Pets and pesticide poisoning

Pets and pesticide poisoning November 2023

Glossary of acronyms and key terms

Useful terminology:

BSAVA British Small Animal Veterinary Association BVA

British Veterinary Association

Active substance – The chemically active part of a manufactured product. For example, glyphosate is the active substance found in the ‘plant protection product’ RoundUp.

BVZS

British Veterinary Zoological Society

Broad-spectrum – Effective against a wide variety of organisms.

CRD

Chemicals Regulation Division

Defra

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

DDT

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane

HHP

Highly Hazardous Pesticide

HSE

Health and Safety Executive

PPE

Personal Protective Equipment

VMD

Veterinary Medicines Directorate

VPIS

Veterinary Poisons Information Service

Cocktail effect - UK citizens and the natural environment are being exposed to potentially harmful mixtures of pesticides.

These mixtures appear in our food, water and soil and can affect the health of both humans and wildlife. There is a growing body of evidence that pesticides can become more harmful when combined.

Plant protection product – A manufactured product designed to be used on crops or other plants. In addition to including one or more active substance, plant protection products also contain other ingredients which together make up the final product.

Parasiticide – a veterinary medicine designed to kill parasites, such as ticks, fleas and worms.

Pesticide – An umbrella term which refers to a suite of chemical substances including, but not limited to, herbicides (weedkillers), insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides and parasiticides.

Prophylactic use – Preventative treatment as opposed to therapeutic use which treats an existing problem.

Route of exposure – The way in which people or other living organisms come into contact with a hazardous substance.

Veterinary medicine – Medicinal products used to treat, prevent or diagnose disease in animals. They tend to contain one or more active substance, in addition to other ingredients.

Descriptions of pesticide impacts on human health and the environment mentioned in this report: Environmental • ‘Highly toxic to bees’– This classification is assigned if the LD50 (lethal dose 50%) for acute and dermal absorption by honey bees is lower than 2 micrograms per bee (μg/ bee). The value of LD50 for a substance is the dose required to kill half the members of a tested population after a specified test duration. A lower LD50 is indicative of increased toxicity as it shows that it takes less of a substance to kill half the population.

• ‘Groundwater contaminant’ – Strict limits are set for pesticides in groundwater due to the potential for them to negatively impact drinking water quality and aquatic ecosystems. In order to maintain the integrity of groundwater sources, a precautionary limit of 0.1µg/L is set for pesticides. Some pesticides regularly exceed this limit and are therefore classified as groundwater contaminants.

• ‘Toxic to aquatic organisms’ – Pesticides characterised as very highly toxic to aquatic organisms, have a lethal or environmental concentration LC/EC50 [48h] of < 0.1mg/l.1

Human health • ‘Endocrine disruptor’ – Interferes with hormone systems and can cause birth defects, developmental disorders and reproductive problems such as infertility.

• ‘Carcinogen’ – Capable of causing different types of cancer, including leukaemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

• ‘Developmental or reproductive toxin’ – Have adverse effects on sexual function and fertility in both adults and children, and can reduce the number and functionality of sperm and cause miscarriages.

• ‘Cholinesterase Inhibitor’ – Reduce the ability of nerve cells to pass information to each other and can impair the respiratory system and cause confusion, headaches and weakness.

• ‘Acute toxicity’ – Adverse effects of an active substance that result either from a single exposure or from multiple exposures in a short period of time (usually under 24 hours). Effects of acute poisoning can range from itchy eyes and breathing difficulties to death.

• ‘Bioaccumulative’ - Bioaccumulation occurs when an organism accumulates substances, such as pesticides, at a faster rate than they can eliminate them via excretion or other mechanisms.

PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

Contents Executive summary

4

Key recommendations

7

Introduction

8

Routes of pesticide exposure

10

Symptoms of acute pesticide poisoning

16

What to do if you suspect your pet has been exposed to pesticides

18

Veterinary pesticides (with a focus on parasiticides)

19

Potential negative effects of tick and flea treatment on pets

20

Potential negative effects of tick and flea treatments on human health

20

Potential negative effects of tick and flea treatments on the environment

23

Conflicting advice to pet owners on the use of parasiticides

24

Regulation and sale of parasiticides and other veterinary medicines

24

How has the pesticide industry shaped our use of parasiticides?

27

Pesticides not permitted for use on UK crops but approved for use on pets

29

A need for more research

32

Full recommendations

33

Annex 1: Key data sources underpinning report findings

35

Annex 2: Overlap between active substances used in UK veterinary medicines and plant protection products

37

References

39

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PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

Executive summary and key recommendations The UK is a nation of pet lovers and home to roughly 10 million dogs, 11 million cats and 1 million pet rabbits.

More than half of UK adults have at least one pet, and the vast majority take the health of their animals very seriously, collectively spending billions of pounds on veterinary services every year.

As public concern regarding the impacts of pesticides on wildlife and human health has risen in recent years, so too has the worry that our pets are being exposed to a cocktail of pesticides. However, with almost no monitoring of pet poisoning incidents conducted by the government, and very little academic research on the topic, we remain largely in the dark over the extent and true nature of the problem.

The figures we do have – from the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) which operates a members-only emergency hotline – show a 55% increase in numbers of pesticide-related poisoning enquiries between 2019 and 2021 (the most recent year for which data is available), with the number rising from 1,548 in 20192 to 2,413 in 20213. However, these figures only reflect the pet poisoning cases reported to VPIS and are therefore likely to be a gross underestimation. That is why we have chosen to write this report – to shine a light on a largely invisible problem that is most likely affecting hundreds, if not thousands, of people and their pets every year.

How are pets directly exposed to pesticides?

Pets are exposed to pesticides through a multitude of different routes. There are hundreds of different pesticide active substances and thousands of pesticide products approved for use in the UK. The vast majority of pesticide use takes place in the countryside in order to grow crops. With some fields treated with

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pesticides up to twenty times each season4, pets can be exposed when walking in or near treated crops, potentially absorbing pesticide residues through the pads on their paws. It is also common for pets to eat contaminated grass and drink from puddles, ponds or rivers containing chemicals that have run off agricultural fields. Pesticide spray drift can hang in the air, exposing pets walking on countryside footpaths or spending time in rural gardens.

Our towns and cities are not much safer, as the majority of local councils and other land managers use pesticides to manage weeds on pavements, paths, parks, playgrounds and other urban spaces.

Land managers are not required to provide any warning, either before or after pesticide application has taken place. It is therefore impossible for pet owners to avoid treated areas and our pets may inadvertently walk, play or lay down on ground that has recently been sprayed. Many home owners also use pesticides to manage ‘pests’ such as weeds, insects, rodents, slugs and snails in their gardens, without knowledge of the harmful effects these may be having on their pets. Rodenticides (or rat poisons) are designed to both attract and kill mammals and therefore pose a particularly high risk to pets.

Symptoms of acute pesticide poisoning (single incident exposure) in cats and dogs can include vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling, irritation to the skin or eyes, chemical burns, breathing problems, lethargy, disorientation, seizures and even death.5 While instances of acute pet poisoning are sometimes studied and recorded, there is almost no research on the long-term, chronic effects on pets’ health of regular, ongoing direct exposure to pesticides that have been linked to diseases in humans such as cancer.

What have parasiticides (veterinary medicines) got to do with pesticides?

In addition to the various ways in which pets can accidentally come into contact with pesticides used in both urban and rural areas, the majority of pets are also intentionally exposed to pesticides via

PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

parasiticides. Parasiticides are veterinary medicines which are used to kill parasites, primarily ticks, fleas, lice and worms. While UK-specific figures are hard to come by, the global market for veterinary medicines aimed at ‘companion animals’ (a category which include dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, birds, guinea pigs and select other small mammals, small reptiles and fish) was worth £11.6 billion in 2022 and is estimated to reach £15.8 billion by 2027.6 According to the UK government’s Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), there are 1,334 parasiticide products approved for use in the UK.7 They come in different forms with the most common being spot-on solutions, tablets, or collars. In recent decades it has become the norm for vets to encourage pet owners to use tick and flea treatments regularly on their pets prophylactically, whether they are needed or not. Today, an estimated 80% of dogs and 82% of cats are regularly treated for fleas in the UK.8 Pesticide active substances included in parasiticides include chemicals that have been linked to a range of serious chronic diseases, including cancer. Despite this, many parasiticide products are available without prescription and can be bought over the counter or online, making accidents more likely to happen. Pet owners with the best of intentions may use the wrong product for their pet, or administer an incorrect dose in terms of the weight or age of their pet which can result in adverse health effects. Even when all the instructions are followed correctly, the reality is that we know almost nothing about the possible chronic (long term) impact on our pets of being treated regularly and over long periods of time with parasiticides.

Do parasiticides pose a risk to human health?

While parasiticides can be important in terms of preventing the transmission of zoonotic diseases from pets to their owners, the chemicals they contain may also be affecting the health of people living in the same household as treated animals. Fipronil and permethrin – pesticide active substances commonly found in tick and flea treatments – have both been found to have links to cancer and are also suspected endocrine disruptors, which means they can interfere with hormone systems causing an array of health problems. 9,10 Once a spot-on treatment has been applied, or the pet is wearing the designated flea and tick collar, it is extremely difficult for humans to avoid regular exposure to the pesticides included in the product. With the majority of pets in regular

physical contact with their families, and many allowed to spend time on carpets, sofas and beds, it is unlikely that external tick and flea treatments are contained to the target animal. This is especially true when there are young children in the home who tend to touch pets’ bedding, toys or clothes, all of which will have come into contact with chemicals.

Not only are children more likely to be exposed, they are also more vulnerable to the effects of pesticides for a range of reasons including the fact that the systems their bodies use to deal with toxins are not as advanced which can make them less able to cope with these substances than adults. Since their bodies are still in development, incidents of exposure that would be tolerated by adults, can cause irreversible damage to unborn babies, infants and adolescents.11 Do parasiticides pose a risk to the environment?

Pesticide active substances contained in parasiticides are also leaching into the natural environment through a range of pathways, including bathing pets and washing their bedding, allowing pets to swim in rivers, and urinary and faecal excretions.12 A recent study by researchers at Sussex University found fipronil in 100% and imidacloprid in 70% of English rivers they tested. While these two active substances have not been permitted for use on UK crops for a number of years due to the harms they cause, they continue to be found in tick and flea treatments.

