Every day, dogs and cats are exposed to unwanted parasites, vectors of various diseases that can affect their health and sometimes ours. Fleas, ticks, lice, sandflies, worms... can cause a variety of inconveniences (itching, allergies, weight loss...) as well as potentially serious pathologies for the animal, some of which can be transmitted to humans - such as leishmaniosis or heartworm disease. 

The use of parasiticides is not a harmless act

For pet owners, protection against external and internal parasites, whether preventive or curative, is often a matter of course. However, the use of parasiticides is not a trivial matter. As with any medication, their use requires knowledge of side effects, contraindications and precautions to avoid the dangers of inappropriate use. What's more, protection must be tailored to the specific case of each animal and the real risks to which it is exposed. Its species, age, lifestyle and environment are all factors to be taken into account. A cat living in the city, for example, surrounded by children and rarely going outside, does not need the same protection as a dog living in the countryside, exposed daily to parasites present in nature. 

The veterinarian, guaranteeing appropriate protection

The correct use of parasiticides is therefore important in more ways than one: maximizing and maintaining the effectiveness of protection, minimizing the risk of side effects, and minimizing the impact on the animal's entourage and the environment in general. To promote their rational use, there's only one motto: no more, no less. But it's not always easy for a pet owner to make the right choice from among the wide range of solutions available (tablets, collars, pipettes, etc.). The veterinarian is in the best position to decide, on a case-by-case basis, on the most appropriate solution for the animal, and to advise on the protocol to follow and the schedule to respect. His role is essential in personalizing parasite control programs and ensuring that the right product is used, for the right animal, at the right time, at the right dosage. 

Let's do it smart! 

At Virbac, we work in partnership with veterinarians to help them prescribe the right parasiticide at the right time. All over the world, we provide them with a wide range of solutions, enabling them to draw up personalized control programs limited to the real parasite risks to which the animal is exposed. With Let's do it smart, we reinforce our approach, providing them with practical guidance and tools to establish these tailor-made programs. We are also working hand-in-hand with world-renowned experts in veterinary parasitology, to provide practitioners with teaching materials designed to enhance their expertise in this field. With “Let's Do it Smart”, our aim is also to remind people of the importance of a veterinarian's opinion and the value of his or her prescription for effective, reasoned pest control.

Our “Let's do it smart program” will gradually be rolled out across all our subsidiaries. Working alongside veterinarians and pet owners, we aim to promote more rational management of parasiticides worldwide.