# My dog had a bad reaction to the Seresto flea and tick collar



## cgriffin

I am so sorry your baby had to go through this and thank you so much for your warning about the Seresto collar. It is always important to know when a product so many might use, has caused adverse reactions in a pet.

Thanks again and I am glad that your baby is feeling better!


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## CAROLINA MOM

I'm sorry your Sophie had the reaction to the collar, very scary.
Glad to hear she's doing better now.

Thanks for sharing this info and your experience.


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## Ruby13

Thank you for sharing this information.

I am always a bit skeptical of anything relatively new on the market, but this collar had really intrigued me and I had been considering trying it, especially since this has been a terrible year for battling fleas. I have two dogs with very high skin sensitivities and the only thing holding me back was a possible reaction. (The reaction you described is the reaction one of mine has had to EVERY flea control product on the market - with him, we just have to stick with apple cider vinegar!)


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## sophieanne

Just an Update...I spoke to Bayer (the makers of the collar)...they were very apologietic about the reaction, but not at all shocked or surprised. Unfortuantely I think they take many problem calls that are similiar to mine during the day. They said they would follow up with me to ensure there are no further medical issues and told me to call if there were. They also are sending me a refund for the collar (nice, but I'm just glad my Sophie is ok). Again, just wanted people to be aware so they know what could (rarely, but could) happen if they choose to buy a collar. thanks!


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## xoerika620xo

wow, i am so glad sophie is doing better. This is making me worried, i recently bought the seresto collar for chester and he has been using it for about 2 weeks. In my opinion, he is really scratchy, im worried he may soon develop the same thing as your girl.


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## Loisiana

same thing happened to my dog when I put a preventix collar on him. I know of another dog who died due to a reaction to a collar. I won't use them anymore


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## potsalley

*Don't but this flea collar!*

Today, 3/9/2016 is a sad day for our family. We had to put our beloved 10 yr. old Golden Retriever Cali to sleep. We will never know the exact cause of her problems but I feel it's important to share with everyone.

About 3 months ago we purchased a Seresto flea collar. It worked great. After about a week her fleas were gone.

One week ago today she has a violent seizure. As I was preparing to take her to the vet she snapped out of it and seemed normal. The vet said they don't become concerned until after 2-3 seizures. Two days later she had another and I took her in. Her blood work came back fine and the vet said she could possibly have cancer. We could have taken her for more tests to find out what was wrong but at her age I don't know what good it would have done.

We then researched the flea collar and saw some of the reviews and were shocked. I cut it off, bathed her and hoped for the best.

Over the weekend the seizures continued. She began to urinate in the house, never has done that. She had trouble keeping her balance and was lethargic. Even when things were good here head would shake. She would also be restless at night and would pace around.

Monday I picked up pills from the vet for her seizures.

Yesterday I returned home from work and she couldn't stand up. As I talked to her she could not focus, her eyes rolled upward. I did manage to get her up, she peeed in the house, went outside and pooped but fell over while doing so. When my son came home we spent some quality time on a blanket in out living room feeding her what she loved best...chips. Later I made her favorite, a steak dinner and she loved it.

My wife slept in our foyer with her last night. About 3am she yelled for me as Cali was having another seizure. I calmed her down and slept the rest of the night with her. We had a vet appointment at 8:30am. I knew why we were going. I was hoping for a miracle but knew what the ultimate decision would be.

In no way could we leave for work every day knowing she's at home having seizures and suffering. Even as I write this I question if we should have done more, taken her elsewhere. She gave us a great life and we wanted to do the same for her and not let her suffer. What happened to her seems more extreme from what others experienced.

We will never know if she had cancer or something else. All I know is that I wish we had stuck to Frontline! My gut tells me the collar had something to do with her demise. After reading reviews I just wanted to share with others. Maybe this is more of a problem and the word just isn't out yet.

RIP..Cali Girl


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## MyMaggieGirl

So very sorry for the loss of your sweet Cali.


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## CAROLINA MOM

I'm so very sorry for your loss of Cali


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## rabernet

I am so sorry for your loss.


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## AmberSunrise

I am very sorry for you loss. Sleep softly Cali


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## Jack's Mom

*My golden retrievers and the Soresto collar*

Hi, I have been reading some of the posts here, and have decided to post my story.

First, I have never, ever found anything so effective for repelling ticks from dogs as this collar - nothing I have used in 25 years even comes close. The collar is super effective at both repelling ticks and preventing ticks from attaching to the dog if one does land on the pet. 

That said, when I adopted my third golden retriever puppy, I was told that he could wear the Soresto collar after 6 months of age, and since I'd had great luck with the collar on my two older golden retrievers, I wanted to use it on him as well, as soon as he was old enough. Well, I missed the 6-month window and before I knew it, he had turned 8 months old and I found a tick on him one day, and then I remembered that he was now old enough to wear the Soresto collar.

I put the collar on him around 2 in the afternoon, and less than two hours later, he was acting very sick and lethargic. It was a hot day (and had been hot for several days, so at first I thought it was the heat, and gave him cool water and brought him down into the basement where it was coolest. He still continued to act sick and lethargic, and after nearly another hour, I realized that it might be the collar, so I removed it. After another hour passed, he was back to his usual active, happy self, and it was then that I knew it had been the collar that caused the bad reaction. I waited another 4 months, until he was fully a year old, and cautiously tried the collar again. This time, he had no adverse reaction, and remains tick free despite the fact that we live near a forest, and are constantly out walking and hiking in the woods.

So, overall I love the collar, but caution people not to use it before their dog is at least a year old, as I was told it was safe at 6 months and clearly it was not.


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## Allie

potsalley said:


> RIP..Cali Girl


I'm so sorry for your loss. Be well and keep memories of good times..


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## 3 goldens

I am so very sorry for the loss of your Cali. The dog in my Avatar is Hunter. He died Oct. 16, 2003 at age 4 years 2 months, killed by ProHeart6. After his death I did research and was SHOCKED to read story after story after story of dogs that had been killed by it, had had serious reations to it. People were leving e-mail addresses for others to contact them and I did the same. I got tons of e-mails every day--even one from Australia. A PI there had almost lost his "best mate" to ProHeart12--there the injections are for 12 months, here for 6 months.

