What cost and choice implications would a ban on pesticide active substances in cat and dog medicines have for pet owners?

There are currently more than 1,000 parasiticide products for cats and dogs in the UK. While a ban on pesticide active substance being included in pet medicines would mean removing 67% of these from the market, it would still leave almost 350 alternative products available.

The list of alternative products includes spot-on treatments, sprays, gels, treated collars and tablets so owners would continue to have a wide range of choice in terms of how they apply parasiticides to their pet. While the majority of alternative products are prescription only, there would still be products available for owners wanting to buy medicines over the counter or online.

The cost of parasiticide products vary greatly. However, those containing pesticide active substances tend to be roughly comparable with the alternatives in terms of price so a ban should not affect pet owners struggling with the cost of living. It can be argued, in fact, that many pet owners are spending money unnecessarily by treating their pet for parasites every month regardless of whether an infestation has taken place. Pet owners struggling with costs could consider stopping prophylactic use and instead monitoring their pet closely for parasites and only treating if necessary.