Seresto Flea Collar Recall 2022: Lawmakers exercise caution after product is linked to more than 2,500 pet deaths 

A congressional panel has recommended a recall of the Seresto flea and tick collar after research showed that the device poses risks to pets and their owners. The 24-page report was released this week, elaborating on the dangers of using the product. Almost 100,000 incidents and 2,500 pet deaths have been linked to the $70 device as of yet.

The Committee on Oversight and Reform's Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy recommended a sweeping product recall after the Environmental Protection Agency called for "unexpected effects from the use of a pesticide" found in the Seresto collar.

It was also found that the EPA allowed the Seresto collars to stay on the market despite finding out how dangerous they were to pets and their owners as early as 2015. Although they refused to issue a recall, Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency banned the collars.

Speaking about the sale of the product, an unidentified EPA employee said in a statement that they hoped someone could blow the lid on the travesty this time.

Another scientist told Fox 59:

"I hope there is a FOIA [Freedom of Information Act request] for all communications on this so that our emails are made public."

Reportedly, over 34 million Seresto flea-and-tick collars have been bought since its release in 2013. It gained massive popularity among customers for its promise to prevent flea and tick problems for eight months, eliminating the need for owners to reapply treatments on a monthly basis.

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Elanco Animal Health claims that the Seresto flea-and-tick collars are safe

During a committee hearing on Wednesday, June 15, Jeffrey Simmons, the CEO of Elanco Animal Health, stated that the product is safe and was approved by the EPA as well. Simmons added that it had undergone more than 80 safety, toxicity and efficacy checks. He said during the hearing:

"Adverse event reports aren't proof of causation. We haven't found a single death due to the ingredients in the collar."

Elanco Animal Health also claimed:

"Given the robust scientific evidence for Seresto's strong safety profile, we are proud to stand behind the product as an important tool to protect pets from fleas and ticks and the damaging diseases they carry."

Contrary to Elanco's claims, it has been reported that the Seresto collar may cause lethargy, abnormal behavior, excessive grooming and vocalization, diarrhea, vomiting, irritated skin, and lesions. Some also suffered from loss of control over bodily movements, muscle tremors, and convulsions.

Pet owners reported suffering from hives and dermatitis. Some also claimed to have undergone respiratory and neurological problems, with dizziness, nausea and throat irritation being common symptoms.

During the hearing, pet owner Thoomas Mairino from New Jersey stated that their family dog experienced severe symptoms like bleeding patches on her stomach and a seizure once they began using the collar on her. Her condition reportedly worsened which led to the family having to put the dog down. He told lawmakers:

"The final 18 months of her life were agonizing to watch. If I could help prevent another family from going through what my family went through, I wanted to act."

Canadian authorities decided that the only way to stop the collar from causing any problems was to prohibit it from being sold. A recall on the product has not yet been issued in the United States.