Parasite treatments are essential products that protect animal health and welfare by controlling and preventing fleas, ticks, worms, and other parasites. As parasites can also pose a risk to human health, protecting pets from parasites protects our health too! Using these products correctly not only ensures their effectiveness, but it also protects our pets, ourselves, and our shared  environment.

Treat according to you and your pets’ lifestyle and risks. Seek professional advice on treatment type, dose, and frequency from:

• Your vet
• A Suitably Qualified Person at pet retailers
• Reputable online sources, e.g. European Scientific Counsel for Companion Animal Parasites (ESCAAP) guidelines on the control and prevention of parasites (Guidelines | ESCCAP).

Before using a treatment, always read the information and follow the instructions on the packaging and leaflet.

DO:

• Do treat according to the specific risks facing you and your pet based on your lifestyle, home environment, travel and other relevant risk factors. If unsure, seek advice from your vet, a Suitably Qualified Person at pet retailers, or from reputable online sources.
• Do treat all animals in the household and seek professional advice if dealing with an infestation.
• Do use the correct treatment for your type of pet and ensure the dose is
  correct for your animal’s size. For example, use only cat treatments on cats, as products suitable for dogs may severely harm cats’ health.
• Do dispose of packaging, applicators, and unused medicines responsibly. If you are uncertain about the proper disposal methods, seek guidance from your local authority. It may be possible with permission to return unused treatments to your veterinary practice for disposal.
• Do pick up and dispose of animal faeces responsibly via designated poo bins or in the general waste bin if designated bins are not available.
• Do check the product packaging for information before washing your pet, or having your pet professionally groomed, or allowing it to swim after treatment.

DON’T:

• Don’t wash/bathe or let your pet swim in watercourses for the interval time indicated in the label after applying a spot-on treatment or when using a treated collar if packaging states it needs to be avoided.
• Don’t dispose of any treatment down household drains, e.g. flushing down toilets, sinks, or drains.
• Don’t wash or rinse the treatment applicator or tablet packaging before
  disposing of it responsibly.

The safety, quality, and effectiveness of pet parasite treatments is reviewed by independent scientific regulators before these products are placed on the market. This process considers the benefits and potential risks of treatment to animal, human, and environmental health.

As the regulatory process helps identify the potential risks of treatments, it also help develop user and safety warnings, which can be found in the product information. Therefore, reading and following this information before using a treatment is important to reduce potential risks and to protect you, your pet, and the environment. Without the benefits of treatment outweighing the risks, pet parasite treatments would not be authorised and available to use.

In order to continuously monitor the safety and effectiveness of pet parasite treatments, it is important to report any problems you encounter when using the product, such as any side effects or if the product does not work as expected. You can report problems to your vet, the VMD (Veterinary Medicines Directorate, regulator of veterinary medicines in the UK), or directly to the company that manufactures the product (information available in the leaflet or on the packaging).