A lady in WI lost her border collike Bandit, to it the same day I lost Hunter. Within a few hours he went into such seizures they could onlu stop them by completely knocking him out. He was 7, neer had a seizure. Anyway, this went on for 24 hours and he died. They actually cut off his head and sent it to be tested for rabies. I don't think Sue ever got over that. My Hunter spent 8 days in ICU. He had developed AIHa and his liver was dying. AND I found from the FDA animal division tht those wre tow of the leading causes of deaths due to ProHeart6. One lady in Colordo took all 3 of hers in the same day., Within a few weeks, one was dead of AIUHa, one of liver damage, and the other spent the rest of his life on meds.

We fought, oh we fought Fort Dodge to try to get it off the maket. I wrote weekly with the stories I had gotten thru e-mail and off different sites. They offered to pay over half my vet bill IF I would sign a release. I would not. And for some reason out of the blue they paid over half the bill and made a big donation in Hunter's memory to Texas A&M Vet school. I never signed a release, so I never stopped warning people.

Then ten months after Hunter's death, Sept. 2004, I got a call from one who ws rially fighting hard--the FDA had them pull Proheart6 from the market. Jan. 2005, Fort dodge tried to get it back on. Several went to Washing to testify and us that couldn't sent a STACK of stories with all details and in many cases, vet reorts. Thepanel went over every one of them in the week or so before th ehearing. And they ruled--it had to stay offf the market and be reformulated. It was off for 4 years.. I still will not use it. I so blamed myself for switching from Interceptor to that injection. I trusted my vet who trust the sales pitch from Fort Dodge--he doesn't like drug companies any more.

Second reastion. I took my golden girl KayCee in for her 2ed set of annual vax at age 2 1/2, on Good Friday, 2002. We had planned to go to good Friday Service at church that night, but was running late getting home from vet's, so I started supperl. I saw KayCee get up and run down the hll, hed and tail down. She sat down t the end of the hall, then came running back, sat behind the recliner, back down the hall, backintoto the livingroom and sat behind the recliner. I was orking on supper at the bar, so came around and I could feel the heat coming from her body. Her eyes were swollen almost shut andit looked like she had pencil erasers under the skin on her snout. I ran and got the thermomerter and when I laid her down, I saw hand size fire engine red hives on her stomach, could feel lumps all over her body. Her temp was headed to 107.

I called our vet's answering servcie (he is the only vet in our small town, but hs clients come from over in Corpus becuae he is so good) and while waiting on call back, I gave her 2 bendryl, poured cool (not cold) water on her and wrapped her up in wet towel and continued pouring the water slowly over her. Vet called back (he had been in curch) and said gert her in to the hospital at once.

We gotther and he was there. He gave her injections and we waited til her temp went down to 103 and then we brought her home. But I had to take her temp every 30 minutes for the next serval hours. Hives went away, temp went down to normal. He was pretty sure it was the lepto she had a reactrion to, but deiced from then one, no vax other than law required rbies. And even then he bucked our law. In Texas, the state says vax every 3 years but allows each county and each city to make it's own law. City over rides county, country over rides state. Our city says every year. But Rickey only vaccinated her for rabies every 3 years til her death from cancer at almost 9. Oh, he said I could have doubled up on the benedryl tocombat a reaction that bad. I am never without it.


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## Eilyne Lewis

sophieanne said:


> Good morning everyone. I know that every dog reacts differently so I just want to share this story with you, should you wonder if there are potential side effects with this product.
> 
> When I took Sophie to the vet on Sept 27th (1 week ago) we decided to try the Seresto flea and tick collar. Sophie is allergic to fleas but unfortunately we have never found a flea control product that works for her. The vet told me about the Seresto product and I thought let's give it a try. No one told me there could be a reaction of any type.
> 
> For the next couple days, no change,, although she actually appeared to be scraching more. I know miracles don't happen over night and that we have to give it time.
> 
> On Thursday night Sophie was acting like she was insane. She was running high speed through the house, jumping on and off furniture, scratching like crazy, couldn't get comfortable, no matter what. I got up and stayed up all night with her. There was one point she was going in circles then started dragging her back legs as though she had a stroke - it was short lived but I was frightened. The only thing I could think to try and make her comfortable was a Rimadyl which did calm her down some.
> 
> I called the vet first thing in the morning (anther story in itself about getting a call back) and when someone finally talked to me they couldn't figure out what could be causing the behaviour (amazing never even told to bring her in for a check up). The words the flea collar couldn't be causing it were spoken but I never thought about it (can a flea collar hurt your dog?). On Friday we went for a walk after work and after dinner she went into the hyper mode again. I started doing a web search and looked for adverse reactions to the collar (just for the sake of the exercise). It took a few searches but I finally found a number of them and what a surprise the symptoms were all similar in one detail or another (Complete with seizures, stroke like symptoms, etc.). Needless to say I took the collar off and washed all around her neck. A couple hours later she was more relaxed. The next morning (14 hours after taking the collar off) she was totally herself with no symptoms and totally relaxed. I called he vets office and eventually one of the vets called back. She told me, to-date no dog from their practice had a reaction and that she was going to note Sophie's file, tell all the vets in the office about the reaction so they could inform potential buyers that yes, there could be a reaction and will call Bayer on Monday and inform them of what happened. She was very sorry for what happened. She also told me to wash Sophie with Dawn dish soap (used after environmental accidents on wildlife) to wash off the residual product. One of the active ingredients in the oollar is a very powerful insecticide.
> As I said at the start, a lot of dogs don't have reactions, but a few do. I would be negligent if I don't mention this to as many dog owners as I can. If you choose to use the product, be aware that there can be an adverse reaction and know to take the collar off immediately and wash with Dawn soap. It scares me to think what could've happened if I didn't do my own research. BTW - I'm still up tonight bothered by what happened, Sophie's finally sleeping soundly.


