Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.

Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

Handwashing biggest contributor to pesticide pollution, study finds
Pet owners washing their hands after administering flea treatment contribute the most to pesticide pollution.
The VMD has announced it will review guidelines.

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has announced it will review companion animal medicine guidelines, after a study revealed the impact of flea treatments on environmental pollution.

The study has shown that pet owners washing their hands in the weeks after administering flea treatments were the biggest contributors to the toxic pesticides fipronil and imidacloprid polluting rivers.

The research, conducted by scientists from the University of Sussex and Imperial College London, examined samples from 98 dogs that had been treated with spot-on fipronil or imidacloprid. They then used these to evaluate the owner’s contribution to water pollution through handwashing, bathing pets or cleaning pet bedding.

The results highlighted owner handwashing as the largest contributor to pesticide pollution, with fipronil or imidacloprid detected on pet owners for at least 28 days after spot-on application to their pet. Although current guidance advises owners to avoid touching their pets for 24 hours after administration, the study reveals that pollution continues for the entire duration of the product.

Campaigners are now calling for a review of the regulatory and prescribing practices surrounding flea and tick treatments.

Josie Cohen, head of policy and campaigns at Pesticides Action Network (PAN) UK, said: “The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world and our rivers are terribly polluted.

“Given that there are plenty of alternative pet medicines available, we should be taking a precautionary approach and removing these chemicals from the market before they can do any more damage.”

The study was commissioned by the VMD, in a move to fill evidence gaps in anti-parasitic research. The agency has now revealed that this has raised sufficient data for them to review the VICH guidelines.

The current guidelines deem the environmental risks of companion animal medicine as ‘negligible’, and so these medicines do not see further risk assessment for environmental exposure.

A spokesperson from the VMD said: “The VMD welcome the findings from this paper and will take them forward internally and within the cross-government Pharmaceuticals in the Environment Group.
 
“At the same time, it is important to highlight that there are several evidence gaps remaining, including the need to understand the impacts that flea and tick treatments have on aquatic ecosystems and the need to understand the negative impacts on animal health and human health in changing possible usage patterns.

“Nevertheless, the VMD now consider there to be sufficient data to support a review of the internationally agreed Environmental Risk Assessment guidelines.”

The full study can be found in the journal Science of The Total Environment.

Image © Shutterstock

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

BEVA gives RVNs right to vote

News Story 1
 The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) is to allow its registered veterinary nurse (RVN) members the right to vote.

RVN members will now be able to take part in key decision-making processes and stand for BEVA council.

Marie Rippingale, chair of BEVA's Nurse Committee, said: "I am very proud to be a part of BEVA.

"This change will help to empower nurses to speak up and contribute, but more importantly, it will give them an opportunity to collaborate with other members of the equine veterinary profession to bring about change that is positive for all." 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Farmer survey to reveal on-farm impact of bluetongue

A nationwide survey has been launched to better understand how the bluetongue virus is affecting UK farms.

Results will inform the support that farmers receive for bluetongue, as well as preparing the livestock industry for the future.

The short online survey is open to all livestock farmers, regardless of whether they've had a confirmed case of bluetongue on their farm. It asks how many animals have been affected, the severity of their clinical signs and how it has impacted farm business.

The survey takes five minutes to complete and is fully anonymous.

It is led by Fiona Lovatt, of Flock Health Limited, and the Ruminant Health & Welfare bluetongue working group, in collaboration with AHDB and the University of Nottingham.

Dr Lovatt says: "We need to find out what level of clinical signs farmers are seeing in their animals, whether they are experiencing mortality with BTV-3 cases, and what their appetite is to vaccinate in future for bluetongue serotype 3."

The survey can be found here.