Talk to your vet about your pet’s needs. They will want to know how your pet spends their time and will be able to give you more information about which parasites your pets are actually at risk of and when.
You will need to consider some of the following questions about your pet:
Does your pet regularly spend time in forested areas, heathland, or walking through long grass?
Does your pet spend a lot of time with pets from other households?
Do you have multiple pets in your household, including some that go outdoors?
Does your household suffer from frequent flea infestations?
Does your pet suffer from flea allergic dermatitis?
If you answered ‘No’ then your pet may be considered to be at low-risk for flea and tick problems and you could potentially look at reducing the amount that you treat your pet for flea, ticks or worms.
If you answered ‘Yes’ to some of them then you may only need to treat your pet on an ad hoc basis and not all year-round.
High risk: Dogs or cats that roam freely in parks, forests, or rural areas.
Lower risk: Indoor-only pets with minimal outdoor exposure.
Active pets that explore dense vegetation are more likely to pick up parasites.
Pets that interact with other animals (e.g., at dog parks, grooming salons, or daycare) have a higher chance of exposure to parasites caught from another animal.
References:
https://vetsustain.org/resources/responsible-parasiticide-use-in-dogs-and-cats
https://vetsustain.org/resources/canine-parasite-risk-assessment-tool
https://vetsustain.org/resources/feline-parasite-risk-assessment-tool
https://www.bva.co.uk/take-action/our-policies/responsible-use-of-parasiticides-for-cats-and-dogs/