My dog was one of the approximately 17.5 million cats and dogs in the UK – about 80% of the total of 22 million – that get regular over-the-counter worm and flea treatment, whether suffering from an infestation or not.
Every sampled nest contained fipronil and 89% contained imidacloprid and permethrin – three insecticides so potent they have been banned for agricultural use in the UK and EU, but can be bought by anyone for use on pets.
One flea treatment of a medium-sized dog contains enough pesticide to kill 60 million bees.
Washing pet bedding in hot water every few weeks and vacuuming sleeping areas help eliminate flea eggs and larvae that live there.
Flea infestations can be fatal, and effective flea treatments must eliminate more than 90% of fleas in the environment.
