Pilates Wellness Wednesday: Loving Our Pets Without Ignoring the Chemicals

A joyful mix of cats and dogs, different breeds, united and looking up together.

I have always believed that if we have animals in our care, then we do our best for them. With our two cats and one visiting barn cat, that has meant following the vet’s advice, buying the recommended flea and worm treatments, and applying the dose to the back of the neck while they look at us as if we’ve betrayed them forever.

Like many pet owners in the UK, I assumed that if something is widely sold and routinely recommended, then it must be safe enough. That assumption is starting to feel a bit naïve.

Recently, I began looking more closely at what is actually in these treatments. The two main chemicals used in many spot-on flea products are imidacloprid and fipronil. These are not mild substances. They are insecticides designed to kill. Imidacloprid belongs to a group called neonicotinoids, which have already been restricted in UK agriculture because of their impact on pollinators such as bees.

Here’s the part that catches people off guard. While these chemicals are restricted in farming, they are still widely used in veterinary flea treatments. So we have effectively removed them from fields but continue to apply them directly onto our pets.

The environmental impact is becoming difficult to ignore. These chemicals are now being detected in UK rivers and waterways. Studies have shown that they can be toxic to aquatic insects, which form the foundation of many ecosystems. If you damage that level of the food chain, everything above it starts to feel the effect.

One statistic that stopped me in my tracks was this. A single monthly flea treatment for a large dog contains enough imidacloprid to kill up to 25 million bees. Now, that does not mean one treated dog is wiping out fields of bees. It is a measure of toxicity. But it gives a very clear idea of how potent these substances are.

Then there is the part that becomes more personal.

These treatments do not necessarily stay neatly where we put them. Research has shown that the chemicals can transfer from the pet’s coat onto human hands for weeks after application. That means it is entirely possible that what we apply in seconds stays in our home environment far longer than we realise. It can move from fur to hands, from hands to surfaces, and eventually into water systems through normal washing.

Product guidelines already tell us not to touch the application site until it is dry, not to let pets sleep in beds immediately after treatment, and to wash our hands thoroughly after use.

Those warnings exist for a reason. They are not there as decoration.

So where does this leave us? We are not talking about abandoning flea control and letting our pets suffer. Fleas and ticks are real problems and can affect both animal and human health. But what is changing is the conversation around routine use.

Many veterinary organisations are now recommending a risk-based approach. That means treating when there is a clear need, rather than automatically applying chemicals month after month regardless of whether there is any evidence of fleas at all.

That feels like a much more sensible balance.

If your pet is at high risk, lives with multiple animals, or has an active infestation, then treatment is necessary. But if your pet has no fleas and low exposure risk, then it is reasonable to question whether constant pesticide use is needed.

There are also simple steps that reduce unnecessary exposure:

Follow instructions carefully when applying treatmentsAvoid touching the treated areaWash hands thoroughly after applicationKeep treated pets off beds and soft furnishings until dryAvoid letting recently treated pets swimMaintain good hygiene such as washing bedding and vacuuming regularly

None of this is extreme. It is just informed.

What strikes me most is how easily something becomes normal. We trust the system, we follow advice, and we assume everything has already been fully considered. But sometimes the science catches up later, and we find ourselves needing to rethink what we once accepted without question.

Pilates teachers, we love our pets. That is not in doubt. But real care is not just about doing what we have always done. It is about staying informed, asking better questions, and making decisions that protect both our animals and ourselves.

Because in the end, if we are not looking after our own health as well, then who is going to look after them?

References

UK Government, Further restrictions on neonicotinoids agreed, 27 April 2018https://www.gov.uk/government/news/further-restrictions-on-neonicotinoids-agreed

UK Government, Government publishes plan to address presence of chemicals from pet flea and tick treatments in UK waterways, 22 July 2025https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-publishes-plan-to-address-presence-of-chemicals-from-pet-flea-and-tick-treatments-in-uk-waterways

UK Government, Call for evidence launches on pet flea and tick treatments in UK waterways, 16 April 2026https://www.gov.uk/government/news/call-for-evidence-launches-on-pet-flea-and-tick-treatments-in-uk-waterways

British Veterinary Association, BSAVA and BVZS, Policy position on responsible use of parasiticides for cats and dogs, 2025https://www.bva.co.uk/media/6627/bva-bsava-and-bvzs-policy-position-on-responsible-use-of-parasiticides-for-cats-and-dogs.pdf

Imperial College London, Toxic pet flea and tick treatments are polluting UK freshwaters, 20 March 2023https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/243875/toxic-flea-tick-treatments-polluting-uk/

Imperial College London, Handwashing a major source of pesticide pollution in UK rivers, 2 February 2024https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/251173/handwashing-major-source-pesticide-pollution-uk/

University of Sussex, Pet owners washing their hands after applying flea treatment are likely biggest source of toxic pollution in rivers, 5 February 2024https://www.sussex.ac.uk/broadcast/read/63391

ESCCAP UK, Fleas guidancehttps://www.esccapuk.org.uk/page/Fleas/37/

NOAH Compendium, Spot-on treatment product safety informationhttps://www.noahcompendium.co.uk