I have a 10 year old Minnie Dach. After one week with Small Dog Seresto her fur started to turn brown and curly.I now have a brindle instead of gray/black dapple. She itches all the time as well. Took collar off after 4 weeks after reviewing on line reviews. Washed everything she came into contact with. Went to vet and he too said collar could not be issue. Now she has been diagnosed with Addison's disease. She was fine before collar now needs shots monthly. First shot tomorrow. Her fur is not as curly and she is very slowly getting her energy back. What is it going to take to get this off the market. Class action lawsuit? I am furious.
Eilyne Lewis
[email protected]
Chehalis, WA


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## hotel4dogs

I am very sorry to hear of the serious problems people have had with this collar, and for their horrible losses.
That said, let's look at the many thousands of diseases prevented and lives saved because horrendous tick borne diseases were prevented. Sadly I know quite a few people who have lost dogs to Lyme nephritis, erlichia, anaplasmosis, or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. My boy has been positive for several TBDs, despite trying several spot-ons, until we started using the Seresto collar. Since then he has been fine, which also means there has been no need to treat him again and again (as before the collar) with high doses of doxycyclin, which has its own set of side effects and problems.
While it is very sad to hear of serious, horrible side effects it is not realistic to demand a hugely useful, lifesaving product be taken off the market. Perhaps vets should better discuss the potential problems with clients so they can make a better informed decision.
I cannot take penicillin, and sulfa drugs will kill me. But I see no reason to deny them to others.


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## Loisiana

the thing is, every single thing we do comes with some kind of risk. Sometimes our personal experiences dictate which risks we are willing to take and which we avoid. 

I lost my dog to an invisible fungus in pond water. Hundreds of thousands of dogs safely swim every year. But at least dozens die from it every year. Before I lost my dog I was willing to take the risk. Now I'm not, because I couldn't live with losing two dogs to the same fungus, so my dogs no longer swim. I don't expect everyone to stop letting their dogs swim. I do want to educate others so they know what is lurking out there.

I think that is the key, we need to be educated and make the decisions we feel are best for us.


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## hotel4dogs

Very well said, especially the last sentence...



Loisiana said:


> the thing is, every single thing we do comes with some kind of risk. Sometimes our personal experiences dictate which risks we are willing to take and which we avoid.
> 
> I lost my dog to a fungus in pond water. Hundreds of thousands of dogs safely swim every year. But at least dozens die from it every year. Before I lost my dog I was willing to take the risk. Now I'm not, because I couldn't live with losing two dogs to the same fungus, so my dogs no longer swim. I do don't expect everyone to stop letting their dogs swim. I do want to educate others so they know what is lurking out there.
> 
> I think that is the key, we need to be educated and make the decisions we feel are best for us.


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## lilylamb

potsalley said:


> Today, 3/9/2016 is a sad day for our family. We had to put our beloved 10 yr. old Golden Retriever Cali to sleep. We will never know the exact cause of her problems but I feel it's important to share with everyone.
> 
> About 3 months ago we purchased a Seresto flea collar. It worked great. After about a week her fleas were gone.
> 
> One week ago today she has a violent seizure. As I was preparing to take her to the vet she snapped out of it and seemed normal. The vet said they don't become concerned until after 2-3 seizures. Two days later she had another and I took her in. Her blood work came back fine and the vet said she could possibly have cancer. We could have taken her for more tests to find out what was wrong but at her age I don't know what good it would have done.
> 
> We then researched the flea collar and saw some of the reviews and were shocked. I cut it off, bathed her and hoped for the best.
> 
> Over the weekend the seizures continued. She began to urinate in the house, never has done that. She had trouble keeping her balance and was lethargic. Even when things were good here head would shake. She would also be restless at night and would pace around.
> 
> Monday I picked up pills from the vet for her seizures.
> 
> Yesterday I returned home from work and she couldn't stand up. As I talked to her she could not focus, her eyes rolled upward. I did manage to get her up, she peeed in the house, went outside and pooped but fell over while doing so. When my son came home we spent some quality time on a blanket in out living room feeding her what she loved best...chips. Later I made her favorite, a steak dinner and she loved it.
> 
> My wife slept in our foyer with her last night. About 3am she yelled for me as Cali was having another seizure. I calmed her down and slept the rest of the night with her. We had a vet appointment at 8:30am. I knew why we were going. I was hoping for a miracle but knew what the ultimate decision would be.
> 
> In no way could we leave for work every day knowing she's at home having seizures and suffering. Even as I write this I question if we should have done more, taken her elsewhere. She gave us a great life and we wanted to do the same for her and not let her suffer. What happened to her seems more extreme from what others experienced.
> 
> We will never know if she had cancer or something else. All I know is that I wish we had stuck to Frontline! My gut tells me the collar had something to do with her demise. After reading reviews I just wanted to share with others. Maybe this is more of a problem and the word just isn't out yet.
> 
> RIP..Cali Girl


I senior girl dog has experienced the same negative reactions since I had placed this flea and tick collar around her neck -- it is horrifying!!!! I am so very sorry that your Cali suffered and passed away. I believe with all of my heart that the Seresto flea and tick collar must be take off the market. It is killing too many pets! My girl, Lily, has been at the emergency hospital due to seizures she is enduring. Lily had never had seizures until a week after I had put this **** collar on her. I will never forgive myself. The veterinarian has already told me that she will never completely recover, and that I need to plan on euthanizing her. That is the only humane thing to do, since she will never have a good quality of life. I am so pissed off with myself that I trusted this method of flea and tick prevention, and did not research deeply. From this day forward, I will use holistic/natural products instead of poisons that kill our pets. God bless you, and please know that my heart goes out to you for the loss of your dear Cali. If we had known, God knows this collar would have never been utilized. We need to speak out so we can save all pets in honor of our dogs that died. I hate this with a passion that my Lily will die because of this nasty Seresto collar. Whoever is reading this, PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS COLLAR ON YOUR PETS!!!


