Are Counterfeit Flea and Tick Products Harming Pets?

Earlier this month, USA Today published in article in which it was stated that the Environmental Protection Agency issued a report about potential problems with one of the more popular flea and tick products, the Seresto collar by Elanco Animal Health.  According to the USA Today article, Seresto collars have been associated with the death of close to 1700 animals.  In addition, the article claimed that tens of thousand of pets were injured, along with several hundred human injuries.   

Many veterinarians were skeptical about the initial report, as the Seresto Collar has gone through several trials prior to reaching the market.  It has also been on the market for several years.  This skepticism is also based in the fact that there are numerous factors at play in the life and health of an animal.  The mere fact that a pet had a collars in place does not mean the the adverse effects were directly attributed to the collar itself.  The saying goes that correlation does not equal causation.

While most veterinarian likely feel that the collar are safe, there is some cause for concern.  The high numbers of complaints and issues is enough to draw concern.  Additionally, and perhaps the greatest cause for concern is  that counterfeit flea and tick products can show up through various sources.  In May of 2020, the US Customs and Border control confiscated a large shipment of counterfeit Seresto collars from overseas.  These collars show up mainly through non-veterinary channels.

As of now, the FDA and EPA have not been able to confirm whether or not the majority of problems are coming from the brand name product or from counterfeit collars that have entered the US.   These products can easily be purchased without knowing if they are the real deal or the fake product.  Elanco distributes directly through veterinary channels, which avoids the potential of receiving a counterfeit product when purchasing directly through your veterinarian.

Veterinary Wellness Partners offers many products through direct veterinary channels.  The easiest way to purchase is at one of our clinic locations.  In addition, we offer an online store , that still guarantees that the product is delivered through proper channels to avoid the risks associated with potentially counterfeit products.

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