Response Regarding Seresto Collar Article

As you may have seen/read online, there has been an article released by USA Today regarding deaths associated with Seresto collars. Here is the link if you have not read about it yet:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2021/03/02/seresto-dog-cat-collars-found-harm-pets-humans-epa-records-show/4574753001/

We are always deeply worried about any product that may cause harm to our pets, so this article is very concerning. We hope that further research into this matter results in a definitive answer, either way, as to the safety of this product.

With that being said, there is a limitation to this article that has us wondering; are they referring to the Seresto collars that are bought over the counter? Or, are these collars purchased directly from the veterinary hospital? THERE CAN BE A HUGE DIFFERENCE between a collar bought from a pet store, online platform, etc, as these products may be counterfeit and contain unknown toxins that make our pets ill. The veterinary office receives their shipment of Seresto directly from the vendor. If you would like to continue using Seresto, I would highly recommend only purchasing directly from a licensed veterinary office.

Here is a link from the FDA regarding counterfeit flea and tick medications and how you can tell if the product is approved by the FDA/EPA:

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/unapproved-animal-drugs/how-can-i-tell-if-flea-and-tick-product-approved-fda-animal-drug-or-registered-epa-pesticide

The next question we have been asked; What flea/tick medication can I change to??? All flea/tick medications contain chemicals, and all chemicals have adverse reactions. Some are mild and some are very severe or even deadly. Some are anaphylactic type reactions that we could not have predicted. A lot of the oral flea and tick preventions have an official FDA warning regarding potential neurologic signs, but in a clinical setting, these products are extremely effective. This is a link from the FDA issuing a warning regarding Isoxazoline flea and tick preventions: (Fluralaner, Afoxalaner, Sarolaner, Lotilaner):

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/animal-drug-safety-communication-fda-alerts-pet-owners-and-veterinarians-about-potential-neurologic

Unfortunately, we will do our best to guide you through this process. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out so we can discuss what might be best for your pet based on their history and any previous reactions to medications. Currently, both of my dogs are wearing a Seresto collar at this very moment, purchased from my office, which receives them directly from the vendor.

Be safe.

Dr. Leah Wulforst DVM