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## lilylamb

*Seresto flea and tick collars are toxic -- Do Not Use On Your Pets!*



potsalley said:


> Today, 3/9/2016 is a sad day for our family. We had to put our beloved 10 yr. old Golden Retriever Cali to sleep. We will never know the exact cause of her problems but I feel it's important to share with everyone.
> 
> About 3 months ago we purchased a Seresto flea collar. It worked great. After about a week her fleas were gone.
> 
> One week ago today she has a violent seizure. As I was preparing to take her to the vet she snapped out of it and seemed normal. The vet said they don't become concerned until after 2-3 seizures. Two days later she had another and I took her in. Her blood work came back fine and the vet said she could possibly have cancer. We could have taken her for more tests to find out what was wrong but at her age I don't know what good it would have done.
> 
> We then researched the flea collar and saw some of the reviews and were shocked. I cut it off, bathed her and hoped for the best.
> 
> Over the weekend the seizures continued. She began to urinate in the house, never has done that. She had trouble keeping her balance and was lethargic. Even when things were good here head would shake. She would also be restless at night and would pace around.
> 
> Monday I picked up pills from the vet for her seizures.
> 
> Yesterday I returned home from work and she couldn't stand up. As I talked to her she could not focus, her eyes rolled upward. I did manage to get her up, she peeed in the house, went outside and pooped but fell over while doing so. When my son came home we spent some quality time on a blanket in out living room feeding her what she loved best...chips. Later I made her favorite, a steak dinner and she loved it.
> 
> My wife slept in our foyer with her last night. About 3am she yelled for me as Cali was having another seizure. I calmed her down and slept the rest of the night with her. We had a vet appointment at 8:30am. I knew why we were going. I was hoping for a miracle but knew what the ultimate decision would be.
> 
> In no way could we leave for work every day knowing she's at home having seizures and suffering. Even as I write this I question if we should have done more, taken her elsewhere. She gave us a great life and we wanted to do the same for her and not let her suffer. What happened to her seems more extreme from what others experienced.
> 
> We will never know if she had cancer or something else. All I know is that I wish we had stuck to Frontline! My gut tells me the collar had something to do with her demise. After reading reviews I just wanted to share with others. Maybe this is more of a problem and the word just isn't out yet.
> 
> RIP..Cali Girl


I senior girl dog has experienced the same negative reactions since I had placed this flea and tick collar around her neck -- it is horrifying!!!! I am so very sorry that your Cali suffered and passed away. I believe with all of my heart that the Seresto flea and tick collar must be take off the market. It is killing too many pets! My girl, Lily, has been at the emergency hospital due to seizures she is enduring. Lily had never had seizures until a week after I had put this **** collar on her. I will never forgive myself. The veterinarian has already told me that she will never completely recover, and that I need to plan on euthanizing her. That is the only humane thing to do, since she will never have a good quality of life. I am so pissed off with myself that I trusted this method of flea and tick prevention, and did not research deeply. From this day forward, I will use holistic/natural products instead of poisons that kill our pets. God bless you, and please know that my heart goes out to you for the loss of your dear Cali. If we had known, God knows this collar would have never been utilized. We need to speak out so we can save all pets in honor of our dogs that died. I hate this with a passion that my Lily will die because of this nasty Seresto collar. Whoever is reading this, PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS COLLAR ON YOUR PETS!!!


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## hotel4dogs

Please read post #17 in this thread. Thank you.


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## sophieanne

Lilylamb,

My heart is breaking for you. People can say what they want, the problem is these collars have been sold without disclosure of potential problems/dangers. I understand what works for one may not work for all, but we trust our vets and when they don't give us proper information or when Bayer denies there are potential issues then I say hold on..let's take a closer look. To see one or two incidents is one thing, but to see deaths over a short amount of time makes me think, we should all think. Human drugs get pulled for further investigation, why should this be any different? Human drugs also come with warnings about potential risk. This collar does not. I'm the one who started this thread so I know and I also know Bayer was in denial of any problems.

I am so lucky I caught what was going on with my Sophie so quickly. Had I just continued leaving the collar on her, I'm sure it would be another bad story. My vet said gosh, we've never heard of anyone having an issue...guess what, they have now.

I did say each person has to do what is right for them but I believe it's as long as they have been given fair and accurate information, which hasn't been the case with this product.

I'm sorry but I will never support not pulling a product because reactions can just be a fact of life. I'ld like to see Bayer put the stats in writing. And I'm afraid anyone who's gone through a reaction or lost their dog will ever feel it's ok, because you just never know.

I think there's some comments/opinions that people should keep to themselves since we have a few documented cases. And no, I'm not trying to cause trouble, not do I disrespect anyone, it's just there's a time and place for defense and this situation doesn't need one.

Sorry..my ear breaks for those who have lost our could've lost their pet.


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## Linda Rhode Island

I put one of the collars on my 4.5 yrs old great dane male. He was unable to use frontline as he broke out with hives. After wearing for a couple of days he started getting red hot spots. 
I did some research online and found out that other dogs were having a reaction as well. It is now about 4 weeks ago we took the collar off of him, my female dane and cat as well. My poor male great dane ended up with the hot spots all over his body and lost his coat (hair). He has what seems to be one more spot on his butt. His hair is finally growing back now. 

This product needs to have more warnings for dogs that can not tolerate this product. Luckily we took it off after a few days or I think the outcome would have been even worse.

We now give the two danes brewer yeast and garlic as a flea and tick preventative and regular baths. Much safer then the collar.


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## Rhiannon Fitzgerald

*Best thing, only thing that works on my baby*

As you said, there will always be a small percentage of bad reactions to any product. I had tried everything on my baby and nothing was working. My boy was not born in Florida and I truly believe that momma passes important immunities while nursing but that doesn't help if the dog is in a different environment, he was miserable and I couldn't keep the bastages out of the house because he was always bringing fresh ones, add to it he hates baths and well you know... I tried everything, dips, dabs, food additives never tried the pills those scare me as once it's in their system it can't be flushed out so a problem is pretty much a death sentence. Someone told me about the seresto and I found them at walmart for less than the vet wanted but later i found a web site or two that had them even cheaper. I put it on him after a bath and he hasn't had one since or if I do find one it's nearly dead, the collar will also kill off any population in the environment so my severely infested back room after a few bombs is now clear of the monsters. I think if he'd continued to scratch after a day that I would have taken it off him, at first he seemed to sleep a bit more but when I let him in the yard he is his usual frisky self so maybe he just isn't losing his mind scratching now so the snooze is more pleasant. That's just how it is with any critter humans too sometimes somebody's body chemistry is different and I've also read a few sites that dogs on other medications seem to have the majority of the problems with the seresto collars. Bayer has always been a trusted name, I know they would not knowingly put out a dangerous product.


