that will be available to public in next 1-2 days. The information made immediately available from company is as follows:
- Seresto has been out for numerous years and has been present in 88 countries.
- There have been over 25,000,000 doses dispensed.
- Reactions occur at a rate of <1%, and of these reaction, the vast majority are redness/irritation of the skin at application site.
- While the article quotes a biologist and a retired EPA employee, there was no consultation with veterinarians, veterinary toxicologists, or parasitologists, which we find problematic, as such individuals would be experts and would be able to provide much more informed opinions on whether Seresto is safe or not.
- The article notes a large number of EPA reports for Seresto Collars. It is important to note that reports can be made by anyone for any reason, and the number of reports does not accurately reflect any actual patterns or concerns related to severe reactions. All reports are monitored by the EPA, during which they will evaluate correlation and causation and address concerns accordingly.
We will do our best to keep all concerned pet owners up-to-date on new information as it is made available.
Sincerely,
APF Veterinarians
Additional Resources
Seresto flea collars in complaints could be counterfeits
EPA overview of ingredient imidacloprid
Overview of ingredient Flumethrin
Study “Toxicology of newer pesticides for use in dogs and cats:”
