A global health threat

Each country has its own burden of bloodsucking parasites, with ticks, fleas, mosquitoes and sand flies playing a major role globally. Dogs are especially endangered, since they are more exposed than human beings. Over the last few years, veterinarians and pet owners world wide have been increasingly focusing their attention on ectoparasite control.

As a result of the integration of pets into their owners' lives as family members, more and more pet owners are afraid of their companions' parasites, which are both a nuisance and a threat.

Moreover, the full extent of related health risks to humans and dogs by ectoparasites, including allergies and the transmission of dangerous pathogens, has only recently been recognized and described. In the absence of effective preventative strategies against most of the transmitted pathogens in most parts of the world, the logical consequence is (often all year-round) ectoparasite control to lessen the risk of infection.