Many of you will know this already, but please share this information widely!

“If your dog will jump in the nearest river, pond or lake given half a chance, don’t use spot-on treatments for fleas and ticks, say researchers.”

Flea treatments on dogs are effective because they are extremely strong invertebrate killers in their tiny doses AND they are designed to last a long time. These same benefits are exactly what makes them a nature-killing nightmare for aquatic life and wildlife that eats them including birds. If you need to use topical flea treatment (preferably this is only if they currently have fleas, NOT as a year-round preventative which is an outdated practice now): keep your dog out of all wild water, even ephemeral ponds, for as many *months* as you can, and dispose of shedded dog hair in the bin (can kill chicks if used as nesting materials).

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2482650-dogs-pollute-water-with-pesticides-even-weeks-after-flea-treatment/ #dogs #dogsofmastodon #dogstodon

Dogs pollute water with pesticides even weeks after flea treatment

When dogs given spot treatments for fleas go swimming, they release levels of pesticides dangerous to aquatic life for at least a month after the treatment

^{Michael Le Page (New Scientist)}