The Seresto collar is at the center of an investigation in the US for its alleged danger. Are there any natural alternatives?
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himA few days ago we told you about a new report released by the EPA, the Environmental Protection Agency, which reported several cases of animals and humans who were injured due to the use of the Seresto anti-parasitic collar. But is this device really dangerous and what are the alternatives? We tried to clarify it with the help of two veterinarians.
It is not the first time that Bayer's Seresto collars have ended up in the center of attention. Last December the French authorities had ascertained the sale of counterfeit collars on Wish, in that case it was a real fraud.
Read also: Anti-parasitic collars for dogs sold online forged: they are dangerous, the alarm from France
This time, however, the EPA's accusations seem to be launched precisely towards the devices produced by Bayer, the original ones therefore.
Read also: Famous pesticide collar for dogs accused of causing the death of 1700 pets in the US
But can this collar be really dangerous?
The opinion of the veterinarians
It is not yet possible to know exactly the specifics on the possible danger of the collar in question, even the EPA report itself does not report all the details of what happened, so to date we do not know what were the real reactions of the dogs that used. the collar.
It must be said, however, that any substance, especially chemical ones, in contact with us and with our animals can trigger reactions.
As the veterinary Patrizia Sauria:
“All chemical substances are never without side effects, even if they are not visibly detectable (for example by acting on physiological or hormonal processes); those that are not administered systemically, but applied locally (and which are in any case also absorbed by the skin) can cause more or less severe skin reactions, and this it also depends on the sensitivity of the individual subject".
Another one agrees with this as well veterinaria that we contacted, Elisabetta Cantarella:
“We have to look at the subjectivity of each individual, this is a valid principle for whatever is used. On the package insert of the products, and also of the collar in question, it says that it could give adverse reactions. To date, however, there seems to be insufficient evidence to say that the collar gives harmful effects. È clear that all unnatural pesticides have a minimum of toxicity".
But for example Can the alternatives based on Neem oil and Tea tree oil be considered valid?
"As for Neem oil, in literature it can be used alone as a pesticide for fleas, ticks and other external parasites, but it all depends on the areas in which the animal lives and on the exposure it may have to parasites, whether they sand flies than fleas or ticks ".
But specifies Dr. Cantarella:
"Neem and Tea tree oil they are natural products, so they have different reactions but this does not exclude the fact that they can still give reactions. These two active ingredients they are not always sufficient to protect animals from fleas, ticks or sand flies, it depends on the life of the dog or cat and it also depends on the season. In warm seasons, for example, fleas and ticks are more active, the same as sand flies. So, to give an example, if the dog is in the garden at 18 pm it would be better to put a cover with an allopathic active ingredient ".
In conclusion, we can therefore say that each owner will have to evaluate with the help of the veterinarian based on the area, seasonality, the life that the dog leads and his very personal (if any) sensitivities, the best way to protect it from parasites.
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