What happens to parasite treatments after they leave an animal’s body? And why should we care about a little beetle with a very dirty job?
A Little Wisdom From the Poo Department
I’ve just finished picking up dog poo and mowing the lawns, and now I’m standing barefoot on the grass doing my earthings, pretending I’m some sort of spiritually advanced human being. You know the look. Bare feet, deep thoughts, connecting with Mother Earth. All very impressive, provided nobody notices the bag of dog poo sitting next to me.
Anyway, somewhere between poo patrol and achieving enlightenment, I started thinking about something most pet parents have probably never considered. What happens to substances like the worming, flea and tick products we give our animals after those substances leave their bodies? We spend a lot of time discussing what goes into our dogs, but considerably less time thinking about what comes out of them, and whether it might affect the world around us.
We’re all understandably concerned about what happens inside our animals’ bodies. We worry about their organs, their gut health, the medications they receive and how everything might affect their long-term wellbeing. But how often do we stop to consider what happens outside their bodies? Once something has passed through an animal and ended up in its poo, it doesn’t necessarily stop having an effect. It might be finished with our dog, but that doesn’t mean it’s finished with the environment. And as it turns out, there’s some fascinating science behind that.
That brings me to ivermectin, dung beetles and a surprisingly interesting bit of science. Yes, we’re about to discuss animal poo in considerable detail. Who said The Dog Health Guy wasn’t sophisticated?!
Meet the Dung Beetle: Nature’s Little Recycling Expert
Dung beetles are extraordinary little creatures. While most of us are desperately trying to avoid stepping in animal poo, these guys are actively searching for it. It’s their food source, their workplace and, for many species, the nursery where they raise their young. If dung beetles had a real estate website, every listing would probably say, “Beautifully appointed, freshly deposited, excellent location.”
But jokes aside, dung beetles perform an enormously important environmental service. By feeding on, breaking down and burying animal dung, they help return nutrients to the soil, improve soil aeration, support water infiltration and reduce the amount of dung left sitting on pasture surfaces. Their activities also help control populations of bush flies and buffalo flies by disrupting their breeding grounds. In fact, according to Australia’s CSIRO, a single large pile of cow dung can produce up to 3,000 bush flies in just two weeks. Who knew these little poo enthusiasts were also running a natural pest control service?
Australia has an especially interesting history with dung beetles. Many of our native species evolved alongside marsupials and are adapted to their relatively dry droppings. When European livestock arrived, the much larger quantities of moist cattle dung created an entirely different challenge. In 1965, CSIRO began the Australian Dung Beetle Project, led by entomologist Dr George Bornemissza. Beginning in 1967, the organisation introduced dung beetle species from overseas to help break down livestock manure, improve pasture ecosystems and reduce fly populations. The research and introduction programs continued for decades.
In other words, we’ve spent decades recognising how valuable these little workers are. Nature has an elaborate recycling department, and apparently nobody in that department is afraid of getting their hands dirty.
What Does Ivermectin Have to Do With Dung Beetles?
Ivermectin is an antiparasitic medication used in veterinary medicine, including for certain parasites affecting livestock and other animals. It belongs to a group of compounds known as macrocyclic lactones, which affect the nervous systems of susceptible parasites.
Ivermectin is also widely used in human medicine, particularly to treat parasitic infections such as river blindness and lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis. In fact, the discoveries that led to ivermectin earned scientists William C. Campbell and Satoshi Ōmura a share of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Their work revolutionised the treatment of parasitic diseases and has helped protect millions of people worldwide from serious illness and disability.
One important distinction: The Nobel Prize was awarded for the discoveries involving avermectin that led to ivermectin, rather than to ivermectin itself.
These medications can be very useful. Parasites can cause serious illness, suffering and economic losses, and appropriately prescribed treatments have an important place in animal health. This article isn’t about pretending parasites aren’t a problem or suggesting that animals should go without necessary treatment.
But here’s where things become interesting. After an animal receives ivermectin, some of the substance can be excreted in its dung. Depending on the treatment, dose, route of administration and timing, residues may remain biologically active after leaving the animal.
That matters because dung isn’t simply waste. For an enormous number of organisms, it’s an entire ecosystem.
Researchers have investigated whether ivermectin residues in livestock dung can affect insects that feed, breed and develop in it. The findings raise legitimate environmental concerns, particularly for dung beetles and their larvae.
The Science: What Happens to Dung Beetles Exposed to Ivermectin?
One particularly interesting piece of research is a 2020 meta-analysis published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. Rather than relying on a single experiment, researchers examined findings from 22 studies investigating the effects of antiparasitic drug residues on dung beetles.
