For many parasites carried by cats and dogs, prevention is better than cure – but when it comes to protecting pets from fleas, ticks and worms, it may also be cheaper.
Parasites capable of causing or transmitting disease are a growing threat as a result of climate change and increased pet movement. Some of these parasites, such as lungworm, can cause life-threatening disease in pets, while others, such as roundworm and some tapeworms, can also cause debilitating chronic disease in humans.
Many of the most common parasites found in pets, including roundworm, tapeworm, lungworm and fleas, are preventable through regular treatment. The risks to pets with outdoor access can also be minimised by a range of precautions, including preventative treatment.
In fact, the success of control measures in recent years may have contributed to the perception across Europe that the risk of parasites and parasitic disease to pets is low, and therefore, the uptake of preventative measures is low.
Through a combination of low risk perception, cost and lack of awareness, many dogs and cats in the UK are actually now under-protected and left vulnerable to serious health threats – and their owners may be paying the price.
New statistical data from a first-of-its-kind modelling study shows that under-protection against parasites may be costing British pet owners an estimated £42 million a year in preventable veterinary treatment costs.
The study finds that using appropriate regular parasite treatment for at-risk pets could avoid approximately 5.5 million infections in UK dogs and cats each year, which could save UK pet owners around £53 million annually by avoiding or reducing treatment costs for these health issues.
The benefits of parasite control in pets are not limited to savings. Preventing parasitic disease also protects owners’ health, and helps reduce the burden of treatment.
In some cases, the treatment for parasitic disease is far lengthier and more stressful than prevention. Lungworm, for example, can cause respiratory disease and clotting disorders that may require hospitalisation.
Treating pets for preventable parasitic disease also risks contributing to the rise of drug resistance. While resistance among parasites that affect dogs and cats develops more slowly because pets are largely kept in domestic homes and wildlife are also parasite carriers, it remains an ongoing concern. There is currently very little surveillance for drug resistance in European cat and dog parasites, and more is needed.
In the meantime, it is important not to be complacent and ensure parasite treatments are given only where necessary and at the correct dose. However, to date, preventative treatment remains highly effective for most parasites. As such, under optimal levels of compliance among pet owners, the number of averted infections in cats and dogs at risk of exposure could increase by more than 70 per cent, reaching 9.3 million cases prevented annually, with potential savings rising to £95.2 million.
Adequate parasite control is therefore not only essential for both pet and human welfare, but it also has the potential to make pet ownership more affordable and accessible. Prevention spares families both the economic and emotional impact of parasitic disease infections, household infestations with fleas and the risk of cross-species disease.
Parasites are an ever-present threat for pets, but by putting adequate prevention in place, they do not have to mean debilitating and costly ill-health for pets and their owners.
While more rigorous veterinary surveillance systems and targeted guidelines are developed, appropriate parasite control remains one of the most cost-effective strategies for protecting pet health.
Regular and correctly timed use of flea prevention alongside risk-based tick and worming treatments is therefore essential. These treatments, alongside other measures such as responsibly disposing of faeces, good hand hygiene and regular checks, are essential components of parasite control. Protecting pets protects the whole family – from wellbeing to wallet.