SERESTO Cat collar

• Remove the collar from its protective bag immediately before use. Unroll the collar and check that the inside is free of any remaining plastic tabs. Loosely fit the collar around your cat's neck (we recommend leaving a gap of 2 fingers between the collar and the neck). Pass the rest of the collar through the buckle and cut off any excess length over 2 cm.
• The collar must be worn continuously during the 8-month protection period and removed at the end of this period. Periodically check the fit of the collar, adjusting it if necessary, especially in the case of rapidly growing kittens.
• This collar is designed with a secure closing mechanism. In the unlikely event of a cat becoming trapped, it will be able to exert sufficient force to widen the collar and quickly free itself.

Route of administration: External use

Composition in active ingredients (for 1 necklace) :

• Excipients : Titanium dioxide (E 171), Black iron oxide (E 172).

• Do not treat kittens under 10 weeks of age.
• Do not use in case of known hypersensitivity to the active ingredients or any of the excipients.

Special warnings :

• Ticks will be killed and detached from the host 24 to 48 hours after infestation, as a general rule without having taken a blood meal.
• Ticks already present on the cat before treatment may not be killed within 48 hours of collar application, and may remain attached and visible. It is therefore advisable to remove any ticks already on the cat at the time of application.
• Prevention of new tick infestations begins within 2 days of applying the collar.
• Ideally, the collar should already be applied before the start of the flea and tick season.
• It is still possible for a tick to attach itself after treatment, so transmission of infectious diseases by ticks cannot be totally ruled out under unfavorable conditions.
• In case of hair loss : As with all long-acting topical products, seasonal periods of heavy hair loss may cause a slight transient reduction in treatment efficacy due to the loss of some of the active ingredients attached to the hair. The release of active ingredients from the collar resumes immediately, so that full effectiveness is restored without further treatment or replacement of the collar.
• For optimum flea control in heavily infested homes, it may be necessary to treat the environment with a suitable insecticide.
• The product is water-resistant and remains effective if the animal is wet. However, prolonged and intense exposure to water or intensive shampooing should be avoided, as this may reduce the product's duration of activity. Studies show that immersion in water or monthly shampooing does not significantly shorten the product's 8-month efficacy against ticks once the active substances have been released onto the coat, while efficacy against fleas gradually diminishes from the 5th month onwards.
• Gestation or breast-feeding: Laboratory studies with either flumethrin or imidacloprid in rats and rabbits have shown no effects on fertility or reproduction, and no teratogenic or fetotoxic effects. However, the safety of the veterinary drug has not been established in the target species during gestation and lactation, and in the absence of available data, use of the product is not recommended in pregnant or lactating cats.
• Overdose : Due to the nature of the collar, overdosage is unlikely and no signs of overdosage are expected. An overdose induced by 5 collars around the neck was studied in adult cats over an 8-month period, and in 10-week-old kittens over a 6-month period.
• No adverse effects were observed except for limited hair loss and mild skin reactions due to mechanical irritation caused by the collar.
• In the unlikely event of ingestion of the collar, mild digestive symptoms (such as loose stools) may occur.
• Keep the sachet containing the collar in its box until use.
• As with any veterinary medication, do not allow young children to play with the collar or put it in their mouths.
• Animals wearing the collar should not be allowed to sleep in the same bed as their owners, especially children.
• People who may be hypersensitive to the collar's ingredients should avoid direct contact with it.
• Immediately dispose of any remnants or scraps of the collar.
• Wash hands with cold water after applying the collar.

Undesirable effects :

• Occasionally, mild pruritus (itching) and/or erythema may be observed in animals unaccustomed to wearing collars, during the first few days after fitting. Make sure the collar is not too tight.
• Limited hair loss and mild skin reactions may occur at the application site, and usually disappear within 1 or 2 weeks without removing the collar.
• In some cases, temporary removal of the collar may be recommended until symptoms disappear.
• In rare cases, mild, transient reactions such as depression, change in food intake, salivation, vomiting and diarrhea may occur.
• As with other topical applications, allergic contact dermatitis may occur in hypersensitive animals.
• If you notice any serious adverse reactions or other effects not listed in this leaflet, please inform your veterinarian.