Seresto, one of the most popular flea and tick collars in the country, has been linked to thousands of pet deaths
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himSeresto, one of the most popular flea and tick collars in the country, has been linked to thousands of pet deaths. A new alarm comes from the United States.
According to a new report released by the EPA, the Environmental Protection Agency, they are numerous cases of animals and men who seem to have been injured by the collar, and unfortunately approx 1700 dogs that would have been killed. We don't know how, though.
Bayer's Serestos had already come under fire from the French authorities, who had actually ascertained the sale of counterfeit collars on Wish. But this time the EPA's accusations seem to point towards the devices produced by Bayer, not towards their fake copies.
These pesticide collars work by releasing small amounts of pesticides onto the animal for months. Substances that have the task of killing fleas, ticks and other parasites, but until now they have always been considered safe for dogs and cats.
The numbers provided by the new EPA report, however, seem to tell another story. A stopria of which we have few details to date and does not allow us to understand if the Seresto is dangerous or not.
It appears that miles of pets have been more or less severely damaged, according to federal documents obtained through a request for public records from the Center for Biological Diversity, a non-profit organization that monitors the EPA as part of its work to protect endangered species. The center provided the documents to the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting.
What is certain is that since Seresto flea and tick collars were introduced in 2012, the EPA has received various reports of incidents. Overall, as of June 2020, the agency has received more than 75.000 reports of collars-related incidents, including nearly 1.000 also involving humans.
“The EPA is responsible for regulating products that contain pesticides. The agency has been aware of these incidents for years, but has not informed the public of the potential risks associated with this product, ”thunders Karen McCormack, a retired EPA employee who has worked as both a scientist and a communications officer.
According to McCormack, collars have the most accidents of any pesticide-based pet product I've ever seen, even though let's specify, all dog pesticides contain pesticides, which are different from each other.
“The EPA appears to be turning a blind eye to this issue, and after seven years of an increasing number of incidents, they are telling the public that they are continuing to monitor the situation. But I think this is a significant problem that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. "
An EPA spokesperson replied as follows:
“No pesticides are completely harmless, but the EPA ensures that there are measures on the product label that reduce the risk. product label is the law and applicators must follow directions. Some pets, however, like some humans, are more sensitive than others and may experience adverse symptoms after treatment. "
Amazon, where Seresto is the best-selling collar, has also received numerous complaints about the product from customers. Dozens of people over the years have claimed that the collar caused a rash in their pet. The fact remains that these collars are still on sale, even on Amazon.
Seresto contains two pesticides: imidacloprid and flumethrin
The collar contains these two pesticides. Imidacloprid belongs to the class of neonicotinoids, the most commonly used insecticides in crops in the United States. Despite being linked to massive deaths of insects such as bees and butterflies, the EPA proposed re-approving Imidacloprid and other class members last year. The pesticide is banned in the European Union for external use but allowed in pet collars. Flumethrin, EPA documents show, is only an active ingredient in collars.
As with most pesticides, the data supporting Seresto's registration was conducted by the company that produced it, Bayer. Most of the studies looked at each pesticide individually. According to Investigatemidwest, Bayer has conducted eight pet safety studies examining the effect of Seresto collars on domestic dogs and cats. Documents then used by the EPA to approve the Seresto.
In a study released in 2017, the EPA determined that collars can cause a slight skin irritation and it also determined that flumethrin exposure in people putting collars on pets is below concern levels.
“The imidacloprid evaluation identified no risks for placing collars on pets or interacting with pets wearing the collars to humans. The risk of combining the two active ingredients, flumethrin and imidacloprid, has not been assessed because the two chemicals act in completely different ways. As indicated in the precautions on the label, do not allow children to play with the collars. Also, try to keep the animal away from small children for a day after wearing the collar to minimize exposure, ”explains the EPA. “The only adverse effect observed for adult dogs and puppies was slight skin redness and hair loss, both of which were temporary conditions that occurred in dogs wearing insecticide-impregnated collars and in dogs wearing insecticide-free collars. Since initial registration, the EPA has received reports of adverse effects on pets using Seresto ™ collars. The EPA is evaluating those reports as part of the ongoing flumethrin registration review. "
Did these 1700 animals really die from wearing the Seresto? Is this collar safe or not?
Sources of reference: Epa, Usa Today, Epa
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