Both active substances are highly toxic to bees, with a single dose on a large dog of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid enough to kill millions of honeybees.13 The study found that, between 2016 and 2018, concentrations of fipronil far exceeded accepted safe limits, with concentrations of imidacloprid also exceeding safe limits in 7 out of 20 sites.14 With the highest levels of pollution found immediately downstream of wastewater treatment works, assumptions have been made that these pesticides are largely originating from household drains, a hypothesis that seems to confirm the link back to pets.

Garcia

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PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

What can be done to reduce the harms caused by pesticides included in parasiticides?

Significant contributors to this environmental contamination are five pesticide active substances that are not allowed to be used on agricultural crops due to their impact on human health and/or the environment. All five are highly toxic to bees, two are known to contaminate groundwater, two have links to cancer and two are suspected endocrine disrupters (see Table 2 on page 30 for the list of active substances).

Despite being deemed too harmful for use on crops, these active substances continue to be used widely in pet medicines. This illogical situation is caused by the fact that the UK approves pesticide active substances for use on crops and those used as veterinary medicines under two completely separate regulatory regimes, even when it is the same chemical.

This is no small problem. In 2013, the final year during which imidacloprid was approved for use on agricultural crops in the UK, 5,407kg of active substance were applied.15 In 2017, the amount of imidacloprid used in flea and tick treatments sold by the main UK manufacturer alone totalled 4,000kg of active substance.16 Efforts to prevent imidacloprid from leaching into the environment and affecting wildlife are therefore being undermined by the chemical’s continued use on pets.17

is especially concerning due to a growing body of evidence that pesticides can become more harmful when combined, a phenomenon known as the ‘cocktail effect’.18 Despite this, safety assessments are only carried out for one pesticide at a time and combinatory effects are ignored, a fact worth bearing in mind when considering pet poisoning.

What does the future hold?

The pesticide industry has shaped the use of parasiticides over time by focussing upon the most severe health impacts that can be experienced by both pets and humans as a result of parasites.19.

This has encouraged unnecessary, prophylactic use over the past few decades during which time the number of products available has grown enormously. Business is booming. But as public concern regarding the impacts of parasiticides increases, it is vital that the UK government takes control of the situation.

More broadly, there is an ever-growing movement in the UK pushing to reduce pesticide use in order to protect human health and halt biodiversity declines.

If we can make the transition away from toxic pesticides and invest in safer and more sustainable alternatives, it won’t just benefit people and wildlife but will also be a big win for the nation’s pets.

PAN UK and its allies are calling for a ban on all pesticide active substances (a total of five) that are not permitted for use on agricultural crops from being included in veterinary medicines for dogs and cats. This would still leave plenty of alternative products on the market for dealing with parasites and could potentially have a significant impact in terms of preventing environmental and human health harms.

It is highly possible that we will never fully understand how the leaching of these chemicals into our homes, waterways and the wider environment is impacting upon the health of pets, humans and wildlife. The true impacts of these active substances are poorly understood when looked at individually, let alone when the cumulative impact of exposure to tens, or even hundreds, of chemicals found in food, medicines and the external environment is considered. This

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Hetty

PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

Key recommendations: See page 33 for full recommendations.

For vets:

For the UK Government:

• Promote alternative veterinary medicines that do not contain pesticide active substances.

• To end pet poisoning in urban settings and gardens, commit to phasing out the use of all non-agricultural pesticides.

• To reduce pet poisoning in rural settings, introduce ambitious pesticide reduction targets and a comprehensive package of support to help UK farmers transition over to safer and more sustainable non-chemical alternatives.

• Develop an adequate reporting system so that pet owners are able to report incidents of pet poisoning.

• Ban all pesticide active substances that are not permitted for use on agricultural crops from being included in veterinary medicines for pets.

• Close the current loophole to ensure that any pesticide active substance deemed to be too harmful to be used on crops in the future is automatically banned from appearing in veterinary medicines for pets.

• Adapt the approvals process for veterinary medicines to include consideration of potential human health and environmental harms.

• Wherever possible, discourage pet owners from prophylactic use of veterinary medicines that contain pesticide active substances.

• Provide guidance to pet owners on the potential risks to human health and the natural environment associated to the use of veterinary medicines that contain pesticide active substances.

• Report incidents of pesticide poisoning in pets to the Veterinary Poisons Information Service.

For pet owners: • Do not use pesticide products in your home or garden. Ensure that containers of pesticides are stored safely and securely in a place which cannot be accessed by pets.

• Do not use antiparasitic products that contain pesticide active substances. Ask a vet to recommend one of the many alternative products.

• Fund research into less-toxic, and ideally nonchemical, antiparasitic products for pets.

• Consider ending the prophylactic use of antiparasitic products and, instead, monitor for parasites and only treat your pet if a problem emerges.

For local councils and the amenity sector:

For farmers:

• Phase out the use of pesticides and transition over to using the array of available non-chemical alternatives.

• Do not apply pesticides near paths or buildings or when weather conditions are poor.

• Give the public advance notice of spray schedules and communicate clearly (via physical signage) when an area has recently been treated with pesticides so that pet owners can avoid exposure.

• Put up signs to notify passers-by when spraying is likely to happen and when it has recently taken place.

• If pet owners report a suspected pet poisoning incident, provide them with the details of the pesticide product used to aid a speedy diagnosis and treatment plan.

For supermarkets and pet shops: • Immediately end the sale of veterinary medicine products for pets that contain pesticide active substances and increase the offer of less-toxic and non-chemical alternatives.

Zany

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PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

Introduction The UK is a nation of pet lovers.

According to the latest figures, 52% of adults have at least one pet, with 27% owning dogs, 24% cats and 2% rabbits. These high ownership figures mean that the UK is home to 10.2 million dogs, 11.1 million cats and 1 million pet rabbits.20

and cholinesterase inhibitors (that reduce the ability of nerve cells to pass information to each other). In addition to these chronic health effects, pesticides can also be acutely toxic. This means that they can lead to adverse health effects from a single exposure or from multiple exposures in a short period of time (usually under 24 hours). In both humans and pets, effects of acute pesticide poisoning can range from itchy eyes and breathing difficulties to seizures and death.

Just as ubiquitous as our beloved pets, is the UK’s use of pesticides. By their very definition, pesticides are poisons designed to kill living things, most notably plants, insects and rodents. ‘Pesticides’ is an umbrella term which refers to a suite of chemical substances including, but not limited to, herbicides (weedkillers), insecticides, rodenticides and fungicides. The vast majority of pesticide use in the UK (around 95%) takes place within the agriculture sector, but pesticides are also used in homes, gardens and in public urban spaces such as parks and on pavements. They appear as residues in the majority of food eaten by humans and animals alike, and are also present in many of our waterways. Pesticides are also intentionally applied to cats, dogs and rabbits via regular flea and tick treatments, many of which contain insecticides that are classified as Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) due to their impact on health or the environment.21

Very little research has been conducted on the impact of pesticides on pets and there is no systematic or comprehensive monitoring of the issue in the UK. Government bodies potentially responsible for monitoring the issue – a list which includes the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Natural England and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) – do not collate, analyse nor publish data on incidences of pet poisoning.

PAN UK is contacted regularly by members of the public who either know, or suspect, their pet has been poisoned by pesticides, but we have nowhere to send them. We also often come across articles in local media reporting pesticide poisoning of animals, especially dogs. More comprehensive monitoring, and publication of the collected data, would enable policymakers to identify where to prioritise efforts aimed at better protecting pets from pesticides.

It has long been accepted that pesticides have the potential to cause serious harm to human health, with vulnerable groups such as pregnant people, young children and the elderly most affected. Pesticides are classified by their health impacts which include carcinogens (capable of causing cancer), endocrine disruptors (which interfere with hormone systems)

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That is why we have chosen to write this report – to shine a light on a currently invisible problem that is most likely affecting hundreds, if not thousands, of people and their pets every year. There is an ever-growing movement in the UK pushing to reduce pesticide use in order to protect human health and halt biodiversity declines. If we can make the transition away from toxic pesticides and invest in safer and more sustainable alternatives, it won’t just benefit people and wildlife but will also be a big win for the nation’s pets.

PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

Pet poisoning data in the UK

– the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) The VPIS, founded in 1992, works to fill the data collection void on poisonings. It has collected 30 years’ worth of data consisting of around 300,000 cases. VPIS runs a helpline for vets and pet owners, with both having to pay a service fee.22 They told PAN UK that around 80% of vets in the UK are members. In its most recently published annual report from 2021, they state Lucie that 2,413 (7.2%) of the poisons they were contacted about could be 23 classified as a pesticide. Looking at data for the two previous years, shows that the numbers of enquiries regarding pets being poisoned by pesticides is on the rise. In 2019 and 2020, VPIS recorded 1,54824 and 2,04525 pesticide poisoning enquiries respectively. This shows a 55% increase in just two years.

These figures only reflect the pet poisoning cases reported to VPIS and are therefore likely to be a gross underestimation, since many incidences remain unreported and therefore invisible.

VPIS’ data is not publicly available. However, they kindly provided PAN UK with figures for five active substances of particular concern. We requested details on these particular substances because they are the pesticides most frequently reported as the cause of poisonings in pets and wildlife according to the UK Government’s Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme.26 Table 1. VPIS data on reported pet poisoning incidents for five pesticide active substances, 1992 to 202127 Pesticide active substance

Reason for inclusion in data

Classified as a Highly Hazardous Pesticide (HHP)?

Environmental and/or human health impacts

Number of pet poisoning incidences reported to VPIS 1992 -2001

2002 -2011

2012 -2021

Difenacoum

Common rodenticide

Yes

• Acutely toxic • Highly bioaccumulative

565

3,754

3,298

Bromadiolone

Common rodenticide

Yes

• Acutely toxic • Developmental or reproductive toxin

418

3,755

2,417

Permethrin

Found in dog flea treatments, can be toxic for cats, banned for use on crops

Yes

• Highly toxic to bees • Carcinogen • Endocrine disruptor

251

2,358

688

Glyphosate

Most widely used pesticide in the UK

Yes

• Carcinogen

155

929

728

Fipronil

Found in dog and cat flea treatments, can be poisonous for rabbits, no products ever approved for use on crops.

Yes

• Highly toxic to bees • Groundwater contaminant • Carcinogen • Endocrine disruptor

28

579

375

While this data is far from comprehensive, it does reveal that pet poisoning by pesticides is a problem worthy of investigation. This is especially true since most poisoning incidents go unreported and therefore aren’t reflected in these figures.

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Routes of pesticide exposure Pets are exposed to pesticides in a range of ways and a variety of locations.

