Listen: treating your pet without vet advice

With Covid-19 continuing to restrict vet visits, results from a new study by MSD Animal Health highlight the importance of pet owner education to reduce the risk of flea infestations.

Highlights from The Big Flea Project:

• 1 in 2 cats (53%) and 1 in 3 dogs (39%) seen by practices had received no flea treatments.
• 1 in 4 cats (28%) and 1 in 7 dogs (14%) observed to have fleas, there is a clear risk of associated diseases in both pets and humans.
• 11% of fleas found on cats and dogs were shown to be carrying Bartonella bacteria and a further 5% carrying Rickettsia felis bacteria – both of which can cause disease in animals and humans.
• Pets treated with fipronil-based medication had significantly higher flea infestation rates than all other products, whilst those treated with fluralaner-based vet prescriptions had the lowest infestation rates.
• Seeking veterinary advice is key in addressing persistent flea infestations among pets that may be due to owners not complying with the treatment guidelines or not applying the treatment correctly.

Aston spoke to Professor Richard Wall, professor of zoology at the University of Bristol to discuss the research in further detail and he was also on hand to offer advice on how to protect your pets.

Photo by Erik-Jan Leusink on Unsplash