Flea collar technology has developed considerably since the early days. Significant improvements to how some collars work means there are now newer options that give pet owners a highly effective way of protecting dogs and cats from a dreaded flea or tick infestation. Plus, they’re a convenient solution because they usually offer long-lasting protection for months at a time.
But how do flea collars work? With so many options out there, it can be difficult to know what to choose to suit your pet and your family.
Use our helpful guide on how flea collars work to help you make an informed decision about the right flea collar for you.
How do flea collars work?
Flea collars work in various ways and there are many types of collar design.
- Older style collars - The older style collars often have active ingredients coating the outer surface of the collar, rather than embedded within it. This means that the amount of active ingredient they release may not always be consistent, and they may become less effective over time; it’s also possible that some of the active ingredients may get transferred onto you when you handle the collar. Older collars aren’t always designed with safety mechanisms, which can be a concern, especially for cat owners.
- Newer style collars - More recent collars, such as the Seresto flea and tick control collar, are designed differently. Although the collar may look just like simple plastic, it’s actually made of a highly innovative polymer matrix, and the active ingredients (imidacloprid for fleas and flumethrin for ticks) are embedded within the matrix of the collar. These ingredients are released when the collar comes into contact with your pet’s skin and coat, so you won’t get any ingredients on your skin from simply touching the collar. The active ingredients spread throughout your pet’s skin, providing an invisible layer of protection, and this layer is continuously topped up at a slow and steady rate, providing up to 8 months’ protection from fleas and ticks.
How do I choose a flea collar for my dog or cat?
To help narrow down options and choose the right flea collar fit for your furry friend, it’s a good idea to find out the answers to these key questions when researching:
How is the collar designed?
As mentioned above, older style collars often have the active ingredients coating the surface of the collar, and may result in the amount of active ingredient being delivered to your pet being variable over time. Seresto flea and tick control collar is made with advanced technology which allows the active ingredients to be stored inside the collar’s matrix. The ingredients are then released at a slow and steady rate for up to eight months.
For how long will the collar protect my cat or dog from fleas?
One of the biggest benefits of using flea collars over many other flea treatments, is how long they remain effective. It can be beneficial for your pet and your budget to choose a collar that offers long-term protection. Seresto flea and tick control collar remains effective for up to eight months, offering the longest lasting protection from fleas and ticks in a single application.
What are the safety features of the flea collar?
As we know, our pets have all sorts of adventures and can occasionally get themselves into trouble. Every Seresto flea and tick control collar has been designed with a ratchet-release mechanism, which allows the collar to widen, should your pet become trapped. The collar for cats and small dogs also has a pre-determined breaking point, which allows the collar to break entirely if enough force is applied.
Seresto Flea and Tick Control Collar – An innovative flea and tick collar
Seresto flea and tick control collar protects your pet from fleas and ticks for up to eight months in a single application. Simply place our collar onto your pet to benefit from the longest-lasting flea and tick protection available in a single application. With its steady, slow-release dosing, the collar is able to kill fleas and ticks before they get the chance to bite1. When your pet wears a Seresto flea and tick control collar, it shows they’re happy, healthy and protected with pride - without the need for a prescription.
- Long-lasting - Seresto flea and tick control collar’s steady, slow-release dosing spreads naturally across your pet’s body through their skin and coat for all-over protection for up to eight months.
- No need for parasites to bite - The collar is able to repel and kill ticks, and kill fleas through contact without the need for biting1. It also acts to kill flea larvae, helping to break the flea lifecycle.
- Peace of mind for the whole family - You can be confident that the active ingredients contained in Seresto flea and tick control collar are locked away within the collar matrix, and are released when they come into contact with your pet’s skin and coat, which means the collar is non-greasy and odour free.
In order for Seresto flea and tick control collar to be effective, it needs to be worn by your pet continuously for up to eight months. The safety features of the collar help give you peace of mind, so that your pet can continue to live their normal active lifestyle.
- Ready for adventure - The collar is water resistant and will keep working after a plunge so you don’t need to worry about taking it off when your dog swims. However, prolonged, intense exposure to water or extensive shampooing should be avoided as the duration of activity may be reduced.2
References:
*1. Mehlhorn et al. Parasitol Res (2001) 87:198-207, information is regarding mode of action and is not intended to relate to speed of kill or to imply parasites can be completely stopped from biting. An attachment of single ticks after treatment cannot be excluded; for this reason, a transmission of infectious diseases cannot be completely excluded if conditions are unfavourable
2. Studies shows that monthly shampooing or water immersion does not significantly shorten the 8 months efficacy duration for ticks after redistribution of the active substances in the coat whereas the product’s flea efficacy gradually decreased, starting in the 5th month.
