Parasite prevention for dogs and cats is essential for welfare but some products have environmental impacts; balancing protection and ecology matters.
Untreated parasites cause significant welfare harm to pets through pain, disease transmission, and anemia. However, prophylactic use of persistent environmental insecticides has ecological costs for invertebrate populations. Targeted parasite control using environmental risk assessment — tick checks, targeted treatment, and lower-impact alternatives — can protect pet welfare while reducing ecological impact.