Hi. This site is so helpful and I’m reaching out to dog owners either living or visiting France. We are going to Southern Brittany next month. How can I protect my little dog against sand flies and possible leishmaniasis? I’ve read flea & treatments such as Vectra 3D and Advantix are recommended but there are some possible side effects of Vectra 3D and I don’t see sand flies noted on the Advantix packet. We will hope to go to the beaches and forests and I appreciate although being called a ‘sand fly’, they can be anywhere. What are your opinions or recommendations please?
Scalibor collars are meant to be effective against sand flies and ticks. We live by the sea in France so we have an annual vaccine for leishmaniasis. I don’t know if you can get that in the UK or wherever you are.
Some vets recommend belt and braces with the vaccine and a collar.
Mine did when she knew we were likely to be heading to a Spanish beach. No way these days would I do anything other than belt and braces.
Nor me.
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The vaccines seem to have their own potential side effects and the dog needs to be ‘tested’ before vaccinating. We have to get Lily’s rabies booster while we are in France (or on our return to the UK) so I am reluctant to inject her with too many products - she’s just a little cavapoo. I’m now thinking I don’t want to risk the sand flies and we should cancel our trip as she is 12 years old and this may all be too much. Would we be safer to go to Northern France (St Malo or Normandy) perhaps? How long before these pesky flies reach the UK!
This is a map of reported incidents and as you see the south is worse. Our belt and braces when visiting southern areas was first to avoid the pesky things. A nuisance, but we didn’t sit outside with our dog at dusk or early morning. We anointed him with geranium oil to deter as well, which he hated!
and used Vectra until he was old when we kept him indoors.
Thank you for this information Jane. It must be really very worrying for dog owners living in France. As we are visiting in March, perhaps it won’t be warm up enough for the sand flies to be present? We’ll certainly use the advice of getting either a Scalibor or Seresto collars but as we only need it for 8 days of travel, I wonder if we should just get the Scalibor as it lasts for 6 months as opposed to the Seresto which works for 8 Months protection . The Seresto seem to be more effective (88.3% as opposed to Scalibor 61.8%). I bought Advantix in France last year which is still in date until 2027 and covers sandflies so I’m wondering whether to use this the week before we come as well as the collar - or will I overdose Lily with the active ingredients and perhaps I just need one or the other? I also worry that I am just overthinking this?
Talk to your vet. The world is becoming increasingly aware of the dangers of parasites in humans and dogs and their increasing spread and the need for protection.