There are hundreds of different pesticide active substances approved for use in the UK. Roughly 40 of these chemicals are permitted for use in UK towns and cities28, with more than 400 approved in farming29. These chemicals are packaged and sold as thousands of different pesticide products.30 In addition, many tick and flea treatments used on pets contain more than one pesticide active substance. It is therefore probable that pets are directly exposed to multiple pesticides at a time. Just like humans, they are also exposed to numerous pesticides via residues in the food they eat.

This ongoing exposure to tens (or even hundreds) of different chemicals is especially concerning due to a growing body of evidence that pesticides can become more harmful when combined, a phenomenon known as the ‘cocktail effect’.31 Despite this, the regulatory system designed to protect us from pesticides looks solely at individual chemicals and safety assessments are only carried out for one pesticide at a time. Combinatory effects of multiple pesticides are therefore ignored by the system, which is worth bearing in mind when considering pet poisoning.

Here is a description of the main routes through which pets might be directly exposed to pesticides:

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Urban areas A wide range of pesticides are sprayed in towns and cities. The vast majority are herbicides used to remove unwanted plants for cosmetic reasons.

While glyphosate-based weedkillers are by far the most common, making up at least 75% of the total, a range of other chemicals are used including MCPA and 2-4,D.32 Local councils are the main users, spraying pesticides in parks, playgrounds and other green spaces, road verges, cemeteries, pavements and around council houses. However, there are also many other landowners that use pesticides including university campuses, car parks, hospitals, private housing developments, shopping centres and schools.

There is no obligation for pesticide users to inform the public either before or after spraying has taken place. Maps or schedules for spraying routes are not made publicly available, even by councils let alone private land managers. As a result, it is impossible to know when an urban space has been treated with pesticides and pet owners are unable to keep their animals away from treated areas to avoid exposing them to toxic chemicals. This is particularly true for dogs who are likely to spend time in parks and other green spaces that have been treated. They consume pesticides orally by eating grass, licking the ground and drinking from ponds and puddles. They can also be exposed via dermal absorption (through skin) which can occur when they lie on treated ground.

While most towns and cities in the UK use pesticides in urban public spaces, there are 50 councils that have already gone pesticide-free and an additional 80 that are well on the way.33 As more councils transition over to non-chemical alternatives, the risk posed to pets will decrease. While significant progress is being made, there is still a long way to go towards securing a UK-wide ban on urban pesticide use.

PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

CASE STUDY Urban poisoning - Cindy the Rottweiler In 2017, Cindy – a rottweiler from Manchester – had to be put down due to suspected glyphosate poisoning.

She was a fit and healthy eight-year old dog who developed sudden and severe neurological symptoms, including cluster seizures, after dozing for an hour on the grass in Marie Louise Gardens in Didsbury, Manchester. She weighed 40kg which is roughly equivalent to a 12-year old child.

The attending vet that examined Cindy after her symptoms first developed suggested that she may have been poisoned by organophosphates, a group of pesticides known to be particularly toxic to humans. However, this diagnosis was discounted since there are only a handful of organophosphates approved for use in the UK (none of which are allowed to be used in urban areas) and therefore the likelihood of Cindy being exposed to such a chemical was highly unlikely.

Sadly, Cindy’s symptoms worsened and so she had to be euthanized just 36 hours after they first appeared and before any toxicological tests could take place. Given that there were no indications that her sudden symptoms were due to chemical exposure, Cindy’s owner had her body cremated with no further testing.

It was a few days later that Cindy’s owner returned to the same park and saw the tell-tale yellowy brown patches which indicated that a herbicide had been used. He contacted his local council and was able to discover that a glyphosate-based weedkiller had been sprayed by their contractor on the paths in the park earlier on the same day that Cindy’s symptoms first appeared. Areas of grass around the paths had also been sprayed accidentally. It was precisely one of these areas where Cindy had been resting, lying with the soft, relatively hairless skin on her stomach making contact with the grass for approximately 60 minutes.

There was no way for Cindy’s owner to know that the park had been sprayed with pesticides. There were no warning signs, either before or after application took place. This is standard practice since there are no legal requirements to let the public know when an area is about to be, or has been, treated. As a result of this opacity, pet owners may be unaware that their pet has come into contact with a pesticide making it hard for vets to correctly diagnose or treat the problem. They are also unlikely to recommend that toxicological tests are carried out since there is no obvious reason to suspect pesticide poisoning.

Following Cindy’s death, both her owner and PAN UK contacted experts to try to understand if glyphosate poisoning could be the cause. The conclusion was that it was perfectly plausible that a dog that came into contact with freshly sprayed glyphosate could have been affected and suffered severe symptoms, and that acute poisoning could lead to death. In fact, Cindy’s symptoms were consistent with those shown for glyphosate in the veterinary poisons manual. For Cindy, the main route of exposure was most likely dermal (through the skin) since she lay on the grass for a considerable amount of time. She could also have been exposed orally, by eating treated grass or playing with objects that had come into contact with glyphosate such as a ball or sticks.

Cindy

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PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

Countryside The vast majority of UK pesticide use (roughly 95%) continues to be used for agriculture. Over 400 different active substances34 and roughly 2,900 pesticide products35 are approved for use in farming, meaning that people and pets can be exposed to a wide range of different chemicals when living in a rural location or even just going for a countryside walk.

Fields of crops may be treated with pesticides up to twenty times (and sometimes more) per growing season.36 Pesticide droplets or dust can move through the air during, or soon after, application.

This process, known as ‘spray drift’, is more likely to occur in windy weather and can expose rural pets to toxic pesticides. The UK has no requirement for the establishment of buffer zones between pesticide

spraying in fields and nearby homes or other buildings frequented by the public. As a result, pets that live next to agricultural fields, particularly those that live outside such as rabbits, are likely to be repeatedly exposed to pesticide drift.

Pesticide run-off from treated fields is also a major problem, with many of the UK’s rivers now showing high-levels of chemical contamination.37 Pets drinking from rural rivers and ponds (or even puddles) are likely to be consuming pesticide residues and dogs may swim in contaminated water.

As with garden and urban pesticides, pets are also at risk in rural areas from eating treated grass and plants. They may also absorb pesticides through their skin and so walking through treated crops can pose a risk to their health.

Twiggy

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PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

CASE STUDY Rural poisoning - Scooby the Lurcher Scooby the lurcher lived in rural Northamptonshire, surrounded by agricultural fields. His owners loved taking him on long walks through the countryside but noticed that he would often return with sore paws and later develop a very upset stomach. They couldn’t understand what was causing Scooby’s tummy troubles and so, thinking the problem must be related to diet, tried changing his food numerous times. However, Scooby’s health problems continued regardless of which food they gave him.

It was when one of Scooby’s owners was walking alongside a local canal that the penny dropped. She noticed that all the vegetation by the canal had turned a dark yellow, brownish colour and realised that it must have been sprayed with a herbicide. She had already been wondering whether Scooby’s health problems could be caused by some sort of poisoning and, when she spotted the treated plants, she decided to explore the issue further. Her research revealed that dogs could, in fact, be affected negatively by exposure to pesticides and she set about finding walking routes that avoided ongoing spraying and treated fields. No easy task in the agricultural area where she lives.

From then on, Scooby’s owners started jumping in the car to get away from the pesticide-treated fields close to their home with the aim of finding new walks where they wouldn’t be exposed to chemicals. They criss-crossed the county, often changing direction mid-walk to avoid crops. Sometimes this tactic worked but other times there would be no option but to walk through areas that had been recently sprayed. When this happened, Scooby’s stomach problems would return. His owners discovered that the problem wasn’t just with walking through fields of crops but also footpaths, many of which Northamptonshire County Council maintains with glyphosate-based weedkillers. Scooby continued to have sore paws after some walks.

It wasn’t only when out on walks when Scooby and his owners would struggle to avoid pesticides. Their home was located on the outskirts of a village, opposite fields of crops that were regularly sprayed by contractors employed by the landowner. Particularly on foggy days, the spray would drift over from the fields and ‘hang’ in the air. When this happened, Scooby’s owners would bring him into the house immediately and shut all the windows. However, it was sometimes too late to stop the chemicals from entering the house and, on these occasions, Scooby’s owners would experience stinging eyes. They complained to the Health and Safety Executive – the government body responsible for dealing with incidences of pesticide misuse and poisoning – but were told that the contractors had followed all the rules and that there was, therefore, nothing that could be done.

Scooby’s stomach problems worsened and an ultra-sonic scan revealed problems with his small intestine.

Despite trying a wide range of treatments, his owners were unable to find a solution and eventually said goodbye to their beloved Scooby in June 2022. He was 16 years old.

As with humans, it is impossible to prove definitively that repeated exposure to pesticides over a long period of time caused Scooby’s chronic health issues.

This is especially true when there is no way of finding out which particular chemicals he was exposed to. But the anecdotal evidence indicates strongly that Scooby’s health was negatively affected by pesticides time and time again over the course of many years. His story also reveals that it is almost impossible for rural pets (and their owners) to avoid exposure to harmful pesticides.

Scooby

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Gardens Pesticides are used by amateur gardeners across the UK. Products approved for use by nonprofessionals include weedkiller (herbicides), insecticides, fungicide sprays, hormone rooting powders, plant growth regulators and lawn sand treatments.38 Cats, dogs and rabbits can be exposed to toxic chemicals used in gardens, which they can consume directly by accident or through eating treated grass or plants. They can also suffer health impacts by absorbing pesticides through the skin. Cats are particularly at risk because they tend to spend time in many different gardens, usually out of sight of their owners. As a result, if a cat returns home experiencing poisoning symptoms it is almost impossible for the owner to know that the cause is pesticides, let alone identify which particular chemical is involved. Not being able to name the pesticide makes it harder for a vet to treat the animal.

Pesticides are often sold in relatively large containers, encouraging amateur gardeners to buy more than they need. As a result, excess chemicals are regularly stored in unsuitable places such as under kitchen sinks, and in garden sheds and greenhouses. Curious animals have been known to find ways to open containers, leading to poisoning incidents. This happens often enough for the UK Government’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website to include advice to home gardeners to “Store PPPs in a safe place, out of reach of children and pets”.39 See our “Guide to Gardening without Pesticides” at: www.pan-uk.org/gardening-without-pesticides/

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Slug and snail pellets While all pesticides potentially pose some risk to pets, slug and snail pellets can be particularly dangerous. They are used widely by both amateurs in home gardens and professionals that manage urban public spaces, especially parks.

