What is this project about?
We are delighted to partner with Small World Vet Centre for this project, which is the UK pioneer of making testing for parasites (rather than routine treatment) the norm, and tailoring necessary treatment to the individual needs of the pet. Small World Vet Centre believes that the health of people, animals and the environment are all linked and must be considered one, making them a perfect partner for the Buzz Club.
​
Fleas, ticks and worms are parasites that dog owners must be mindful of for their pets. There are treatments commonly available that target ectoparasites (those who live on the surface of the skin) and endoparasites (those who live inside the host’s body). It is often advised to treat your pets prophylactically with tick and flea treatments (monthly) to prevent the opportunity of parasitic activity, applied orally or topically. You can also very easily buy these treatments at supermarkets or online without any professional advice (or age restriction!).
Worryingly, recent research has highlighted that using flea treatments like this is causing detrimental impacts to the environment. For example, the active ingredients in several popular brands are imidacloprid or fipronil, both chemicals that have been banned in the EU for agricultural use due to the human health risks and toxicity to pollinators (e.g. 1 gram of imidacloprid is enough to give a lethal dose to 250 million honeybees).
​​​
Whilst the environmental impacts of compounds such as imidacloprid and fipronil have featured in numerous research projects, other groups of chemicals have not been e.g. isoxazolines. These are often administered orally via chewable tablet. This is an example of the identified gaps in our understanding of the fate of veterinary treatments in the environment. Pet Waste Watch will look into whether the presence of flea treatments or other drugs effects the degradation of dog faeces. Not a glamourous project, but an important one!
How can you help?
Faecal waste from dogs is considered to be ‘offensive waste’ in the UK due to the risks of contamination it provides to the environment via a) pathogens and natural chemical composition e.g. high nitrogen levels b) contamination via endo/ectoparasitic treatments (information on different chemicals can be found on our website). We want to look at the speed at which dog poo breaks down naturally outdoors, and how this relates to the insecticidal treatments that the dog has received. Do these treatments slow down the process or are some less impactful than others e.g. spot-on vs tablet treatments? Are the invertebrates that play important roles in decomposition affected?
​
We are looking for environmentally conscious dog owners who have their dog on any parasiticidal treatment plan (ecto and/or endoparasitic), and those who don’t treat their dogs for these parasites at all – in other words, all dogs are welcome!
We are asking dog owners to:
-Register your dog as a citizen scientist with us!
-Record the degradation weekly of one of your dog’s poos.
​
We will also throw a 'Dogs as Scientists' photo competition!
What do you get out of it?
By taking part in this project, you will be contributing towards a very important area of research. During this project you will gain more environmental awareness as a pet owner, as well as learning more about the important decomposers in our ecosystem.
Project Resources
Click on the icons to access:
A: A video by Prof. Dave Goulson: 'How to control ticks and fleas on dogs and cats - sustainably.'
B: How to garden for dogs and pollinators - ideas on how to garden with all animals in mind.
C: Wordsearch: Can you find all of the dog-related common plant names?
​
