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Forbes
27 minutes ago
- Forbes
Your Pet's Topical Flea Treatments Harm Wildlife
If you have any itchy dog or cat, you may reach for familiar topical flea treatments like Frontline, Advantage, or PetArmor. These products promise pets fast, easy protection from fleas and ticks. Unfortunately, this convenience comes at a hidden environmental cost. Two pesticides, fipronil and imidacloprid, are typically the active ingredients in topical treatments. These same compounds were banned from agricultural use in parts of Europe and California because they are so harmful to bees and other pollinators. Yet we're still smearing these pesticides on our pets, and they are showing up in rivers and streams across the country. Flea-Killing Chemicals End Up In Waterways Topical flea treatments are designed to stay on a pet's skin and fur, but that also means they can easily wash off into household drains or outdoor water bodies. Earlier this year, a study from the University of Sussex found that dogs can continue shedding fipronil into the environment for up to 28 days after a single treatment. They further found that a single treated dog swimming in a small pond raised pesticide concentrations above safety thresholds. Pet swimming isn't the only concern. In fact, the primary route of contamination appears to be everyday activities like washing hands after applying the product, bathing pets, and laundering pet bedding. These actions send pesticide-laced water into treatment plants that are not designed to remove such compounds. One study from the California Environmental Protection Agency found fipronil in wash water from dogs treated weeks earlier. Regardless of their filtration technology, conventional wastewater treatment facilities allow these chemicals to pass through, discharging them directly into rivers, bays, and oceans. Wildlife Is Paying the Price For Pets' Fleas Fipronil and imidacloprid are extremely toxic to aquatic invertebrates. In some cases, exposure to even tiny amounts can kill freshwater shrimp and insect larvae or impair their ability to survive and reproduce. A study by the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) found fipronil in all tested sewage treatment plants at concentrations above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recommended limit for aquatic ecosystems. Imidacloprid was also found at levels between 84 and 305 parts per trillion, well above the limit of 10 parts per trillion. Water and sediment samples from San Francisco Bay show pesticide levels near or above toxicity thresholds for invertebrates. According to Dr. Rebecca Sutton of SFEI, 'that's the base of our food web. So, if those critters experience impacts, it could go up and harm our fish and our wildlife.' The contamination doesn't stop with water. Another study led by the University of Sussex found fipronil in every single bird nest examined. Imidacloprid and permethrin were found in 89 percent. Birds often use pet fur to line their nests, exposing their eggs and chicks to these neurotoxins. The researchers linked this exposure to lower hatching success and higher chick mortality rates. Safer Flea Solutions Are Already Available Veterinarians increasingly recommend oral flea and tick medications, which are safer for the environment. These treatments are metabolized internally, meaning there is no pesticide residue left on pet fur to wash off into water systems. Some options include: If you must use topicals, avoid unnecessary treatments and consider seasonal use instead of year-round application. You can ask your vet about the monthly topical Revolution or the quarterly topical Bravecto. You should also keep treated pets out of natural water sources for at least 28 days after topical application. To reduce the risk of fleas in the first place, you can vacuum your home and your pet's bedding often (and empty the bag). See more tips for pet owners and veterinarians about chewable flea and tick medications from San Francisco Bay Area wastewater agencies. Flea Treatment Market Is Ripe For Innovation Though safer options exist, companies should innovate to find more solutions that protect our pets without polluting the planet. The flea and tick treatment market is valued at 9.7 billion dollars globally in 2024 and is projected to grow to 14.8 billion by 2034. For companies willing to act, this presents a strategic advantage. Brands that lead on safety, sustainability, and transparency will be well positioned as consumer awareness catches up with the science. The health of our pets and the health of our planet are linked, and both deserve better.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Artemis II on track for moon flight, looking to launch as early as February 2026
The crew of 4 astronauts undertaking NASA's 2026 Artemis II mission say the moon flight is on track for its launch next year. Speaking at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on July 30, the crew say there are possible openings for a launch in February.
Medscape
an hour ago
- Medscape
Modern Flu Vaccines Provide Equal Protection for US Seniors
TOPLINE: During the 2022-2023 influenza season, an adjuvanted quadrivalent influenza vaccine (aQIV) and high-dose (HD) QIV showed comparable effectiveness at preventing test-confirmed influenza among US adults aged 65 years or older across all hospital settings. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a retrospective study using the test-negative design to evaluate the effectiveness of the aQIV vs HD-QIV in preventing laboratory-confirmed influenza among US adults aged 65 years or older during the 2022-2023 influenza season. They analyzed data of 30,911 patients (mean age, 76.7 years) from a linked administrative claims database who had an acute respiratory or febrile illness, were tested for influenza within 7 days of diagnosis, and received either aQIV or HD-QIV. Patients who tested positive for influenza (n = 2361) were classified as cases, whereas those who tested negative (n = 28,550) were considered control individuals. The analysis was adjusted for demographic and clinical covariates, including insurance type, frailty index, healthcare utilization, comorbidities, and medical conditions associated with an increased risk for influenza complications. TAKEAWAY: Overall, 31.8% and 68.2% received the aQIV and HD-QIV, respectively, with comparable rates of test-positive influenza between groups during the observation period (7.2% and 7.9%, respectively). The relative vaccine effectiveness (rVE) of aQIV vs HD-QIV showed no significant difference across all settings (adjusted rVE, -2.5%; P = .631) and emergency department/inpatient settings (adjusted rVE, 0.0%; 95% CI, -15.9% to 13.7%). During the peak season (6 November to 24 December 2022), 13.6% of aQIV and 14.4% of HD-QIV recipients tested positive for influenza, and the rVE in the sensitivity analysis was consistent with that in the main analysis. IN PRACTICE: 'These findings align with current recommendations by ACIP [Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices] and other NITAGs [National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups] that support the use of adjuvanted and high-dose influenza vaccines in this age group,' the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Mahrukh Imran, CSL Seqirus, Kirkland, Quebec, Canada. It was published online on July 11, 2025, in International Journal of Infectious Diseases. LIMITATIONS: The observational study design introduced potential biases due to variability in the use of healthcare resources and heterogeneity inherent in the US healthcare system, which could not be fully accounted for. Vaccination was not randomized, and unmeasured confounding factors might have influenced the results. The limited sample size and data privacy constraints prevented a more detailed geographic analysis. Moreover, influenza testing was performed as part of routine care than according to preset screening criteria. DISCLOSURES: This study was supported by CSL Seqirus. Three authors reported being employees of CSL Seqirus and holding stock in CSL Limited. Three other authors reported being employees of Optum, which received funding from CSL Seqirus to support this work. One author reported receiving direct financial support from the study funders. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