George

Up until March 2022 (when it was banned in the UK for outdoor use40) the active substance most commonly found in slug and snail pellets was metaldehyde, which is highly toxic and has the potential to be deadly within hours if ingested by dogs or cats.41 Since the ban, the majority of slug and snail pellets contain either iron phosphate or ferric phosphate. While these chemicals are less toxic than metaldehyde, they do still pose some risk to pets, particularly if consumed in large quantities.42 As a result, the HSE advises people to “Take particular care to store slug pellets safely to avoid accidental poisoning of children and pets – particularly dogs”43. Pet owners using pellets are also advised to thoroughly wash the area after use to make sure that any chemical residue has been removed and prevent harm to their animals.

In addition to the direct risk posed to pets’ health through consuming slug and snail pellets, they can also harm pets indirectly. Some cats and dogs like to eat slugs and snails and can suffer negative health impacts if they consume any that have been poisoned by pesticides.

It should be noted that, while most slug and snail pellets do contain some kind of active substance, there are a growing number of wool and manure products on the market which pose either no risk, or a very low risk, to pets. There are also plenty of other ways to deal with slugs and snails without resorting to pellets, such as the use of beer traps and copper tape. See page 29 of our “Guide to Gardening without Pesticides” for more information on nonchemical methods for dealing with slugs and snails: www.pan-uk.org/gardening-without-pesticides/

PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

Rodenticides Rodenticides (or rat poisons) are designed to kill mammals and therefore pose a particularly high risk for pets. The HSE website states that “Rodenticides can often carry a higher risk than some other biocidal products because the way that they are used and how they look and smell, might mean that children, pets and other non-target animals are more likely to be harmed by them.”44 The UK’s Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) lists rodenticides as the second most common type of poison that they were contacted about in 2019, the most common in 2020 and the third most common in 2021.45 Rodenticides come in many different forms including pellets, pastes, blocks, grains and gels.

They usually come in some kind of bait box or canister to prevent humans and non-target animals from being exposed. In the past, the most common type of rat poisons was known as anticoagulant rodenticides. These days, in the UK, most pest controllers now use newer products containing cholecalciferol (the chemical name for vitamin D3). While these new products are presumed to be less toxic to non-target species, unlike the old anticoagulants there is no antidote and pet poisoning is therefore extremely difficult to treat.46 Pets can be poisoned by rodenticides in a variety of ways. Since these products are designed to give off odours attractive to rodents, dogs and rabbits have both been known to chew open bait boxes and poorly stored refill pouches and tubs. Sometimes pets eat bait that has been carried by a rodent out of a bait box and then dropped, or they eat the poisoned rodents. This process, which is more common in wildlife than pets, is known as “relay toxicosis”.

Flea and tick treatments (parasiticides) Insecticides are used in many pet flea and tick treatments. Common active substances include permethrin47 and a number of organophosphates, all of which are known to be particularly harmful to human health. The list also includes fipronil48 and imidacloprid49, both of which are highly toxic to bees.

Flea and tick treatments are one of the most common ways in which pets are exposed to pesticides and their use can lead to acute poisoning.50,51 Sometimes the fault lies with the product itself and at other times it is due to the label instructions being ignored. For example, poisoning incidents have occurred when owners have used flea treatments designed for dogs on their cats. Cats tend to be allergic to permethrin, which is a common ingredient in dog flea treatments.52 While instances of acute poisoning such as these are sometimes studied and recorded, there is almost no research on the long-term, chronic effects of regularly using a carcinogenic pesticide on a pet over a long period of time and monitoring of such health impacts is not conducted.

While flea and tick treatments do pose a risk to the health of pets, unlike the other routes of exposure listed above, they do bring health benefits to the animal by warding off insects that sometimes carry disease. However, it is also worth noting that there is a growing body of evidence showing that the chemicals contained in these treatments is running off pets and contaminating rivers and other waterways. In some cases, this is having negative impacts on wildlife, especially aquatic ecosystems.53 See page 19 for the chapter dedicated to flea and tick treatments.

Chica

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Symptoms of acute pesticide poisoning Acute pesticide poisoning can result from a single incident of pesticide exposure in a short space of time. Acute pesticide poisoning in pets can range from mild to life-threatening and depends on a number of factors, such as the type of pesticide involved, the route of exposure, the amount ingested or absorbed and the size of the animal. Symptoms may be seen in the first few minutes or may be delayed for up to a few hours or even days.54 This section describes some of the key symptoms of pesticide poisoning. It should be noted that these symptoms are the result of acute pesticide poisoning and do not cover chronic pesticide poisoning which is the result of repeated exposure and develops over a long period of time.

Common signs of acute pesticide poisoning in dogs55

Common signs of acute pesticide poisoning in cats56

NNVomiting NNDrooling NNDiarrhoea NNAbdominal pain NNDecreased appetite NNIrritation to the skin, eyes, or mucous

NNVomiting NNOverall weakness or

membranes

NNUncontrolled urination or defecation NNWeakness/lethargy NNStumbling or trouble walking NNTrouble breathing NNTremors or seizures

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lethargy

NNExcessive salivation NNUnsteadiness while walking or lack of coordination

NNSudden collapse NNTrouble breathing NNEye tearing NNDilated pupils NNAbdominal discomfort NNTremors or seizures NNTwitching NNHead tilt NNLoss of appetite NNDisorientation

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Acute symptoms from specific pesticide active substances57 In all cases, the speed and severity of symptoms will depend on the route of exposure, the amount of pesticide to which the animal was exposed and the size of the animal.

• Organophosphates Initial signs include excessive drooling, small pupils, frequent urination, diarrhoea, vomiting, colic, and difficulty breathing, followed by muscle spasms and weakness, lack of coordination, apprehension, and seizures. In acute poisoning, the main signs may be breathing distress and collapse followed by death.

Examples – chlorpyrifos, dimethoate and pirimiphos-methyl.

• Carbamate insecticides Signs of toxicity include excessive drooling, abdominal cramping, vomiting, diarrhoea, sweating, difficulty breathing, a bluish tinge to skin and mucous membranes, small pupils, muscle spasms, convulsions, build-up of fluid in the lungs, and death.

Examples – aldicarb, carbaryl and oxamyl.

• Pyrethrins and pyrethroids Signs are related to the nervous system and may include excessive drooling, mild tremors, incoordination, and excitability or depression.

Animals who were more exposed can have severe tremors, seizures, and death caused by respiratory failure.

Examples – cypermethrin, tau-fluvalinate and permethrin.

• Glyphosate (world’s most commonly used herbicide) Exposure to glyphosate shortly after plant foliage has been sprayed can result in either direct poisoning, or secondary effects. Walking on and around vegetation that’s been sprayed can result in burns of varying gravity on paws, the snout/ muzzle, and any other exposed skin. Animals have also shown eye and respiratory signs of irritation when exposed during or just after spraying. Pets can also feel the sting and reaction of their skin to a glyphosate exposure and attempt to lick this off, resulting in ingestion. This can lead to symptoms such as vomiting, staggering, and hind-leg weakness in dogs and cats.

Chemical burns Animals may also suffer from irritation, inflammation or even chemical burns on their skin or paws58 if they come into contact with particular pesticides. These substances can be corrosive, causing necrosis or tissue death. Visible signs of these burns may be hard to notice as they might be hidden in the animal’s fur.59 If you suspect your pet is suffering from chemical burns, wash your pet’s paws or affected area with a mild detergent and cool water to prevent them from licking the exposed area and ingesting the chemical. Call your vet for further advice.

Gary

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What to do if you suspect your pet has been exposed to pesticides If your pet has ingested, or been exposed to pesticides and is showing signs of acute poisoning, it is crucial to seek diagnosis and treatment as quickly as possible from your vet. It is important to try and find out which pesticides were involved. If you suspect that your pet may be suffering from the effects of chronic exposure (continued exposure over time) it can be helpful to document a timeline of incidents, including locations, dates, symptoms and changes in the animal’s behaviour so that you can provide this information to your vet. Although these poisons can be deadly in worst-case scenarios, with treatment the prognosis is usually good.

Please do also let PAN UK know if you think your pet has been poisoned by pesticides so that we can monitor the national picture and continue to build the case for change. Our pet poisoning reporting form is available at: www.pan-uk.org/pet-poisonings

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Veterinary pesticides (with a focus on parasiticides) While UK-specific figures are hard to come by, the global market for veterinary medicines aimed at ‘companion animals’ (a category which include dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, ferrets, birds, guinea pigs and select other small mammals, small reptiles and fish) was worth £11.6 billion in 2022. It is a growing industry, estimated to reach £15.8 billion by 2027.60 At time of writing (October, 2023) there are 3,818 veterinary medicine products authorised for use in the UK, with 2,284 of these products approved as treatments on cats and dogs. Approved for inclusion in these veterinary medicines are 562 different active substances.61 An active substance is the chemically active part of a manufactured veterinary medicine product. In the case of veterinary medicines, active substances include various antibiotics, biocides and pesticides.

Parasiticide products are veterinary medicines which are used to kill parasites. They can be broken into three categories, namely endoparasiticides which treat internal parasites such as worms, ectoparasiticides which treat external parasites such as ticks, fleas and lice, and endectocides which treat both internal and external parasites. According to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) product approval register there are 1,334 parasiticides approved for use in the UK.62 They come in different forms, ranging from spot-on solutions to tablets, food additives, shampoos and collars.

An estimated 80% of dogs and 82% of cats receive tick and flea treatments in the UK63, whether they are needed or not. Many veterinary clinics offer health plans that provide year-round medication to prevent infestations from ever getting started. While there are benefits in using parasiticide products, the prophylactic administration of these products is a problem. Some products require a veterinary prescription, but many are readily available to purchase over the counter or online. They can contain powerful insecticides, such as imidacloprid and fipronil, neither of which are permitted for use on agricultural crops in the UK due to concerns over their impacts on wildlife.

SPOTLIGHT: Fipronil Fipronil is a broad-spectrum insecticide belonging to the pheylpyrazole family of chemicals. It is used globally in both agriculture and as a veterinary medicine.

There has been ongoing controversy over its use as an agricultural pesticide due to the harm it causes to bee and pollinator species.

It is approved for use in the EU and the UK, however, the UK never approved a product containing fipronil for use in agriculture.

There are currently 523 veterinary medicinal products containing fipronil approved for use in the UK.141 They are used as ectoparasiticides for treating dogs, cats and ferrets.

Human health impacts: Carcinogen, Endocrine Disrupting Chemical (EDC) Environmental impacts: Highly bee toxic

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Potential negative effects of tick and flea treatment on pets Tick and flea treatment products are widely available in the UK, often without a prescription.

