Something as simple and affordable as a good insect repellent collar works as a powerful protective shield for your pet. By releasing a small dose of insecticide, harmless to animals and humans, it is effective against fleas, ticks and the sandfly, the insect that transmits canine leishmaniasis.
Leishmaniasis is a crafty disease that affects many mammals (including dogs and humans). The symptoms range from skin lesions to deadly internal organ conditions. The culprit is a protozoan parasite called Leishmania, which is transmitted through the bite of a vector: a small insect called a sandfly. It can infect your best friend with just a single bite.
The treatment for this disease is long, costly and not always successful. The key to controlling canine leishmaniasis is therefore prevention. For that, in addition to vaccination, the most effective option is the use of a quality and long-lasting insect repellent product, like the Merlin collar, a recent innovation that protects against sandflies, does not give off odours and has no systemic effects.
Leishmaniasis: a countrywide problem
The sandfly, the carrier of Leishmania, is found virtually all over Spain. The biggest presence of sandflies is found in the Mediterranean basin, because of its ideal climate and degree of humidity. As a result, the number of infected dogs in this area is very high; so much so, that leishmaniasis is not only a concern as a serious problem for animal health, but also for public health.
Why is it so important to use a collar?
As we've said, the treatment of leishmaniasis is long, costly and complicated, so the cheapest and most effective strategy is to avoid being bitten by the sandfly. Repellent collars are a practical and affordable solution, as they'll protect your faithful friend all the time, wherever they are.
Merlin: one collar, multiple benefits
The apparently easy task of choosing a collar for your pet is more complicated than you might think. Despite a wide variety of products on the market, depending on the characteristics of the animal or its habitat, not all of them will be suitable. You therefore need to take into account factors like the age and size of your dog, its degree of effectiveness, whether you live in urban or country areas, etc.
If your dog is more than seven weeks old, it's mature enough to be protected with the Merlin collar. Thanks to its length (65 cm), you can cut it to adapt to your pet's neck. Formulated using deltamethrin powder as a base, this synthetic active ingredient from the pyrethroid family acts in two ways: as an insecticide and as an acaricide. That means it works as a protective shield against fleas, ticks and the sandfly. It has a long lasting effect: fleas will be kept away for four months; ticks for six; and the sandfly, for up to five and a half months.
It works really simply. The deltamethrin is released from the collar slowly over time at a suitable dose. It is deposited on your dog's coat, where it mixes with the natural oils and is distributed all over the body. Any hidden invader that comes into contact with this substance will be paralysed and will die and fall off your four-legged friend. Unwelcome visitors won't have time to feed on your dog's blood and so will not be able to infect them with Leishmania.
Added to these benefits with the Merlin collar are the fact that it doesn't give off any odour or cause systemic effects, making it very safe both for your dog and for people. And as if that wasn't enough, you can combine it with other parasitic treatments, so your pet is protected against all kinds of parasites.
The collar is very simple to use: just attach it around your pet's neck, checking that it's neither too loose nor too tight; ideally, you should be able to fit two fingers between the collar and the neck. In any case, thanks to the buckle, you can adjust its position whenever you need to. It's that easy!
Coming in a single box with two collars, protection for your pet is guaranteed for nearly the whole year.
Is it safe for my dog and for me?
Yes, completely. For your dog, you, and for everybody else. As we explained earlier, the Merlin collar releases deltamethrin, which is one of the most effective broad-spectrum active ingredients used (both in domestic pets and farm animals) for the control of this type of insect and parasite. Exposure to very high doses would be necessary to affect your nervous system.
However, it is important to remember that these repellent collars cannot be used on cats, as their liver is not able to metabolise the active ingredients they contain. For that reason there are products specifically designed for cats that include a lower dose or a different formulation. If you have any questions about a product, always ask your vet!
With the conscientious use of quality parasite collars, you'll be protecting your best friend from sandflies, fleas and ticks. You will also be stopping the spread of serious diseases in people (like Lyme disease or leishmaniasis itself).
Protect your pet and those around you with the Merlin collar!