‌

Register

Login

Vet Times logo
+
  • View all news
  • Vets news
  • Vet Nursing news
  • Business news
  • + More
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
  • View all clinical
  • Small animal
  • Livestock
  • Equine
  • Exotics
  • Vet Times jobs home
  • All Jobs
  • Your ideal job
  • Post a job
  • Career Advice
  • Students
About
Contact Us
For Advertisers
NewsClinicalJobs
Vet Times logo

Vets

All Vets newsSmall animalLivestockEquineExoticWork and well-beingOpinion

Vet Nursing

All Vet Nursing newsSmall animalLivestockEquineExoticWork and well-beingOpinion

Business

All Business newsHuman resourcesBig 6SustainabilityFinanceDigitalPractice profilesPractice developments

+ More

VideosPodcastsDigital Edition

The latest veterinary news, delivered straight to your inbox.

Choose which topics you want to hear about and how often.

Vet Times logo 2

About

The team

Advertise with us

Recruitment

Contact us

Vet Times logo 2

Vets

All Vets news

Small animal

Livestock

Equine

Exotic

Work and well-being

Opinion

Vet Nursing

All Vet Nursing news

Small animal

Livestock

Equine

Exotic

Work and well-being

Opinion

Business

All Business news

Human resources

Big 6

Sustainability

Finance

Digital

Practice profiles

Practice developments

Clinical

All Clinical content

Small animal

Livestock

Equine

Exotics

Jobs

All Jobs content

All Jobs

Your ideal job

Post a job

Career Advice

Students

More

All More content

Videos

Podcasts

Digital Edition


Terms and conditions

Complaints policy

Cookie policy

Privacy policy

fb-iconinsta-iconlinkedin-icontwitter-iconyoutube-icon

© Veterinary Business Development Ltd 2025

IPSO_regulated

20 Apr 2025

Sustainable parasite prevention – the business case

Parasite prevention is a cornerstone of small animal practice, but traditional, broad-spectrum, year-round treatments are facing scrutiny. Veterinary practices must adapt with a values-led approach that recognises sustainable parasite control as both an ethical responsibility and a business opportunity…

author_img

Thom Jenkins

Job Title



Sustainable parasite prevention – the business case

Image: Adobe Firefly / AI Generated

For decades, parasite control has relied on routine administration of preventives, often without assessing individual risk factors. While year-round treatment schedules were, in part, designed to simplify client adherence, only a minority of pet owners follow these recommendations consistently.

Meanwhile, this broad application contributes to environmental contamination, with chemicals like fipronil and imidacloprid detected in UK waterways at levels harmful to aquatic life. Overuse also drives parasite resistance, threatening long-term treatment efficacy.

Direct-to-consumer pet health subscriptions from digital-only businesses are increasingly promoting one-size-fits-all, monthly treatments, often bypassing the expertise of the pet’s local veterinary team and relying on active ingredients with significant levels of parasite resistance (this making them no less harmful to aquatic life). Veterinary clinics have a chance to differentiate with a more evidence-based, risk-assessed approach, maintaining their role as the most trusted advisors in pet health.

With home delivery services and digital reordering, practices can compete on convenience while ensuring clients receive appropriate, expert-led parasite control.

A smarter approach: risk-based prevention

Sustainable parasite control means treating as necessary, when necessary. This risk-based approach considers each pet’s lifestyle, geography and diagnostic results:

  • Urban indoor cats may require less frequent treatments than outdoor cats in high-risk areas.
  • Dogs in rural, wooded, or deer-populated areas may need more frequent prevention than those in lower-risk urban settings.
  • Diagnostic-led approaches (such as faecal testing instead of automatic deworming) reduce unnecessary treatments.

This strategy helps to preserve product efficacy, lowers the risk of adverse effects and builds client confidence in veterinary expertise.

parasite graphic Image: iStock / hisa nishiya
Image: iStock / hisa nishiya

Business benefits of sustainable parasite prevention

1. Stronger client trust and loyalty:

a tailored, evidence-based approach fosters client confidence in veterinary recommendations, setting clinics apart from competitive would-be disruptors. Research by Rob Horne, a professor in behavioural medicine at University College London, indicates that aligning medical advice with individual beliefs and concerns can significantly improve adherence. Pet owners who understand the long-term benefits of sustainable parasite prevention are likely to remain more engaged, follow recommended care plans and opt for other veterinary services – increasing the veterinary channel’s share of total pet care spending.

2. Increased revenue through services and subscription models:

while reducing parasite product sales may seem counterintuitive to revenue growth, it creates opportunities for new income streams:

  • Diagnostic services, such as faecal testing and disease screening, can supplement lost product revenue.
  • Subscription wellness plans can focus on services rather than just products, reducing reliance on monthly treatments as the core value proposition.
  • Unlimited consultations and home delivery services offer convenience while maintaining veterinary oversight.
  • Personalised pet health plans based on individual risk factors create value-added services that online retailers cannot replicate. Telehealth consultations allow ongoing risk assessments and check-ins between in-clinic visits.
client in reception graphic Image: iStock / hisa nishiya
Image: iStock / hisa nishiya

3. Improved adherence through technology:

despite the intent of simplified, year-round treatment recommendations, adherence remains inconsistent. Sustainable approaches integrated with technology can significantly improve compliance:

  • Prescription home delivery services remove barriers related to client forgetfulness and accessibility.
  • Subscription-based automatic deliveries ensure timely treatment while the veterinary-client-patient relationship is maintained.
  • Automated reminders for seasonal risk periods and testing due dates.
  • Client engagement and CRM tools that educate owners on the importance of targeted, tailored prevention with scheduled year-round campaigns, tracking adherence.
  • By reducing unnecessary chemical exposure while ensuring necessary treatments are delivered on time, sustainable approaches optimise both pet health and environmental impact.

Implementing a sustainable model

1. Conduct risk assessments:

Instead of defaulting to monthly treatments, veterinary teams can evaluate each pet’s specific risk factors during annual exams. Consider exposure to other animals, outdoor access, and travel history when making personalised recommendations.

2. Leverage diagnostics and technology:

  • Faecal egg counts can reduce unnecessary deworming.
  • Tick-borne disease screening allows for early treatment and informs future risk assessment at the individual and local population level.
  • AI-powered tools can assist in consistent communication and personalised treatment plans.
  • Home deliver prescribed preventives through veterinary practices, ensuring adherence.
  • Online appointment booking for annual health checks and telehealth check-ins on any potential changes in risk.

3. Strengthen client communication:

Provide clear, transparent information about when, why, and how treatments are used, reinforcing that doing less can sometimes mean doing better. Ensure transparent payment models and GDPR-compliant data handling to build trust.

4. Personalised wellness plan for long-term care:

  • Digital wellness plans that bundle tailored parasite prevention with broader pet care.
  • Convey value through services and not exclusively or even predominantly through products.

Future of parasite control

Sustainable parasite prevention is an environmental imperative, but also a strategic business opportunity. Practices embracing risk-based, diagnostic-driven strategies supported by technology will build stronger client relationships, maintain treatment efficacy, and develop new revenue models aligned with modern veterinary values. In this way, we can maintain and enhance the position of the local veterinary clinic at the heart of a joined-up online-to-offline pet care journey.

  • Article appeared in VBJ265, Pages 7-9 (April 2025)
consult room graphic consulting client pet vet Image: iStock / hisa nishiya
Image: iStock / hisa nishiya

‌
‌
‌