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## lilylamb

Dear Sophieanne, I am very sorry to hear about your dear furbaby's terrible reaction to the Seresto flea collar. I joined this forum when my Lily (senior dog) had seizures after wearing the Seresto flea collar. As I was driving back from the Emergency Vet Clinic after admitting her for professional care, it hit me that the flea collar caused this. As soon as I arrived home, I went on my computer and looked up negative reactions to Seresto Flea Collars, and I was stunned at how many people's pets had suffered or even died from this product. I called the Bayer company that manufacturers this product (the phone # and information are on the insert inside the package), and reported this incidence. Each incident must be reported in order to have enough cases to remove this product off the market. PLEASE inform everyone that if they experienced a negative effect when their pet (dogs or cats) had come in contact with the Seresto Flea Collar.

I am so happy that your dog has recovered and is doing good. Take care and God bless!


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## KurtnAustin

sophieanne said:


> Good morning everyone. I know that every dog reacts differently so I just want to share this story with you, should you wonder if there are potential side effects with this product.
> 
> When I took Sophie to the vet on Sept 27th (1 week ago) we decided to try the Seresto flea and tick collar. Sophie is allergic to fleas but unfortunately we have never found a flea control product that works for her. The vet told me about the Seresto product and I thought let's give it a try. No one told me there could be a reaction of any type.
> 
> For the next couple days, no change,, although she actually appeared to be scraching more. I know miracles don't happen over night and that we have to give it time.
> 
> On Thursday night Sophie was acting like she was insane. She was running high speed through the house, jumping on and off furniture, scratching like crazy, couldn't get comfortable, no matter what. I got up and stayed up all night with her. There was one point she was going in circles then started dragging her back legs as though she had a stroke - it was short lived but I was frightened. The only thing I could think to try and make her comfortable was a Rimadyl which did calm her down some.
> 
> I called the vet first thing in the morning (anther story in itself about getting a call back) and when someone finally talked to me they couldn't figure out what could be causing the behaviour (amazing never even told to bring her in for a check up). The words the flea collar couldn't be causing it were spoken but I never thought about it (can a flea collar hurt your dog?). On Friday we went for a walk after work and after dinner she went into the hyper mode again. I started doing a web search and looked for adverse reactions to the collar (just for the sake of the exercise). It took a few searches but I finally found a number of them and what a surprise the symptoms were all similar in one detail or another (Complete with seizures, stroke like symptoms, etc.). Needless to say I took the collar off and washed all around her neck. A couple hours later she was more relaxed. The next morning (14 hours after taking the collar off) she was totally herself with no symptoms and totally relaxed. I called he vets office and eventually one of the vets called back. She told me, to-date no dog from their practice had a reaction and that she was going to note Sophie's file, tell all the vets in the office about the reaction so they could inform potential buyers that yes, there could be a reaction and will call Bayer on Monday and inform them of what happened. She was very sorry for what happened. She also told me to wash Sophie with Dawn dish soap (used after environmental accidents on wildlife) to wash off the residual product. One of the active ingredients in the oollar is a very powerful insecticide.
> As I said at the start, a lot of dogs don't have reactions, but a few do. I would be negligent if I don't mention this to as many dog owners as I can. If you choose to use the product, be aware that there can be an adverse reaction and know to take the collar off immediately and wash with Dawn soap. It scares me to think what could've happened if I didn't do my own research. BTW - I'm still up tonight bothered by what happened, Sophie's finally sleeping soundly.


Hello, in July of 2015, my best friend a Cocker Spaniel dog named Cash, had problems caused by skin allergies. I live in Texas so you can imagine how our summers are. I took him to my local vet. They prescribed the usual shampoo and med and also a Seresto flea collar. I put it on. Within a few days (or possibly sooner) he became lethargic, listless and just wanted to lay down. I finally put two and two together and at the end of the week removed the collar. I panicked and bathed him immediately. Within 24 hours he seemed like his old self. About three weeks later, he woke up and would not get out of his bed, not move. After monitoring him, I took him to the vet. They diagnosed it as a crystallized disk in his back. After a week or so of steroids and pain meds, I took him to a specialty surgical clinic. During the operation they noticed an infection in his neck that contributed to Spinal Meningitis. He did not wake up from the anesthesia after 2 hours so we had to do the inevitable. Euthanize. He was only 8 and pretty healthy. He was my best friend and we traveled about Texas together, never separated. Wherever he went I went. The vet denied that the flea collar had anything to do with his infection. I will always wonder, the timing. etc. I have three other similar dogs who never wore the collar and to this day they are fine, not sick. Again I have overbearing guilt of ever using this thing and wish they had never recommended and sold it to me. I lost my best friend that day and there is not a day that goes by when I do not think of him. Please tell everyone to stay away from flea collars. The risk is not worth it.


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## KurtnAustin

Hello, in July of 2015, my best friend a Cocker Spaniel dog named Cash, had problems caused by skin allergies. I live in Texas so you can imagine how our summers are. I took him to my local vet. They prescribed the usual shampoo and med and also a Seresto flea collar. I put it on. Within a few days (or possibly sooner) he became lethargic, listless and just wanted to lay down. I finally put two and two together and at the end of the week removed the collar. I panicked and bathed him immediately. Within 24 hours he seemed like his old self. About three weeks later, he woke up and would not get out of his bed, not move. After monitoring him, I took him to the vet. They diagnosed it as a crystallized disk in his back. After a week or so of steroids and pain meds, I took him to a specialty surgical clinic. During the operation they noticed an infection in his neck that contributed to Spinal Meningitis. He did not wake up from the anesthesia after 2 hours so we had to do the inevitable. Euthanize. He was only 8 and pretty healthy. He was my best friend and we traveled about Texas together, never separated. Wherever he went I went. The vet denied that the flea collar had anything to do with his infection. I will always wonder, the timing. etc. I have three other similar dogs who never wore the collar and to this day they are fine, not sick. Again I have overbearing guilt of ever using this thing and wish they had never recommended and sold it to me. I lost my best friend that day and there is not a day that goes by when I do not think of him. Please tell everyone to stay away from flea collars. The risk is not worth it.