Pets rely on their owners to read and fully understand a product’s label and directions for use.

The administered dose needs to be appropriate for the weight and age of a pet. Puppies and kittens are more sensitive than adult animals and many products are not approved for use on younger, pregnant or lactating pets.64 Products with very similar brand names can contain completely different active substances so it can be easy to purchase the wrong product. Different ingredients have varying effects depending on the species. For example, permethrin which is found in many dog products can be highly toxic to cats and cause vomiting, difficulty breathing, tremors and seizures.65 It is also common in household flea sprays and powders, which if used in a cat’s home might have unintended consequences. Another example is fipronil which is potentially deadly to rabbits but can be found in both dog and cat products.66 Some broad-spectrum products on the market contain multiple active substances67 and how these interact with other medications being administered to a pet, or with other chemicals or environmental factors a pet may be exposed to on a daily basis, is unknown. Similarly, we have almost no understanding of whether pets suffer chronic health impacts – such as the development of cancers – as a result of being treated regularly and over long periods of time with pesticide active substances contained in parasiticide products.

Kitty

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Potential negative effects of tick and flea treatments on human health Parasiticides can be important in terms of preventing the transmission of zoonotic diseases from pets to their owners. However, the chemicals contained in these veterinary medicines also pose a risk to human health.

This is particularly true of medicines that are applied to the outside of the animal, usually either as ‘spot-on’ treatments dabbed onto pets’ fur or as collars that go around their necks. Owners are advised to take precautions (such as wearing gloves) during application of these products and to not touch the treated area for at least 24 hours afterwards in order to reduce their exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.68 Pets wearing some tick and flea collars should also not be allowed to sleep in the same bed as their owners, especially children.69 However, with the majority of pets in regular physical contact with their owners and many allowed to spend time on sofas, beds and soft furnishings such as rugs, it is highly unlikely that the pesticides found in external tick and flea treatments are contained to the target animal.

Preventing contamination becomes even less likely when there are small children in the home.

Stopping a toddler from cuddling or playing with a pet can be extremely tricky, especially when spot on treatments generally have to be administered every month. As well as handling the animal itself, young children will often touch pets’ bedding, toys or clothes, all of which will have come into contact with chemicals. One study estimated that toddlers are five times more exposed than adults to the pesticide active substance fipronil when its used on pets.70 Fipronil is an insecticide commonly found in flea and tick treatments which is a possible human carcinogen and suspected endocrine disruptor (see page 19 for more detail).71 While it is used widely on pets, it is banned in medication for animals intended for human consumption, due to the risks it poses to human health.72

PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

Children’s elevated exposure rate is highly concerning given that they are more vulnerable to the effects of pesticides. Children absorb pesticides more easily through their skin. Not only is a child’s skin more permeable than an adult’s, but their skin surface area relative to body weight is also higher, making it easier to absorb higher rates of pesticides.73 In fact, infants will absorb around three times more pesticides than adults from similar exposure episodes.74 In addition, a child’s ability to cope with pesticide poisoning will differ from that of an adult. The systems that our bodies use to deal with toxins are not as developed in children and this can make them less able to cope with these substances than adults. Furthermore, as they grow, children’s brains and bodies undergo complex changes that affect tissue growth and organ development. Incidents of exposure that would be tolerated by adults, can cause irreversible damage to unborn babies, infants and adolescents.75

Rosa

Pesticides found in tick and flea treatments include many that have been found to have negative impacts on human health. They include: • Carcinogens are capable of causing different types of cancer, including leukaemia and nonHodgkin’s lymphoma. Fipronil76 and permethrin77 – both of which are commonly found in veterinary medicines – have been found to have links to cancer.

• Endocrine disruptors (EDCs) interfere with hormone systems and can cause birth defects, developmental disorders and reproductive problems such as infertility. Fipronil78 and permethrin79 are both suspected endocrine disruptors.

• Developmental or reproductive toxins have adverse effects on sexual function and fertility in both adults and children, and can reduce the number and functionality of sperm and cause miscarriages. Pyriproxyfen80 is a developmental or reproductive toxin approved for use in tick and flea treatments for both cats and dogs.

It is important to note that if a substance is classified as a ‘carcinogen’ (for example) it does not mean that exposure to it will definitely result in the development of cancer. The classification simply means that in tests for toxicity the substance can cause a particular effect.

SPOTLIGHT Imidacloprid Imidacloprid is a systemic insecticide of the neonicotinoid class. It is highly toxic to bees and other non-target insect species and as a result it was banned from outdoor agricultural use in the UK in 2013.142 Imidacloprid is both highly mobile and persistent in the environment meaning it can remain harmful to insect and aquatic species for years after it has been applied.143 There are currently 176 veterinary medicinal products containing imidacloprid approved for use in the UK.144 They are used as ectoparasiticides for treating dogs, cats, rabbits and ferrets.

Environmental impacts: Highly bee toxic

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SPOTLIGHT Seresto flea collars In the United States, the Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2021 to cancel its registration of the product Seresto.131 Developed by Bayer – the manufacturers of glyphosate – and also sold in the UK, Seresto takes the form of a collar impregnated with insecticides for the purpose of repelling ticks and fleas on dogs and cats. It has been found to pose a severe risk both to the animals on which it is used and to human health. Since 2012, the EPA has received over 100,000 adverse incident reports, including over 2,500 pet deaths and hundreds of incidents involving human harm.132 This is an average of 25 dog and cat injury reports per day since the collars went on the market in 2012.

The collar contains two active substances – imidacloprid (a neonicotinoid) and flumethrin (a pyrethroid).

According to public records obtained from the EPA by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), over the past decade there have been at least 1,630 recorded imidacloprid poisoning incidents in humans that are attributable to household products, including tick and flea products. The reported symptoms include skin rash, muscle tremor, difficulty breathing, vomiting, wheezing, lock jaw, memory loss, and renal failure.133 This follows closely with EPA’s own findings about the health risks of imidacloprid to mammals— the class of vertebrates that includes humans, cats, and dogs. In early human health risk assessments of imidacloprid, EPA scientists noted a number of toxic effects on rats and mice (surrogates for humans) from dietary exposure to imidacloprid. These effects included decreased movement and body weights, tremors, thyroid effects, retinal atrophy, and brain effects.134 In terms of flumethrin (the other active substance found in the collar), current scientific investigations have also shown that repeated exposure to low levels of a pyrethroid insecticide can cause learning deficiencies and physiological effects associated with neurodegeneration, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.135 One study revealed higher incidences of autism spectrum disorders and developmental delay amongst children whose mothers were living within 1.5 kilometres of sites of pyrethroid applications during the third trimester of pregnancy.136 Between 2013-2018 the EPA identified that there were 907 flumethrin-related incidents reported for humans with symptoms ranging from rashes, skin lesions and hives to numbness, headaches and seizures.137 The active substances in Seresto collars diffuse into a pet’s skin and fur, covering the pet within 24 hours.

The collar then remains active for eight months.138 Children, and adults, will be exposed to these active substances on a regular basis through petting, cuddling or sleeping with their pet and, as the above findings have shown, this can have negative implications for a large number of pet owners. For the animals themselves, this also means that exposure to the active substances in Seresto is chronic, over months at a time. Animals frequently clean themselves by licking their fur and can ingest the pesticides when doing so. In addition, rolling in grass, bathing and swimming can expose these ingredients to waterways and the wider environment.

The Seresto collar has had nearly 4,000 more — or 58% more — incidents than the flea-control product with the next most reports, and over 7,000 more — or 235% more — incidents than the third product in this list.139 Note: At the time of publishing this report, the EPA ruled that the collar will stay on the market for a further five years, but requires the manufacturer, Elanco, to conduct enhanced reporting for adverse events, do additional outreach to the veterinary community and put new warnings on the product’s label.140 The Seresto collar is approved for use in the UK.

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Potential negative effects of tick and flea treatments on the environment

invertebrates, such as mayflies and caddisflies, with knock-on effects on ecosystems.86,87 Similarly, the insecticide fipronil has been found to be more toxic to aquatic insects than previously thought.88

The active pesticide ingredients in tick and flea spot-on treatments and collars are absorbed into a pet’s skin and fur, while those in tablet form quickly begin to circulate in their bloodstream. There are, therefore, a number of pathways through which these active substances can enter the environment.

These include, but are not limited to, the washing of hands after application or after touching a medicated pet, bathing a pet, washing a pet’s bedding, allowing a pet to swim in a stream or river, walking a treated pet in the rain, the shedding of hair, and urinary and faecal excretions.81

The increase in the number of pets in the UK over recent years, coupled with year-round prophylactic use of tick and flea treatments which can be obtained both with and without a prescription, is cause for concern in terms of impacts on the environment, wildlife and human health. It is worth noting that some livestock have developed resistance to parasiticide products as a result of misuse and overuse89 and this could also become a problem for companion animals.

A recent study by researchers at Sussex University found fipronil in 100% and imidacloprid in 70% of English rivers they tested. While these two active substances have not been permitted for use on UK crops for a number of years due to the harms they cause, they are commonly found in tick and flea treatments. Based on data gathered by the Environment Agency between 2016 and 2018, concentrations of fipronil were found to far exceed accepted safety thresholds with concentrations of imidacloprid exceeding safe limits in 7 out of 20 sites.82 With the highest levels of pollution found immediately downstream of wastewater treatment works, assumptions have been made that these pesticides are largely originating from household drains. A similar study in San Francisco seemed to confirm this, finding that the low level of daily variability in the amount of each chemical detected pointed to the fact that many small amounts of these chemicals accounted for the contamination, rather than large individual pollution spills.83 A study in California measuring residues of fipronil from spot-on treatments in dogs’ bath water found that fipronil was still detected in all samples 28 days after application.84 Imidacloprid belongs to a group of insecticides called neonicotinoids. Neonicotinoids are neurotoxins which are highly toxic to bees and other pollinators and a single dose on a large dog is enough to be lethal to millions of honeybees.85 They are water soluble and an increasing number of studies are linking neonicotinoids to a decline in aquatic

In terms of endectocides, some studies have found that the active pesticide ingredients in these medications are excreted in the faeces of treated animals. While these few studies have only been conducted in livestock, they have found a potential for these excrements to adversely affect dungdwelling insects which can have a wider effect on ecosystems.90,91,92 With such a high number of dogs and cats in the UK, the prevalence of their faeces may be a contributing factor to the declines in insect biodiversity.