The researchers found that residues from several veterinary antiparasitic medications, including ivermectin, were associated with reduced dung beetle abundance, affecting both adults and larvae. Interestingly, adult beetles could still be attracted to contaminated dung, even when conditions were unsuitable for successful larval development.
Think about that for a moment. A beetle might find what appears to be a perfectly good place to feed or reproduce, only for its developing young to encounter substances that interfere with their survival. That’s a pretty unfortunate outcome for an animal whose entire business model revolves around poo.
Other research has examined the wider consequences. A field study published in 2018 investigated ivermectin use in livestock systems and reported reductions in dung beetle diversity and functional activity, alongside changes involving dung decomposition and soil conditions.
The significance goes beyond individual beetles. If fewer dung beetles survive or their activities are disrupted, dung may remain on the ground longer, potentially affecting nutrient recycling and other ecological processes.
Importantly, not every study reports identical effects. Results can vary depending on the drug formulation, how it is administered, the concentration of residues, the dung beetle species involved and environmental conditions. Nevertheless, the overall scientific evidence is sufficient for environmental regulators to take the issue seriously.
Even the Australian Regulator Has Acknowledged the Problem
This isn’t some obscure theory invented by somebody standing barefoot in their backyard. Australia’s own Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, the APVMA, has documented concerns about the environmental effects of macrocyclic lactone parasiticides.
In fact, the APVMA explains that an Australian review of these chemicals began in 1995 because of concerns about unintended environmental effects, particularly the potential to harm dung beetle populations and interfere with dung degradation.
Interestingly, the APVMA’s final review in 1998 concluded that there was insufficient evidence to establish long-term damage to dung beetle populations. However, the regulator also found insufficient evidence to support general claims that these products were safe for dung beetles, recommending that such claims be removed from product labels.
That’s worth remembering. The environmental consequences of veterinary medicines have been discussed and investigated for decades. When we evaluate an animal-health product, considering its effects on the animal is essential, but it can also be reasonable to ask what happens after that product leaves the animal’s body.
And no, this doesn’t mean every use of ivermectin is an environmental disaster. It means the wider effects deserve consideration, especially in grazing systems where large quantities of treated livestock dung enter the environment.
What About Dogs, Cats, Horses and the Poo in Our Yards?
This is where we need to distinguish the science from assumptions.
Most of the research on ivermectin residues and dung beetles has been conducted in livestock systems, particularly involving cattle and pasture ecosystems. We cannot automatically take those findings and claim that a dog receiving an appropriate veterinary parasite treatment will have the same environmental impact.
Dogs and cattle are different animals, their treatments and doses may differ, and the amount and distribution of dung in the environment are obviously very different. Many pet parents also collect and dispose of their dogs’ waste, which changes the potential exposure pathway. At the same time, that doesn’t necessarily mean there is no impact.
Nevertheless, the research raises a broader question worth asking: when we use products in animal care, should we consider their environmental consequences as well as their intended benefits?
I think we should. Not because every intervention is bad, but because the natural world is considerably more interconnected than we sometimes appreciate.
Where Does Faith’s Cleanse & Detox Fit Into This?
This brings me to something close to my heart: Faith’s Cleanse & Detox, one of the foundational nutritional products by Augustine Approved.
My philosophy has always been to look at animal health more broadly than simply waiting for something to go wrong and then trying to fix it. I believe nutrition, everyday care and supporting normal bodily functions deserve attention alongside appropriate veterinary medicine.
Faith’s Cleanse & Detox forms part of that nutritional approach. It’s intended to complement a dog’s diet and support normal physiological functions, rather than act as a veterinary antiparasitic medication. You can read some of my personal experiences with my dogs and parasites here: Tapeworms & Other Internal Parasites in Dogs
Interestingly, I first heard about the relationship between ivermectin and dung beetles in 2014, and the conversation has stuck with me ever since. I was in New South Wales speaking at one of the original MasterChops events, which was really a precursor to what eventually became Canine Masters. I was staying on a farm and got talking to a lady who had a great deal of experience with horses. There was a horse living in a relatively small paddock, and during our conversation she told me about ivermectin and its potential effects on dung beetles living and breeding in horse manure.
I remember the conversation clearly because it left an impression on me. Until then, I’d never really thought about what happens to a medication after it passes through an animal and ends up back in the environment. It was one of those conversations that changes the way you look at something. Ever since, I’ve found myself noticing dung beetles, including the ones that turn up in my own dogs’ poo.
