VMD launches campaign on protecting UK waterways from contamination from flea and tick treatments
Cat and dog owners are being urged to safely use flea and tick spot-on treatments as part of a new national campaign helping to protect UK waterways from contamination.
Spot-on treatments are used to protect the UK's 21 million pet cats and dogs from fleas and ticks, but there are concerns that these medicines are not always used in line with the instructions in the product leaflet, which can cause harm to the natural environment.
Monitoring by the Environment Agency has detected fipronil and imidacloprid, two active ingredients commonly used in flea and tick treatments, in UK waterways at levels that could harm aquatic insects such as mayflies and dragonflies. Research funded by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) shows these substances can enter waterways through wastewater and when treated pets swim in natural bodies of water.
It's important to use these treatments safely and correctly so they continue to work effectively, protect pets and people from parasites and the diseases they can carry, and reduce potential harm to the environment.
Pet owners are encouraged to follow three simple steps when using flea and tick spot-ons to help limit environmental impacts while continuing to protect animal health.
Plan. Apply. Protect.
Plan
- If you need to wash your pet then do it in the days before applying the medicine, rather than afterwards.
- Pick a time to apply the medicine when you won't be in close contact with your pet, for example at night or before you go to work.
Apply
- Read instructions or visit Veterinary Medicines Directorate's Product Information Database to understand how to apply it right.
- Part your pet's fur at the application site(s) until you can see the skin, apply directly to the skin not the fur.
Protect
- Don't touch the application site until it is dry.
- Do not let your pet swim for at least 4 days after application. Try to limit swimming and washing of your pet in the weeks after application.
- Bin used pipettes - don't rinse them down the sink or recycle.
- Ask your medicine supplier about returning unused or expired medicine.
- Put pet fur from treated animals in the bin, don't leave it out for nesting birds
Pet owners should seek professional advice from their vet or medicine supplier about their flea and tick control if the above steps prove difficult, or if the medicine appears to not be working.
Veterinary Medicines Directorate's Chief Executive Officer, Abigail Seager said:
Flea and tick spot-ons are an important way to protect both human and animal health, but these substances are reaching our waterways.
Today we are giving people the practical information they need to get the most out of their pet's treatment while helping protect our waterways. We are proud to be working with partners across the veterinary and retail sectors to spread that message as widely as possible.
RUMA Companion Animal and Equine (RUMA CA&E) Chair, Gwyn Jones said:
RUMA Companion Animal & Equine welcomes this campaign and its focus on helping pet owners use flea and tick spot-on treatments responsibly. We believe that promoting awareness of responsible use of parasiticides amongst pet owners is a real priority and are proud to support this important initiative.
Professor Jason Weeks, Chair of the Pharmaceuticals in the Environment Group said:
This campaign is an important step in helping pet owners understand how small changes in how flea and tick spot-on treatments are used can make a real difference for our environment. It supports the government's wider Pharmaceuticals in the Environment roadmap by promoting responsible use while ensuring these medicines continue to protect animal and human health. It is encouraging to see practical action being taken, alongside ongoing work to strengthen the evidence base and consider how these products are supplied and used.
The campaign is part of the government's wider work to address pharmaceuticals in the environment. This is led by the cross-government Pharmaceuticals in the Environment (PiE) Group, which published a roadmap of actions to address the presence of chemicals from flea and tick treatments in our waterways.
Alongside this campaign, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate is conducting a distribution category review of veterinary medicines containing fipronil and imidacloprid, considering whether professional advice should be required at the point of sale. A Call for Evidence opened on 16 April 2026 and closes on 11 June 2026.
Notes
- The government has published a dedicated website Be Spot On Aware - Using Flea and Tick Treatments to help pet owners, vets, retailers and anyone else who applies flea and tick treatments or advises pet owners to follow these simple steps.
- The website contains free resources, including downloadable posters and social media materials for vets, medicine suppliers, groomers, and retailers to help deliver this message to pet owners.
- The distribution category review Call for Evidence is open until 11 June 2026.
- Responses can be submitted via Citizen Space here or by email to