It is highly possible that we will never be able to fully understand how the leaching of these chemicals into our homes, waterways and the wider environment is impacting upon the health of humans and wildlife. The true impacts of these active substances are poorly understood when looked at individually, but if we take into consideration the combination of possible effects with the many other ingredients in parasiticides, the thousands of other chemicals present in our environment, as well as other factors such as heat and solubility, then the options to test are endless. It is arguably impossible to create a system sufficiently sophisticated to be able to assess the full spectrum of health and environmental impacts resulting from long-term exposure to hundreds of different pesticides. The only way to minimise the risk to health and environment is therefore to take a precautionary approach and decrease our overall pesticide use, thereby reducing the exposure of humans, pets, wildlife and the environment to pesticide cocktails.

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Conflicting advice to pet owners on the use of parasiticides There is much in the way of conflicting advice on the use of parasiticides for pets. For example, the RSPCA recommends “keeping to a continued flea protection regime throughout your pet’s life”93 and the British Pest Control Association advises that pets be treated for fleas regularly as “prevention is better than cure”94. However, in 2021, the British Veterinary Association (BVA), the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSVA) and the British Veterinary Zoological Society (BVZS) jointly published their position on the responsible use of parasiticides for cats and dogs.

Their recommendation is that vets should “always take a proportionate, targeted and responsible approach to the use of small animal parasiticides and carefully weigh up all risks before prescribing or recommending treatment”.95 They have developed a 5-point plan96 which includes advising vets to work with their clients to ensure that pet owners know how to prevent and monitor levels of fleas and ticks in their pets in the first instance. It also encourages vets to understand the potential harm parasiticide products may cause to invertebrate populations and the wider ecosystem and to take a risk-based approach to prescribing treatments by evaluating the pet’s potential to parasitic exposure and tailoring products and frequency of use to the animal’s needs and level of risk.

Lola

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Regulation and sale of parasiticides and other veterinary medicines Veterinary medicines, as with pharmaceutical products, pesticides, biocides and other chemicals are regulated to ensure that they do not pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment. In the UK it is the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) that is tasked with ensuring the safety, quality and efficacy of veterinary medicines. The VMD is an Executive Agency of Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and ultimately answerable to the Defra Minister.

The VMD is responsible for regulating the approval, manufacture, distribution and marketing of veterinary medicines. It also conducts surveillance of suspected adverse reactions to veterinary medicines and co-ordinates Defra’s work on antimicrobial resistance.97 The VMD also hosts the Product Information Database from which much of the information on veterinary products and active substances in this report has been taken: www.gov.uk/check-animal-medicine-licensed When assessing a veterinary medicine with a view to granting market authorisation, the VMD conducts a range of assessments including an overall ‘benefit:risk’ assessment which weighs the benefits of using the veterinary medicine against the associated risks and determines whether the ratio is positive (in favour of granting) or not.98 While this assessment does consider animal, human and environmental safety, the fact that it weighs benefits against risks is a weak approach that is likely to lead to products being approved, in spite of negative impacts to human health or the environment. It is reminiscent of the US’ approvals process for pesticides which includes consideration of “…the economic, social, and environmental costs and benefits of the use of any pesticide”. 99 This sits in stark contrast to the UK pesticide regime under which active substances are assessed for hazards first without any consideration of benefits and (theoretically at least) the precautionary principle is applied to substances found to cause unacceptable harm. The difference in outcome of these two approaches is plain to see – the US approves almost

PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

50% more pesticide active substance than the UK and more than treble the number of pesticide products.100, 101 In another potential loophole, the UK regulatory system grants veterinary medicines for certain species (including rabbits, ferrets and small rodents) an exemption from the marketing authorisation requirements of the Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMR). The exemption also covers specific active substances, including fipronil, imidacloprid and permethrin all three of which are not permitted for use on crops due to the harms they cause.102 In another departure to the way in which the UK regulates pesticides, veterinary medicines are approved indefinitely while pesticides are granted a maximum license of between ten and fifteen years (except in exceptional cases) before having to be reapproved.103 Some pesticides are banned at the reapproval stage, but the only way in which a veterinary medicine product loses its license is if the company involved (known as the Market Authorisation Holder or MAH) submits evidence that its use is causing harm.104 While MAHs are legally obliged to report all serious adverse events within 15 days105, relying on the company that profits from sales of the product in question to report problems with its use would appear to present a significant conflict of interest and therefore a major weakness in the system. The VMD, on behalf of the Defra Secretary of State, may theoretically suspend a marketing authorisation at any time but, again, this would usually be due to evidence of harms associated to the use of the product which would have to be submitted by the company that holds the license.106 It should be of grave concern that the current prophylactic use of parasiticides may result in the development of resistance to these medications.

Resistance occurs when an active substance exhibits reduced effectiveness, or no longer controls the pest population at the formerly effective rate. This can occur as a result of genetic mutations within pest populations. When an animal is treated the targeted pests should die off, but some will be resistant and over time their population can grow rendering the treatment ineffective. Increasing the dose will merely hasten the process.107

Ofelia

In pesticides used on crops, there are well defined strategies for trying to ensure that resistance does not become a problem. Once resistance sets in there is no way to stop it other than to develop a new active substance. There is evidence that grazing animals, swine and poultry are seeing resistance problems in regard to the use of parasiticides globally.108 To date there is little to indicate that there is a growing surge of resistance to pet treatments, although there are concerns with some of the older medications.109 A sure way to speed up the development of resistance is to continue to over use the products that are on the market.

There are two crucial ways in which the problem can be avoided – focus on preventing, rather than treating infestations and ensure that necessary veterinary medicines are only used when there is no alternative. Restricting general access to flea and tick treatments by making them prescription only would also seem to be the sensible, precautionary approach to take.

Of similar concern is the lack of detail on just how much of these active substances are being released into the environment. Without effective monitoring data on levels of use, it is impossible to determine what impact these substances are having on the wider environment.

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CASE STUDY Winnie investigates PAN UK conducted a mini-experiment in April 2023, attaching a silicone wristband to a colleague’s dog in order to measure her exposure to pesticides over the course of a week. Winnie, a springer spaniel, wore the wristband around her neck and a list was made of all the locations she visited.

Apart from one walk on a suburban road, she mostly spent time in the countryside over the seven days, as well as one trip to the beach where she did not swim. She did not swim in any rivers or other water sources.

The results were limited, but interesting. Traces of isoproturon (an herbicide), pentachloroanisole (PCP), permethrin (an insecticide), prosulfocarb (an herbicide) and pyrimenthanil (a fungicide) were found, but in barely detectable amounts.

Most surprisingly, fipronil and fipronil sulfone (a metabolite of fipronil) were detected, in the amounts of 52.6ng and 22.1ng respectively. Fipronil is a common active ingredient used in parasiticides (veterinary medicines used to treat ticks, fleas, worms and other parasites). It is classified as highly bee-toxic. According to a professor of biology specialising in bee ecology, 52.6ng is enough to kill 16 honeybees. While these amounts can seem insignificant, it is important to note that the wristband is very small. The total amount across Winnie’s body is likely to have been greater.

Looking to the source of exposure, it is important to note that Winnie had not been treated with a parasiticide containing fipronil nor come into direct contact with any other dogs. No pesticide products containing fipronil have ever been authorised for use in UK agriculture so farming is not the source (unless it is connected to illegal pesticide use which is highly unlikely). There are two biocidal products approved in the UK that contain fipronil (used for ant and cockroach control) but Winnie’s owner does not believe she had had any direct contact with either.

These results, while anecdotal, point to the possibility that chemicals such as fipronil are entering the environment via unknown routes. Given that it is not approved for use in farming, alongside the rise in pet ownership and ongoing trend towards the prophylactic use of parasiticides, it can be argued that veterinary medicines are the most likely source of this fipronil contamination.

While 16 honeybees may seem like a small number, it is important to note that this is the exposure of just one dog over a short period of time. The cumulative environmental impact of treating millions of animals with parasiticides containing pesticide active substances such as fipronil remains unknown.

Winnie

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PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

How has the pesticide industry shaped our use of parasiticides?

The VMD database reveals that there are hundreds of different parasiticide products approved for use in the UK.116 Arguably far more than are required.

There are a number of stark similarities between the ways in which the agrochemical industry has been able to shape modern farming and the influence of the veterinary medicines industry over how we use parasiticides today. In both cases, the industry has a history of using messages aimed at creating fear in order to ensure the ongoing sale of their products. The agrochemical industry tells farmers that their yield will drop significantly and they will risk losing their crop if they don’t apply pesticides.110 At the global level, chemical companies and their allies pump out messaging that the only way to achieve food security is through using pesticides111, a claim that has been discredited for many years by a range of institutions including the UN.112

As concerns over the effects of pesticides on health and the environment has risen up the agenda, voluntary initiatives aimed at encouraging the responsible use of parasiticides have begun to emerge.117 While some may argue that these are a step forward, similar voluntary efforts in agriculture have proved largely ineffective and only mandatory measures have been shown to drive meaningful change. However, regulatory changes – such as the banning of particular chemicals – tend to be opposed strongly by industry, making them much harder to put in place even when the evidence of harms is clear. As public concern regarding the impacts of parasiticides increases, it remains to be seen if environmental and health concerns can trump the vested interests of the industry.

When it comes to pet medicines, public communications from the industry tends to focus upon the most severe health impacts that can be experienced by both pets and humans as a result of parasites.113 While these serious outcomes are possible, they are far from the norm in the UK where many of the most harmful parasites (such as the Australian Paralysis Tick) are not present. Leaflets found in veterinary practices across the UK show blown-up images of ticks and fleas looming over helpless pets and use emotive language such as ‘blood thirsty parasites’ that is designed to scare.114 The fear generated among both farmers and pet owners is designed to encourage the prophylactic use of both pesticides and veterinary medicines. In other words, the use of chemicals before a problem emerges. Farmers are told that they need to apply pesticides, just in case pests or weeds emerge.

Similarly, UK pet owners are now advised to treat their pets regularly just in case they get parasites.115 This prophylactic use is actually a relatively recent development over the past few decades. Before then, owners were told to keep an eye on their pets and to administer treatment if a problem emerged.

Accompanying the rise in the use of parasiticides has been a growth in the number of products available.

