DEAR READERS: For years, I have ranted and raged against people -- including too many veterinarians -- using toxic insecticidal products on pets to kill fleas and ticks. These products often cause seizures or otherwise sicken the poor animals, and sometimes even kill them. (For details, see my past articles: drfoxonehealth.com/post/companion-animals-harmed-by-pesticides and drfoxonehealth.com/post/preventing-fleas-ticks-and-mosquitoes.)
Now, at last, we are seeing our government address this issue. The House Committee on Oversight and Reform's Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy just released a major report entitled, "Seresto Flea and Tick Collars: Examining Why a Product Linked to More Than 2,500 Pet Deaths Remains on the Market."
I commend all involved in producing this well-referenced report. I am presenting its executive summary and another excerpt below, and urge all to read the full document at oversight.house.gov.
OVERSIGHT SERESTO REPORT: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This staff report presents the findings of a 16-month investigation by the Committee on Oversight and Reform's Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy into the safety of the Seresto flea and tick collar that contains the insecticides flumethrin 4.5% and imidacloprid 10.0%. Bayer Animal Health -- the original owner and manufacturer of the collar -- and Elanco Animal Health, which purchased Bayer Animal Health in 2020, have sold millions of Seresto collars since the product entered the market in 2013. Pet owners embraced the convenience of the eight-month flea and tick protection offered by the collar -- for under $70 -- when many other flea and tick treatments must be reapplied monthly.
In March 2021, a report from USA Today revealed that, as of June 2020, there had been more than 75,000 incidents -- what the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calls unexpected effects from the use of a pesticide -- and approximately 1,700 pet deaths linked to the Seresto collar. Since the USA Today report was published, the reported numbers have increased to more than 98,000 incidents and 2,500 pet deaths.
The Subcommittee's investigation found that EPA knew about the dangers posed by the collar -- and the many consumer complaints about the collars -- for several years yet failed to take action.
OVERSIGHT SERESTO REPORT: NOTABLE EXCERPT
EPA learned in 2016 that the Seresto collar was deemed too dangerous to be sold in Canada. PMRA's (Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency's) Seresto report -- which EPA received in July 2016 and which has not been made public prior to this Report -- contained a number of striking findings. PMRA closely reviewed 961 "Death and Major" pet incidents using enhanced data provided by Bayer, and found that the Seresto collar probably or possibly caused 737 -- or 77% -- of them. More broadly, PMRA expressed great concern over the "number and severity" of animal incidents linked to the Seresto collar. The PMRA report revealed that from 2012 through 2015, there were over 19,000 reported pet incidents in the United States, including 381 deaths and 1,342 major incidents.
DR. FOX HERE: It is notable that Elanco's recombinant bovine growth hormone, injected widely in America's dairy cows, has been banned in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and all 27 nations of the European Union for reasons of consumer safety and cow health and welfare. Additionally, Elanco's branded ractopamine hydrochloride products -- Paylean for pigs and Optaflexx for beef cattle -- are not approved or available in China. This is a psychotropic drug that causes stress and distress in animals. (Details at drfoxonehealth.com/post/pharmaceutical-cruelty-in-animal-farms-consumer-beware.)
DEAR DR. FOX: I recently found a medium-sized lump on the side of my dog's neck. She's an 11-year-old Shih Tzu mix. I took her to my vet and he suggested removing it, because after a needle aspiration, he determined it wasn't a cyst.
I'm very worried about the surgery, given the location of the lump and her age. Could you give me any suggestions on what to do? Her surgery is scheduled for next month. -- S.H., Charleston, South Carolina
DEAR S.H.: It is always distressing to find a possible cancerous growth on one's dog. The veterinarian is probably saving you money by not sending in a biopsy of the growth to determine if it is malignant or not. It may simply be a benign growth like a lipoma, a fatty tumor common in older dogs. But at least an X-ray of the lungs should be taken to see if there are signs of cancer spread, which would pose an anesthetic risk.
I am hopeful that you found this lump before such complications developed. If you closely follow the pre- and post-surgery instructions, all should go well for your canine companion.
Many dogs develop various cancers as they get older, which is just one reason an annual wellness examination is called for. This should include blood sampling for heartworm testing, as well as kidney and liver function. Ideally, older dogs should see the veterinarian twice yearly.
(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.
Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)