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## Ajepperson

Our vet wanted us to put our baby on the seresto collar too because we have to bathe him so often due to allergies. I immediately knew something was wrong. Thank god it was just increased itching and energy. The horror stories I read online after noticing made me take the thing off immediately. We washed him in dawn to get all the chemicals off. My normal vet was surprised that the reaction happened, but our dermatologist wasn't surprised at all. There needs to be better awareness for this product. It is way to dangerous in my option.


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## bolmz621

Wow! Sorry for your anguish! I know what it's like to see your dog in such a frenzy, not knowing quite what to do, and overcome with anxiety at the prospect of serious illness or fatality. I had a very similar experience with 2 dogs, using SENTRY PRO, a topical "treatment" that went completely awry (don't forget the name &, whatever you do, DON'T USE IT!) 

I purchased the Seresto Collar and one of my dogs is wearing it now. So far there hasn't been that nightmarish reaction, but he has been vomiting, which is concerning. I don't know if the collar is the cause or he's eaten something/some animal in the back yard. Will be monitoring him closely.


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## rsantil

sophieanne said:


> Good morning everyone. I know that every dog reacts differently so I just want to share this story with you, should you wonder if there are potential side effects with this product.
> 
> When I took Sophie to the vet on Sept 27th (1 week ago) we decided to try the Seresto flea and tick collar. Sophie is allergic to fleas but unfortunately we have never found a flea control product that works for her. The vet told me about the Seresto product and I thought let's give it a try. No one told me there could be a reaction of any type.
> 
> For the next couple days, no change,, although she actually appeared to be scraching more. I know miracles don't happen over night and that we have to give it time.
> 
> On Thursday night Sophie was acting like she was insane. She was running high speed through the house, jumping on and off furniture, scratching like crazy, couldn't get comfortable, no matter what. I got up and stayed up all night with her. There was one point she was going in circles then started dragging her back legs as though she had a stroke - it was short lived but I was frightened. The only thing I could think to try and make her comfortable was a Rimadyl which did calm her down some.
> 
> I called the vet first thing in the morning (anther story in itself about getting a call back) and when someone finally talked to me they couldn't figure out what could be causing the behaviour (amazing never even told to bring her in for a check up). The words the flea collar couldn't be causing it were spoken but I never thought about it (can a flea collar hurt your dog?). On Friday we went for a walk after work and after dinner she went into the hyper mode again. I started doing a web search and looked for adverse reactions to the collar (just for the sake of the exercise). It took a few searches but I finally found a number of them and what a surprise the symptoms were all similar in one detail or another (Complete with seizures, stroke like symptoms, etc.). Needless to say I took the collar off and washed all around her neck. A couple hours later she was more relaxed. The next morning (14 hours after taking the collar off) she was totally herself with no symptoms and totally relaxed. I called he vets office and eventually one of the vets called back. She told me, to-date no dog from their practice had a reaction and that she was going to note Sophie's file, tell all the vets in the office about the reaction so they could inform potential buyers that yes, there could be a reaction and will call Bayer on Monday and inform them of what happened. She was very sorry for what happened. She also told me to wash Sophie with Dawn dish soap (used after environmental accidents on wildlife) to wash off the residual product. One of the active ingredients in the oollar is a very powerful insecticide.
> As I said at the start, a lot of dogs don't have reactions, but a few do. I would be negligent if I don't mention this to as many dog owners as I can. If you choose to use the product, be aware that there can be an adverse reaction and know to take the collar off immediately and wash with Dawn soap. It scares me to think what could've happened if I didn't do my own research. BTW - I'm still up tonight bothered by what happened, Sophie's finally sleeping soundly.


thank you, going through, collar eeaction as i speak...good info, God bless


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## lilylamb

*lilylamb*

Hi to all animal lovers subscribed on the Golden Retriever Forum. 

I joined in July 2016 after my terrier mix senior girl, Lily, was being treated at the Emergency Veterinary Hospital for her severe seizure episodes caused by wearing the Seresto Flea and Tick collar for a few days. I am writing this follow-up message as a courtesy to let you know what had happened to Lily since this horrific nightmarish experience. Lily's collar was removed immediately at the Emergency Vet Hospital after she was admitted there in July 2016. Lily remained a patient there for treatment about 4 days. The veterinarian staff treated Lily with much love and care, and she survived this horrific experience due to their constant relentless attention and care. Lily came home with me August 01, 2016. She could not walk properly, so I carried her outside for a few weeks. I administered Lily's medications religiously, which included the anti-seizure medications phenobarbitol and gabapentin. Also, she was given Pepcid A/C along with piroxicam every other day for pain relief from her lung tumor she was diagnosed with before the Seresto Flea and Tick collar episode occurred. Lily's condition improved somewhat, but she never regained her normal motivation or mobility. Lily lived a very happy and loving life since I had adopted her in March of 2014. I loved her with my entire heart and soul. Lily lived almost a year after this terrible episode from the Seresto Flea and Tick collar. Sadly, my Lily passed away May 2017. She succumbed to her lung tumor. My heart is very broken not having Lily sharing my life with me now. Lily will remain in my heart forever. Thank you to everyone for loving your precious pets, for they all deserve our love and commitment to everything that makes their lives the greatest experience on this earth with us. God bless everyone and their pets. Always Adopt and Save more pet lives!!! Rescue/Foster pets in need and Spay/Neuter all pets. :--heart:


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## bolmz621

Dear lilylamb: 

I am soooooo sorry to hear about the loss of your "pet" (loved one). I can't think of anything to say that would ease your hurt, except, to say, I am a person of faith. We have all heard the old cliche: "All dogs go to heaven." Well, I don't know if that’s true; but I do know God is loving, caring, and compassionate toward us. Therefore, I can't imagine heaven being "heavenly," without one day my being with my dogs (loved ones) there. Look up! There is hope, yet!