SPOTLIGHT: Permethrin Permethrin is a pyrethroid insecticide widely used in many situations including as a parasiticide for treating ticks and lice in humans and animals, as a timber treatment to kill woodworm, as a biocide for treating fleas and in agriculture as an insecticide. However, permethrin is not permitted for use on crops in the UK. Permethrin acts as a neurotoxin and is harmful to humans, being both a carcinogen and an endocrine disrupting chemical.151 It is also known to be highly harmful to other species, particularly cats and aquatic organisms.152 There have been many welldocumented cases of cats dying after being given permethrin-based flea treatments intended for use on dogs.153 Human health impacts: Carcinogen, Endocrine Disrupting Chemical (EDC) Environmental impacts: Highly bee toxic

27

PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

Tinka

28

PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

Pesticides not permitted for use on UK crops but approved for use on pets In the UK, a pesticide active substance – the chemically active part of any pesticide product – can be banned for use on agricultural crops but continue to be included in veterinary medicines.

As a result, there are a number of chemicals that farmers are no longer permitted to use on crops because they negatively impact human health and/or the environment that are widely used on animals.

In the case of pets, these chemicals tend to be found in tick and flea treatments which are applied by non-experts (owners), often prophylactically and without prescription. For example, the neonicotinoid imidacloprid has been banned for use on outdoor crops since 2013 because of its impact on bees and pollinators, but remains one of the most common ingredients in tick and flea treatments.118 Efforts to prevent imidacloprid from leaching into the environment and affecting wildlife are being hampered by the chemical’s continued use on pets.119 To highlight the extent of the problem a look at the usage data is indicative.

In 2013, the final year during which imidacloprid was approved for use on agricultural crops in the UK, 5,407kg of active substance were applied.120 In 2017, the amount of imidacloprid used in the flea and tick treatments sold by the main UK manufacturer alone totalled 4,000kg of active substance.121 The reason for this illogical phenomenon is that the UK approves pesticide active substances for use on crops and those used as veterinary medicines under two separate regulatory regimes run by different bodies:

I. Pesticides used to grow food and feed (known officially as ‘plant protection products’) are approved by the Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD), which sits under the HSE, under Regulation (EC) 1107/2009.

II. Veterinary medicines are approved under The Veterinary Medicinal Products Directive 2001/82/ EC (as amended) by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). The VMD is an Executive Agency of Defra.

When the CRD deems a chemical too harmful to be used on crops it would make sense to also ban it from inclusion in veterinary medicines, but this does not happen. In fact, the VMD told PAN UK that “The suitability of any active substance for use in a veterinary medicine product is established by the VMD, independently of any other regulatory framework.”122 Not only is this disconnect highly inefficient in terms of both government capacity and resources, it is also undermining attempts to reduce pesticide-related harms caused by farming, as well as the promise made by the UK government in its 25 Year Environment Plan which states, “We will make sure that…the levels of harmful chemicals entering the environment are significantly reduced”.123 There are five active substances that are included in medicines for dogs and cats that are not allowed to be used on agricultural crops due to their impact on human health and/or the environment. They are detailed in Table 2 and include: • five that are highly toxic to bees (including a recently banned and controversial neonicotinoid) • two that contaminate groundwater • two that have links to cancer • two suspected endocrine disrupters It should be noted that while pesticides are classified using human health impacts, it is likely that they also present a similar risk to animal health, particularly in the case of mammals.

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PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

Table 2: Active substances included in veterinary medicines for dogs and cats but not permitted for use on crops (See Annex 1 for references to the data sources for the information in this table) Active Substance

Type

Approved in Environmental UK for use on impacts** agricultural crops?*

Dinotefuran (neonicotinoid)

Insecticide

Never approved

• Highly toxic to bees

Fipronil

Insecticide

No products ever approved

• Highly toxic to bees • Ground water contaminant

Imidacloprid (neonicotinoid)

Insecticide

Banned in 2018

Nitenpyram (neonicotinoid)

Insecticide

Permethrin

Insecticide

Human health impacts**

Used in which type of veterinary medicines and on which animals?

No of products for cats and dogs containing active substance

Ectoparasiticide Dogs, cats

12

Ectoparasiticide and endectocide Dogs, cats

483

• Highly toxic to bees • Ground water contaminant

Ectoparasiticide and endectocide Dogs, cats

176

Never approved

• Highly toxic to bees

Ectoparasiticide Dogs, cats

9

Banned in 2002

• Highly toxic to bees

Ectoparasiticide Dogs, cats

90

• Carcinogen • Endocrine disruptor

• Carcinogen • Endocrine disruptor

* See box below for description of terms ** See box on page 2 for details of impacts

PAN UK and its allies, an informal coalition of environmental, conservation and veterinary organisations, are calling for the UK government to ban these five active substances from inclusion in medicines for dogs and cats due to the harms they cause. We have focused on dogs and cats as they are by far the most common animals kept as pets in the UK and there are many alternative medicines available for them on the market. Specifically, the following would still be available: • 153 ectoparasiticides – used to kill parasites that live on the body’s surface, such as ticks and fleas, usually applied as a ‘spot-on’ treatment.

• 160 endectocides – used to kill parasites that live both inside the body (such as worms) and on the body’s surface (such as fleas), usually comes in tablet form.124 While this would be a huge step forward, it would not prevent the current situation from re-emerging in the future. It is vital, therefore, that the UK government also closes the current loophole to ensure that any pesticide active substance deemed to be too harmful to be used on crops in the future is automatically banned from appearing in veterinary medicines for pets.

See Annex 2 for a full list of the 23 active substances that are currently in use in veterinary medicines in addition to being ‘plant protection products’ for use on agricultural crops.

30

Descriptions of UK approval status of pesticide active substances (terms used in Table 2 and Annex 2)

Banned – Many pesticide active substances and products are approved but then subsequently found to be negatively impacting human health or the environment once in use, leading to approval being rescinded. There are numerous examples of this happening, perhaps most famously with DDT. Never approved – Not all pesticide active substances are submitted for approval in every country. This can be for any number of reasons including; unsuitability for the specific conditions in that country such as landscape, crops or weather, marketing issues or because the pesticide will not meet the regulatory requirements for the administrative region, including the accepted level of threshold for harm.

No products ever approved – Even when a pesticide active substance is approved for use, a country may choose not to approve any products that contain it due to concerns about its suitability for that particular area or the harms it causes.

PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

Pip

The need for more research There is extremely limited research in veterinary literature which explores the possible links between pet poisonings and pesticides. This is, in large part, due to the almost complete lack of monitoring conducted globally on this topic which makes accessing detailed and reliable information of pet poisoning incidents almost impossible. Some institutions have sought to remedy this gap and their research, while limited, does confirm that there is indeed a problem worthy of further investigation. The studies conducted tend to fall into three areas – herbicide exposure on pets outdoors, insecticide pet poisonings indoors, and the impacts of insecticides on the environment. Below is a short summary of some of the available academic research.

A study carried out by the University of Milan showed a link between the site of exposure and the group of pesticides most likely to poison animals. In the outdoors, they found that the pesticides most reported in the poisoning of cats and dogs were herbicides, followed by fungicides, molluscicides, rodenticides and insecticides. By comparison, in indoor environments, insecticides accounted for most poisoning cases, followed by rodenticides, molluscicides, fungicides and herbicides.125 A review looking at poisonings of companion animals (including horses) recorded between 1998 and 2007 in Belgium, France, Greece, Italy and Spain found that dogs are most frequently involved in poisoning episodes, followed by cats.126 The Centre National d’Informations Toxicologiques Vétérinaires (CNITV), the Italian Veterinary Toxicologic Assistance Service (SATV) and the Poison Control Centre of Milan (Centro Antiveleni di Milano, CAV)127, have determined that glyphosate is the herbicide most commonly involved in animal poisonings.

In terms of insecticides, the Milan Poison Control Centre (MPCC) reported that, between January 2011 and December 2013, pyrethrins-pyrethroids were the chemicals most commonly associated with pet poisonings.

These are some of the chemicals typically used in flea treatments. Interestingly, they also reported that there was a decrease in poisonings attributed to chemicals which had been banned by the EU, including aldicard, carbofuran, endosulfan and paraquat. In contrast, there had been an increase in suspected poisonings from neonicotinoids, particularly imidacloprid and acetamiprid, probably due to their increased use.128 While this is far from definitive, it does indicate that banning particularly harmful pesticides can lead to a reduction in pet poisoning incidences. Conversely, as use of particular pesticides increases, so do suspected pet poisonings.

Finally, more research across the globe has been looking into the relationship between flea treatments and river pollution. All the studies confirmed a direct pathway of pesticide contamination to riverways through the use of spoton products on dogs and their subsequent bathing by either professional groomers or by pet owners in the home.129,130 More information on pesticides found in tick and flea treatments contaminating the environment can be found on page 23.

While the search for academic research conducted for this report has not been exhaustive, it is striking how few studies have been conducted on pesticides and pet poisoning and the almost total lack of data on the topic. The studies and data that does exist mostly comes from the EU meaning that UK researchers and NGOs trying to understand the current reality of pet poisonings in the UK have few places to turn. The UK urgently needs to develop an adequate reporting system so that pet owners and others are able to report incidents of pet poisoning in order to enable research to advance in this area.

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PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

Winnie

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PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

Full recommendations Given the fairly broad focus of this report, the recommendations below have been split into two distinct sections.

Aim: To prevent pets from being accidentally poisoned by pesticides.

Recommendations for the UK Government: • To end pet poisoning in urban settings and gardens, commit to phasing out the use of all non-agricultural pesticides. This should include a UK-wide ban on pesticide use in urban settings and an end to sales of pesticides to amateur gardeners (as France did in 2019).

• To reduce pet poisoning in rural settings, introduce ambitious pesticide reduction targets and a comprehensive package of support to help UK farmers use significantly less pesticides and transition over to safer and more sustainable non-chemical alternatives.

• Update the risk assessment process for both pesticide active substances and plant protection products to include consideration of the impacts on pets.

• Introduce a robust, post-approvals monitoring system for pesticides which includes impacts on pets. Collate this data and make it publicly available.

• Develop an adequate reporting system so that pet owners and others are able to report incidents of pet poisoning.

• Introduce mandatory prior notification for pesticides used in an urban setting. Details of spray schedules should be clear and easy to access (via physical signage and online) to help pet owners avoid areas recently treated with pesticides.

• Make the reporting of farm spray records mandatory and grant the public access to the information so that pet owners and vets are able to identify to which specific pesticides a pet has been exposed.

• Strengthen existing enforcement systems to punish those misusing pesticides and deter future misuse which could lead to pet poisoning.

• Organise a well-publicised and funded national amnesty for obsolete agricultural and amateur use pesticides to reduce the availability of many of the most dangerous substances that can harm pets and wildlife.

Recommendations for local councils and the amenity sector: • Phase out the use of pesticides and transition over to using the array of available non-chemical alternatives.

