Global Trends: Parasite Control in Pets When pets are not protected, the surrounding household is at greater risk

Pets can transmit parasites to people

When pets are not protected, the surrounding household is at greater risk

Some of the parasites that harm pets can also infest or infect people. Parasites like fleas can lead to household infestation, while others like ticks can transmit illness (also known as ‘vector-borne-disease) to pets and people. Controlling parasites in pets protects their health as well as the surrounding household and community.

Tick-borne infections in dogs directly ‘correlates with human cases… and the number is increasing’ according to U.S. researchers1https://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13071-020-04514-3

If prevention products are not used, a household flea infestation requires 3 months to eliminate, according to the European Scientific Counsel for Companion Animal Parasites2https://www.esccap.org/uploads/docs/oqsb8b7j_0687_ESCCAP_General_Recommendations_update_v5.pdf

Parasites increase the burden of disease in people

‘Zoonotic’ parasites affect both people and pets, spreading illness and causing physical harm like bites. This can pose a serious risk to people, particularly children, elderly or immunocompromised groups. For example, in Brazil, 7% of human cases of leishmaniosis – a parasite of “major zoonotic concern” where pets can be a carrier – are fatal.3https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0009567#