B.C.


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## lilylamb

*Miss*

Thank you. B.C. I sincerely appreciate your compassion and kind words. I read the message you responded to once again, and I teared up. I know that time allows the pain to subside somewhat, but we never forget our loving animal friends. The are a part of our lives. I do believe that all animals will be in heaven for they do not know what sin is. Animals are pure, and God never makes mistakes. I believe that animals have souls and that we will be reunited with our pets if we truly believe in our salvation that Jesus sacrificed his life for all of God's children. Please remain strong in knowing that God is our greatest forever faithful friend.


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## TinaMarie62

I am very sorry for your loss. I must thank you for posting this info and I was just about to put Seresto collars on both my Danes. If anything were to happen to them because of the collars, I would never have forgiven myself. The collars were purchased on the recommendation of my vet. Thank you for sharing this info, and again, please accept my condolences on your loss.


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## petlovers

So put a soresto collar on my 13 yr old jack russel last night, he had it on for about 20 minutes and started scratching around his neck like crazy. next he started running around the house like he had the zoomies except he kept stopping to scratch his neck. About an hour in his eyes started watering and he kept rubbing them on anything and everything including me. Took the collar off washed his face and neck off and it stopped immediately. Now I'm reading about all these poor people that have lost their pets due to the use of these collars. not sure about the rest of you but my dogs are like my kids, would never have tried this product if they were honest and listed one of the possible side effects was death. Please do your homework before trying new products I know I will be more diligent from now on.


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## Ivyacres

I just want to share, Honey also had a reaction to the Seresto collar. Within 8 hours of having it on, she couldn't walk 4 steps without having to stop and scratch. We removed the collar, returned it to the original tin, and notified the vet. 



Honey's recovery was slow but instant, and after a week she was her old happy self. I returned the collar to the vet' office with the hope that there may be someone else who could use it ($61. can be a lot of money for some dog loving folks). 



I notified Bayer and they were great, asked for all the info about Honey, and the #s from the can. I will be receiving a full refund.


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## 3 goldens

I have read of a number of dogs that bad reactions to these collars. My Sophie had a reaction to Bravecto tablets--it caused her to have seizures. Proheart 6 killed my golden boy Hunter, at ge 4 yrs 2 months old back Oct. 16, 2003. It is really a shame we have to lose or almost lose a dog before we know they can't tolerate some things. I am terrified every time I have to give my Sir Moose ANYTHING, expecially at his age (11, and that is getting up there for a Great Pyrenees, and he has liver disease on top of his age.


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## lilylamb

I have compassion and I am sad for anyone who may have lost a pet due to the sickening reaction to the chemicals in the Seresto Flea and Tick collar. We, as pet parents, want the best for our pets. However, we are mislead and trusting in the advertisement of such products. I have learned to do serious research on anything especially if it seems too good to be true. I believe that I have found a very safe and effective flea and tick collar. Please do your research, because I am not an advertiser. I purchased 2 of the All Natural Pet Easy Defense Flea and Tick collars from Chewy.com. All Natural, with no chemicals. I removed the collars from there packaging and placed them on a towel and laid them on a shelf up high for about 3 days. The natural elements, such as geranium oil, is very strong at first. After 3 days or so, I placed these flea and tick collars on my dogs and closely observed them for a few days. Thankfully, my dogs had no negative reactions and these collars are very effective. I have not seen any fleas or ticks on my dogs, and the collars also repel mosquitoes. I also give my dogs the heartworm medication once a month. I have had no problems with the Iverhart Max since administering it to my dogs for about a year now. Everyone must do their research with everything that we do and provide for our pets. Each pet is unique and needs to be observed throughout their lives for any reactions to a food, medicine, shampoo or anything we expose them to. We want the very best for our pets and to help them live the longest healthiest and happiest lives! God bless!


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## Deb Schwarzkopd

sophieanne said:


> Good morning everyone. I know that every dog reacts differently so I just want to share this story with you, should you wonder if there are potential side effects with this product.
> 
> When I took Sophie to the vet on Sept 27th (1 week ago) we decided to try the Seresto flea and tick collar. Sophie is allergic to fleas but unfortunately we have never found a flea control product that works for her. The vet told me about the Seresto product and I thought let's give it a try. No one told me there could be a reaction of any type.
> 
> For the next couple days, no change,, although she actually appeared to be scraching more. I know miracles don't happen over night and that we have to give it time.
> 
> On Thursday night Sophie was acting like she was insane. She was running high speed through the house, jumping on and off furniture, scratching like crazy, couldn't get comfortable, no matter what. I got up and stayed up all night with her. There was one point she was going in circles then started dragging her back legs as though she had a stroke - it was short lived but I was frightened. The only thing I could think to try and make her comfortable was a Rimadyl which did calm her down some.
> 
> I called the vet first thing in the morning (anther story in itself about getting a call back) and when someone finally talked to me they couldn't figure out what could be causing the behaviour (amazing never even told to bring her in for a check up). The words the flea collar couldn't be causing it were spoken but I never thought about it (can a flea collar hurt your dog?). On Friday we went for a walk after work and after dinner she went into the hyper mode again. I started doing a web search and looked for adverse reactions to the collar (just for the sake of the exercise). It took a few searches but I finally found a number of them and what a surprise the symptoms were all similar in one detail or another (Complete with seizures, stroke like symptoms, etc.). Needless to say I took the collar off and washed all around her neck. A couple hours later she was more relaxed. The next morning (14 hours after taking the collar off) she was totally herself with no symptoms and totally relaxed. I called he vets office and eventually one of the vets called back. She told me, to-date no dog from their practice had a reaction and that she was going to note Sophie's file, tell all the vets in the office about the reaction so they could inform potential buyers that yes, there could be a reaction and will call Bayer on Monday and inform them of what happened. She was very sorry for what happened. She also told me to wash Sophie with Dawn dish soap (used after environmental accidents on wildlife) to wash off the residual product. One of the active ingredients in the oollar is a very powerful insecticide.
> As I said at the start, a lot of dogs don't have reactions, but a few do. I would be negligent if I don't mention this to as many dog owners as I can. If you choose to use the product, be aware that there can be an adverse reaction and know to take the collar off immediately and wash with Dawn soap. It scares me to think what could've happened if I didn't do my own research. BTW - I'm still up tonight bothered by what happened, Sophie's finally sleeping soundly.


