Experts warn pet owners of impact of climate change

NEWS RELEASE
Hidden invaders pose increased threat to families and pets as the world warms.

Toronto, Ontario (December 21, 2009) – As world leaders gather in Copenhagen at the United Nations Climate Change conference, animal health experts warn of the potential impact of global warming on family pets.

Experts are calling on pet owners to pay particular attention to protecting their pets from common parasites to prevent the spread of diseases.

“We’re seeing more pets coming in with diseases that we used to think of as rare or exotic. We’re also seeing animals with ticks all year round, where before we would expect the ticks to die off over winter,” said Dr. Torsten Naucke, Institute of Medical Parasitology, Bonn University, Bonn, Germany. “Diseases like Lyme disease and heartworm disease can cause life-threatening conditions in pets and their owners. There is growing evidence that the ticks and other biting insects that spread these diseases are appearing in new areas due to warmer conditions. It’s important that veterinarians and pet owners are on alert for these new risks and take care to protect their pets.”

“We are seeing quite remarkable changes in the pattern of disease in Europe. As we see an increase in ‘exotic’ diseases like Leishmaniasis, the risk to family pets of acquiring these diseases also increases. Protecting pets from biting insects like ticks and mosquitoes may seem like an afterthought or an unnecessary expense, but it will soon be an essential part of protecting the health of your pets and your family,” said Dr. Naucke.

“Tick control is becoming an essential component of infectious disease prevention in pets and people,” said Dr. Bruce Kilmer, Director of Technical Services and Regulatory Affairs for Bayer HealthCare, Animal Health in Canada.

The rise in global temperatures is changing the spread of animal diseases, many of which pose a risk to both pets and their owners. A change of just a few degrees can make a substantial difference to parasite distribution. As temperatures continue to rise, ticks, mosquitoes and sand flies are moving further north and larger numbers of parasites are surviving winter, leading to significant increases in their numbers and risk for transmission.

Dr. Sarah Weston, Global Veterinary Services Manager, Bayer Animal Health, also spoke of the need to take action:

“These diseases are an issue for both pets and their owners. We know that the best approach is to prevent transmission using a simple, easy-to-use treatment that protects pets by preventing parasites from attaching and feeding. With the changes we are seeing in climate across the world, these highly effective treatments are likely to become recommended for year-round application to give the best protection from disease.”

About Bayer Inc.

Bayer Inc. (Bayer) is a Canadian subsidiary of Bayer AG, an international research-based group with core businesses in health care, crop science and innovative materials. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Bayer Inc. operates the Bayer Group’s HealthCare and MaterialScience businesses in Canada. Bayer Crop Science Inc., headquartered in Calgary, Alberta operates as a separate legal entity in Canada. Together, the companies play a vital role in improving the quality of life for Canadians – producing products that fight diseases, protecting crops and animals, and developing high-performance materials for applications in numerous areas of daily life. Canadian Bayer facilities include the Toronto headquarters and offices in Montréal and Calgary.

Bayer Inc. has approximately 900 employees across Canada and had sales of $908 million CDN in 2008. Globally, the Bayer Group had sales of over 32 billion Euro in 2008. Bayer Inc. invested approximately $36 million CDN in research and development in 2008. Worldwide, the Bayer Group spent the equivalent of over 2.6 billion Euro in 2008 in R&D. For more information, go to https://www.bayer.ca.

For more information, please contact:

Laura Burns
Senior Business Communications Partner, Bayer Inc.
416.240.5466
laura [dot] burns [dot] b [at] bayer [dot] com

Rina Blacklaws
Public Relations Specialist
Woodruff Sweitzer
403.291.2922 x 233
rblacklaws [at] woodruffsweitzer [dot] ca

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