Grooming your pet:

If you groom or clip your dog or cat at home, you might be tempted to put any hair you collect “out for the birds” or in your garden compost.  The best place for this hair is in your domestic waste or “black bin”. This ensures that any residues of medication will go to landfill or incineration and not end up in the environment.

The same goes for hair that you sweep or vacuum up in the house, or hair collected from filters in your tumble dryer or washing machine. Empty the contents into your domestic waste and it will be dealt with in the most appropriate way.

Washing and swimming:

If you shampoo your pet at home, try and collect up any shed hair from the bath or plug hole and put it in the bin rather than flushing it down the toilet or letting it be washed down the plug hole.

When you use any type of parasite protection for your pet, always check the packaging, and any information sheet, for instructions on if, or when, you can wash or shampoo your dog or let them swim.

If you do not follow the instructions correctly, then some of the product may wash off. This can leave your pet unprotected and potentially have effects on the environment. Directions vary between products and can change over time, so even if you have used the product before, be sure to check each time you buy.  If the instructions are not clear, then go back to where you bought the product from, either your vets or the retailer, to seek advice on how to handle and apply the product.

This is also important to consider when booking your dog into a grooming parlour. If a product has been applied, and the instructions state that the dog cannot enter water for a set amount of time, you should not send your dog to be groomed within this time frame. If you are regularly using a product that places restrictions on your pet getting wet, you may want to consider application dates when booking grooming appointments in advance.

Some products are more suitable for dogs that swim or are bathed frequently.  Always discuss your pet’s lifestyle when you purchase your parasite protection to find the product that is best suited to you and your pet.