• Give the public advance notice of spray schedules and communicate clearly (via physical signage) when an area has recently been treated with pesticides so that pet owners can avoid exposure.

• Local councils should provide safe disposal sites for pesticide products, so that pets are less likely to be poisoned by old products stored poorly.

Recommendations for vets: • Vets should familiarise themselves with common symptoms of and treatments for acute pesticide poisoning in pets.

• Advise owners on common routes through which pets can be exposed to pesticides and how best to avoid them.

• Whenever possible, report incidents of pesticide poisoning in pets to the Veterinary Poisons Information Service.

Indy 33

PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

Recommendations for pet owners: • Do not use pesticide products (including rodenticides and slug and snail pellets) in your home or garden.

• If pet owners report a suspected pet poisoning incident, provide them with the details of the pesticide product used to aid a speedy diagnosis and treatment plan.

• Ensure that containers of pesticides are stored safely and securely in a place which cannot be accessed by pets.

• If you do choose to put down slug and snail pellets, make sure to thoroughly wash the area after use to make sure that any chemical residue has been removed.

• Report any pesticide poisoning incidents to a vet.

Recommendations for farmers: • Do not apply pesticides near paths or buildings, including residential homes.

• In order to prevent spray drift, do not apply pesticides when weather conditions are poor.

• Put up signs on the outskirts of the farm to notify passers-by when spraying is likely to happen and when it has recently taken place.

SPOTLIGHT: Glyphosate Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum, systemic herbicide and crop desiccant. Developed

by Monsanto it has been in use throughout the world since 1974. Concerns about the human health effects of glyphosate have been growing for many years. The most widely used of all the herbicides, it has been linked with various types of cancer, birth defects and kidney disease.145 Calls for a ban on glyphosate have intensified and a number of countries around the world have already prohibited its use or are in the process of phasing it out.146 It is not only used to grow crops but also widely applied in UK towns and cities to combat weeds.

There are also concerns about the impact of glyphosate on pets as highlighted in the case study on page 11.

Human health impacts: Carcinogen Environmental impacts: Harmful to mammals, water contaminant

Pippi

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PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

Aim: To prevent pesticide active substances found in veterinary medicines for pets from harming the health of animals, humans and wildlife and contaminating the environment.

Recommendations for the UK Government:

Recommendations for pet owners:

• Ban all pesticide active substances that are not permitted for use on agricultural crops from being included in veterinary medicines for pets.

• Do not use antiparasitic products that contain pesticide active substances. Ask a vet to recommend one of the many alternative products.

• Close the current loophole to ensure that any pesticide active substance deemed to be too harmful to be used on crops in the future is automatically banned from appearing in veterinary medicines for pets.

• Adapt the approvals process for veterinary medicines to include consideration of potential human health and environmental harms, including (but not limited to) negative impacts on pollinators, aquatic species and water quality.

• Consider ending the prophylactic use of antiparasitic products and, instead, monitor for parasites and only treat your pet if a problem emerges.

• When giving pets antiparasitic products make sure to read the label carefully, taking particular note of the species and dose.

Recommendation for supermarkets and pet shops: • Immediately end the sale of veterinary medicine products for pets that contain pesticide active substances and increase the offer of less-toxic and non-chemical alternatives (both in store and online).

• Fund research into less-toxic, and ideally nonchemical, antiparasitic products for pets.

• Change the regulatory regime so that all veterinary medicines containing pesticide active substances are only available on prescription.

• Issue guidance to vets and pet owners discouraging prophylactic use of antiparasitic products for pets.

• Consider banning subscription schemes whereby people pay a monthly fee to be sent regular doses of treatment for their pets.

Recommendations for vets: • Promote alternative veterinary medicines that do not contain pesticide active substances.

• Wherever possible, discourage pet owners from prophylactic use of veterinary medicines that contain pesticide active substances, and explain that it is possible to monitor a pet for parasites and only treat them if a problem emerges.

• Provide guidance to pet owners on the potential risks to human health and the natural environment associated to the use of veterinary medicines that contain pesticide active substances.

Harry

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PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

Annex 1: Key data sources underpinning report findings UK government databases regarding approvals: • Pesticide active substances approvals www.hse.gov.uk/pesticides/pesticides-registration/uk-active-substances-register.htm • Pesticide product approvals https://secure.pesticides.gov.uk/pestreg/ProdSearch.asp • Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) Product Information Database www.vmd.defra.gov.uk/productinformationdatabase

Human health and environmental impacts/classifications: • University of Hertfordshire Pesticide Properties DataBase https://sitem.herts.ac.uk/aeru/ppdb/en • PesticideInfo database (managed by PAN North America) www.pesticideinfo.org/search-chemicals-or-products

Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs): • PAN International List of Highly hazardous Pesticides (March 2021) http://pan-international.org/ wp-content/uploads/PAN_HHP_List.pdf

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PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

Annex 2: Overlap between active substances used in UK veterinary medicines and plant protection products The table below shows the 23 active substances currently approved for use in UK veterinary medicines that can also be used on agricultural crops (known as ‘plant protection products’). Of these, 14 are currently approved for use on crops in the UK. The other nine have either been banned or were never approved for use on UK crops due to their potential to cause serious harm to human health or the environment. It is worth noting that thirteen of the total 23 are classified as highly toxic to bees, in fact some have been banned for use on crops due to the high level of risk they pose to bee and pollinator health. Many of the active substances also have associated human health risks and it is possible that they present a similar risk to animal health.

Active substance

Type

Approved in UK for use on agricultural crops?

Highly Hazardous Pesticide (HHP)

Human health impacts

Environmental impacts

Used in which type of veterinary medicines and on which animals?

Abamectin

Insecticide

Yes

Yes

• Developmental or reproductive toxin

• Highly toxic to bees

Anthelmintic – sheep

AlphaCypermethrin

Insecticide

Banned

Yes

• Carcinogen • Endocrine disruptor

• Highly toxic to bees

Ectoparasiticide – cattle, sheep

Amitraz

Insecticide

Banned

No

• Carcinogen • Endocrine disruptor • Developmental or reproductive toxin

Copper

Fungicide

Yes

No

Mineral – sheep

Copper Oxide

Fungicide / Insecticide

Yes

No

Mineral – cattle, sheep

Cypermethrin

Insecticide

Yes

Yes

Cyromazine

Insecticide

Never approved

Deltamethrin

Insecticide

Yes

• Carcinogen

Ectoparasiticide – honey bees

• Highly toxic to bees

Ectoparasiticide – cattle, sheep, horses

No

• Ground water contaminant

Ectoparasiticide – rabbits

Yes

• Highly toxic to bees

Ectoparasiticide – dogs, cats, cattle, sheep, salmon, trout

Table continued on page 38 >

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PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

Active substance

Type

Approved in UK for use on agricultural crops?

Highly Hazardous Pesticide (HHP)

Dinotefuran

Insecticide

Never approved

Emamectin Benzoate

Insecticide

Enilconazole (imazalil)

Environmental impacts

Used in which type of veterinary medicines and on which animals?

Yes

• Highly toxic to bees • Ground water contaminant

Ectoparasiticide – dogs, cats

Yes

Yes

• Highly toxic to bees • Highly toxic to aquatic organisms

Ectoparasiticide – Atlantic salmon

Fungicide

Yes

Yes

• Carcinogen • Developmental or reproductive toxin

Fipronil

Insecticide

No products ever approved

Yes

• Carcinogen • Endocrine disruptor

Imidacloprid

Insecticide

Banned

Indoxacarb

Insecticide

Nitenpyram

Antimycotic – dogs, cattle, horses • Highly toxic to bees

Ectoparasiticide – dogs, cats

Yes

• Highly toxic to bees

Ectoparasiticide – dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets

Yes

Yes

• Highly toxic to bees

Ectoparasiticide – dogs, cats

Insecticide

Never approved

Yes

• Highly toxic to bees

Ectoparasiticide – dogs, cats

Permethrin

Insecticide

Banned

Yes

• Carcinogen • Endocrine disruptor

• Highly toxic to bees

Ectoparasiticide – dogs, cats, cattle, donkeys, horses

Piperonyl Butoxide

Insecticide

Yes

No

• Carcinogen • Endocrine disruptor

Pyrethrins

Insecticide

Yes

Yes

• Carcinogen

Pyriproxyfen

Insect growth regulator

Yes

No

• Endocrine disruptor • Developmental or reproductive toxin • Cholinesterase inhibitor

Spinosad

Insecticide

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Sulphur

38

Human health impacts

Tau Fluvalinate

Insecticide

Yes

Yes

Teflubenzuron

Insecticide

Banned

No

Ectoparasiticide – dogs, cats, birds • Highly toxic to bees

Ectoparasiticide – dogs, cats, birds Ectoparasiticide, insect growth regulator – dogs, cats

• Highly toxic to bees

Ectoparasiticide – dogs, cats Antiseptic – cattle

• Developmental or reproductive toxin

Ectoparasiticide – honey bees • Toxic to aquatic organisms

Ectoparasiticide – Atlantic salmon

PETS AND PESTICIDE POISONING

References 1.

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Attention pet owners If your pet has ingested, or been exposed to pesticides and is showing signs of acute poisoning, it is crucial to seek diagnosis and treatment as quickly as possible from your vet. It is important to try and find out which pesticides were involved. If you suspect that your pet may be suffering from the effects of chronic exposure (continued exposure over time) it can be helpful to document a timeline of incidents, including locations, dates, symptoms and changes in the animal’s behaviour so that you can provide this information to your vet. Although these poisons can be deadly in worst-case scenarios, with treatment the prognosis is usually good.

Please do also let PAN UK know if you think your pet has been poisoned by pesticides so that we can monitor the national picture and continue to build the case for change.

Our pet poisoning reporting form is available at: www.pan-uk.org/pet-poisonings

Pesticide Action Network UK PAN UK is the only UK charity focused on tackling the problems caused by pesticides and promoting safe and sustainable alternatives in agriculture, urban areas, homes and gardens. We work tirelessly to apply pressure to governments, regulators, policy makers, industry and retailers to reduce the impacts of harmful pesticides to both human health and the environment.

Our work includes campaigning for change in policy and practices at home and overseas, co-ordinating projects which help smallholder farming communities escape ill-health and poverty caused by pesticides, and contributing our wealth of scientific and technical expertise to the work of other organisations who share our aims. www.pan-uk.org The Green Hub The Brighthelm Centre North Road Brighton BN1 1YD Telephone: 01273 964230 Email: admin@pan-uk.org