I'm so glad I saw your post. I'm on hold with Bayer now. My 4 month old Golden had the same reaction as your dog yesterday when we put the collar on. Radar also had severe eye watering along with the crazy behavior. I would not recommend this collar to anyone.


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## lilylamb

I am very sad for anyone who is unaware of the dangerous side effects of the Seresto flea collars for dogs & cats. I have had the most horrible experience with this toxic product as it had caused severe seizures for my senior girl back in July of 2016. She had it on her neck for less than 2 days. I figured out what was causing her seizures after rushing her to the Vet Emergency Clinic. While driving home, it occurred to me that the Seresto Flea Collar must be causing her seizures. As soon as I returned home (2:00 AM), I immediately googled the side effects of Seresto Flea Collars. I was disappointed in myself that I did not do more research before purchasing this product. Later that morning, I called the Bayer Company to file a report about the negative reactions my dog had with this collar. To get this product off the market, they need a certain amount of complaints before doing so (which is a huge number). I am in disbelief that this product is still be sold to people that are totally unaware of the danger of this product as it is consistently advertised as a safe and effective product. PLEASE educate your family and friends about this product. My girl did survive after being at the Vet Emergency Clinic, which cost me almost $4K. Unfortunately, she passed away the following year from cancer. 

I currently use All Natural Pet Easy Defense Flea and Tick products. They are natural, safe and effective. I purchase the collars and the spray. These products can be purchased from Chewy.com at a decent price. I am very satisfied with All Natural Pet products. No more toxic chemicals will EVER be used on my pets again. My love to all of the wonderful pet parents. God bless you and your pets with love, happy and healthy lives.


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## Rocketmom006

potsalley said:


> *Don't but this flea collar!*
> 
> Today, 3/9/2016 is a sad day for our family. We had to put our beloved 10 yr. old Golden Retriever Cali to sleep. We will never know the exact cause of her problems but I feel it's important to share with everyone.
> 
> About 3 months ago we purchased a Seresto flea collar. It worked great. After about a week her fleas were gone.
> 
> One week ago today she has a violent seizure. As I was preparing to take her to the vet she snapped out of it and seemed normal. The vet said they don't become concerned until after 2-3 seizures. Two days later she had another and I took her in. Her blood work came back fine and the vet said she could possibly have cancer. We could have taken her for more tests to find out what was wrong but at her age I don't know what good it would have done.
> 
> We then researched the flea collar and saw some of the reviews and were shocked. I cut it off, bathed her and hoped for the best.
> 
> Over the weekend the seizures continued. She began to urinate in the house, never has done that. She had trouble keeping her balance and was lethargic. Even when things were good here head would shake. She would also be restless at night and would pace around.
> 
> Monday I picked up pills from the vet for her seizures.
> 
> Yesterday I returned home from work and she couldn't stand up. As I talked to her she could not focus, her eyes rolled upward. I did manage to get her up, she peeed in the house, went outside and pooped but fell over while doing so. When my son came home we spent some quality time on a blanket in out living room feeding her what she loved best...chips. Later I made her favorite, a steak dinner and she loved it.
> 
> My wife slept in our foyer with her last night. About 3am she yelled for me as Cali was having another seizure. I calmed her down and slept the rest of the night with her. We had a vet appointment at 8:30am. I knew why we were going. I was hoping for a miracle but knew what the ultimate decision would be.
> 
> In no way could we leave for work every day knowing she's at home having seizures and suffering. Even as I write this I question if we should have done more, taken her elsewhere. She gave us a great life and we wanted to do the same for her and not let her suffer. What happened to her seems more extreme from what others experienced.
> 
> We will never know if she had cancer or something else. All I know is that I wish we had stuck to Frontline! My gut tells me the collar had something to do with her demise. After reading reviews I just wanted to share with others. Maybe this is more of a problem and the word just isn't out yet.
> 
> RIP..Cali Girl


 re: Cali Girl

I see your entry re: this collar was written quite a few years ago, so you may not see this, but I felt compelled to share my story with you. 

Our dog, Sienna, somehow got mange. I'm not sure which kind it was. The vet ordered special baths, ointments and flea/tick treatments that had to be applied weekly. This went on for at least 2 months, with little change. One night my husband and I woke up to the sound of a heavy thud and a kind of thrashing sound. We flew out of bed and found Sienna was having a severe seizure. We took her to the vet, and they said they think the active ingredients in the flea/tick meds had "accumulated" in her system, and caused a stroke. They said there wasn't anything we could do, and advised we put her to sleep. We were so devastated, and our vet felt terrible. The 45 minute ride home after that was spent in stunned silence.

I realize our vet was using the flea/tick meds in a nonconventional manner to treat the mange. Even so, I know we would have considered other treatment options had we known the risks. I too believe the word should get out.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your sweet, sweet Cali. 

Fondly,
Michelle


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## Ivyacres

I'm so sorry for the loss of your Sienna.


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## dkcollinsjr

I do not own a Golden but i still wanted to share my experience with the Seresto collars. I owned a Black Lab and had always used the flea and tick drops on the nape of the neck and a little on his back. About 4 years before he passed on, I switched to the Seresto collar. I then got 2 St, Bernards when my lab was about 12 years old. My Lab died of cancer at 14 years old. 2 months ago, my female Saint died of Osteo cancer at 7 years old and my male Saint was just diagnosed with Lymphoma and only has less than a month to live. They all had the Seresto collar on. Coincidence, I think not. I will not be using the Seresto collar again and will be using all natural preventatives.


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