You should be itching to know about this….

Researchers at the University of Sussex have found widespread contamination of English rivers with two neurotoxic pesticides commonly used in veterinary flea products: fipronil and the neonicotinoid imidacloprid. The concentrations found often far exceeded accepted safe limits.

Rosemary Perkins from the University of Sussex analysed data gathered by the Environment Agency in English waterways between 2016-18. They found that fipronil was detected in 98% of freshwater samples, and imidacloprid in 66%.

Rosemary Perkins, a PhD student at Sussex and a qualified vet, said: "The use of pet parasite products has increased over the years, with millions of dogs and cats now being routinely treated multiple times per year."

So why might this be an issue? Well, for starters these products have been banned across Europe for use on farms, because of their potential impact on pollinators. (although recently it has been allowed again in some countries, including England, for Sugar Beet production).

If you take a look at the advisory label on fipronil, it states that it is highly, to very highly toxic to marine and freshwater fish and that it is also highly toxic to freshwater invertebrates. This, coupled with the fact that they are widely toxic to most land based insects too, shows us that they are potentially a considerable problem, even at very low levels.

Dave Goulson, Professor of Biology at the University of Sussex, who specializes in the ecology and conservation of insects, states that the Seresto dog collar contains 4.5g of imidacloprid, enough Neonicotinoid to kill 1 billion honeybees.

According to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate who funded the research, there are 66 licensed veterinary products containing fipronil in the UK, and 21 containing imidacloprid, either alone or in combination with other parasiticides. These include spot-on solutions, topical sprays and collars impregnated with the active ingredient.

The paper, published in Science of the Total Environment, notes that the highest levels of pollution were found immediately downstream of wastewater treatment works, supporting the hypothesis that significant quantities of pesticide may be passing from treated pets to the environment via household drains.

Also, how often does your adorable mutt love a little swim in your local river, stream or pond – especially in the hot summer months? An action that could be directly impacting on the health of the wildlife that lives there. 

         

 

     

 

                                             

 

 

              Many dogs love a swim!

 

So, what are the alternatives to using pesticides for the treatment of fleas and ticks? This is some advice I have found on-line:

Vacuuming is highly effective at removing fleas in any life stage from their favourite haunts: carpets, cushioned furniture, floor cracks and crevices, and pet play structures. Because vacuuming collects fleas but does not kill them, put some tape over the end of the vacuum cleaner hose to prevent fleas escaping from the bag, or transfer the bag to an outdoor waste bin.

Hot, soapy water acts as an effective means to kill fleas in all life stages with no health risk to pets or people. Wash pet bedding weekly to treat an infestation.  Whenever you are handling pet bedding that may contain flea eggs, fold it up carefully so the eggs do not fall out of the bedding and land on the floor or furniture.

Flea combs are made to remove adult fleas, flea dirt, and dried blood from your pet’s skin and fur. They are highly effective, and pets often enjoy the process. Focus on head and neck but groom your whole pet if possible. Pull the fleas out of the comb and drop them into soapy water before they have a chance to jump away. During active flea infestations, grooming twice daily may be needed; otherwise, several times per week just to check for fleas.

A thorough bath using regular pet shampoo and hot water, kills adult fleas as effectively as flea shampoos and dips that contain pesticides and is safer for you and your pet. Before you fill the tub, start by putting a ring of concentrated soap around your pet’s neck, so they cannot escape from the bath water by crawling onto the pet’s head. Cats prefer grooming to baths, but for dogs or long-haired cats, bathing is a superior control technique.

Finally, ask your vet about oral medications for fleas. In general, oral medications are preferable to spot treatments or flea collars. And do not treat your cat, or any dog that lives with a cat, with any pyrethroid or pyrethrin compound as they are extremely toxic to felines.