Three veterinary experts in the Valley questioned claims in an investigative report linking the popular Seresto pet collars for flea and tick treatment with illness in dogs, cats and humans.
Dr. Beth Crombie, a co-owner of Lewisburg Veterinary Hospital in Lewisburg, Dr. Tristan Wilhelm, a co-owner of Susquehanna Trail Animal Hospital in Watsontown, and Dr. Jayne Kubat, a veterinarian and an adjunct assistant professor of biology at Bucknell University, all said they believe the product to be safe for consumers and their pets.
“I bet you I’ve sold 10,000 of the things. The only reactions I’ve ever seen is occasionally a localized skin reaction where the collar was placed,” Crombie said.
The Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting co-published a report Tuesday with USA Today alleging Seresto collars are linked to at least 1,698 pet deaths since 2012 and, through June 2020, 75,000 incident reports of pet illness and more than 900 reports of human harm.
The report cites incident data self-reported by consumers to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It knocks the agency for failing to warn the public of potential hazards.
Each of the experts wondered whether the thousands of self-reports made by consumers to the EPA might largely be the result of having unknowingly used counterfeit products purchased…