Now, here’s where my own experience becomes interesting in relation to dung beetles. I’ve been giving all my dogs Faith’s Cleanse & Detox since 2013, and there’s something I’ve observed repeatedly in my own backyard. If I don’t pick up their poo straight away and return to collect it later, I often find dung beetles alive, active and crawling all over it. They’re certainly not avoiding it, and from what I can see, they’re getting on with their usual business.
How do I know? Well, that’s exactly what I’ve been watching with my own eyes for years. It’s an observation rather than a controlled scientific experiment, but I think it’s worth sharing. We sometimes forget about nature’s intelligence and the extraordinary relationships that have developed between plants, animals, insects and soil over millions of years. There’s a whole circle of life operating around us, much of it completely unnoticed, and dung beetles are a perfect example of how something one animal discards becomes an essential resource for another.
Personally, I wouldn’t automatically assume that herbs used in a nutritional supplement would harm dung beetles. But I also recognise that natural substances can have powerful biological effects, including on insects. The fact that something comes from a plant doesn’t automatically make it harmless to every other living organism.
And this is where I want to be very clear. My observations, along with those of many of our customers over the years, show that dung beetles are visiting and remaining active in the poo of dogs receiving Faith’s Cleanse & Detox. That’s genuine anecdotal evidence of their presence and activity, but it doesn’t establish that the product has been scientifically proven harmless to dung beetles or their developing larvae. That would require appropriate environmental testing of the product and its residues.
Interestingly, there’s also some encouraging scientific research into the environmental effects of plant-derived compounds. A study published in 2023 investigated several naturally occurring substances, including compounds found in garlic oil, thyme and oregano, and their potential effects on dung beetles. Researchers found no adverse effects in the specific toxicity measurements they investigated, even at concentrations considerably higher than those expected in animal dung. While encouraging, the findings relate to specific plant compounds and experimental conditions, rather than proving that all botanical ingredients are harmless to dung beetles.
While this doesn’t establish that the 22 herbs in Faith’s Cleanse & Detox are harmless to dung beetles, it does demonstrate that some plant-derived compounds can behave very differently from ivermectin in the environment. Combined with my own observations over the years, I find this fascinating and certainly worthy of further investigation.
I’d much rather have an honest discussion about what we know, what we don’t know and what deserves further investigation than pretend that every natural product is automatically harmless or every conventional treatment is automatically harmful.
Looking After Our Animals Without Forgetting the Environment
Our dogs are connected to their food, their environment, the soil beneath their feet and the countless organisms that keep ecosystems functioning.
Dung beetles are a wonderful example. Most people wouldn’t give them a second thought, yet these tiny creatures quietly perform work that benefits agriculture, soil health and nutrient cycling. They’re not particularly glamorous, and I doubt they’ll ever be featured in a luxury skincare advertisement, but they certainly deserve respect.
For pet parents, the practical lesson is to remain curious about the broader consequences of our choices.
As for me, I’m going back to standing barefoot on the grass, looking spiritually advanced and pretending I haven’t just spent half my morning thinking about poo.
Until next time, remember: the path to enlightenment apparently involves bare feet, a full poo bag and a healthy appreciation for nature’s smallest workers.
Till next time, hug your dog for me.
Quick Summary
Dung beetles play an important role in breaking down animal waste, recycling nutrients and maintaining healthy soil. Scientific studies have shown that ivermectin residues in livestock dung can negatively affect dung beetles, particularly their larvae, and may interfere with dung decomposition. Most of this research concerns grazing livestock rather than household dogs, so the findings should not be applied to pets without appropriate evidence. The research highlights why responsible animal care should consider both the health of our animals and the environment around them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can ivermectin harm dung beetles?
Yes. Research has shown that ivermectin residues in livestock dung can negatively affect dung beetles, including their larvae. The extent of the effect depends on factors such as exposure, formulation, timing and beetle species.
Why are dung beetles important?
Dung beetles help break down and bury animal waste, recycle nutrients into the soil, improve soil structure and reduce breeding opportunities for some flies. They are an important part of healthy pasture ecosystems.
Does ivermectin remain in animal poo?
Some ivermectin can be excreted in animal faeces after treatment. Residue levels and persistence depend on the animal, dose, formulation and route of administration.
Does ivermectin in dog poo harm dung beetles?
Most published research has examined livestock dung rather than dog poo. While the findings raise questions about environmental exposure, they do not establish the extent of any risk from appropriately treated household dogs.
Does Faith’s Cleanse & Detox take care of internal parasites and worms?
Under Australian regulations, we cannot claim that Faith’s Cleanse & Detox treats or prevents internal parasites without APVMA registration and the evidence required to support those claims. Unfortunately, the current regulatory framework makes registering traditional herbal formulations extremely difficult. It’s like trying to register a car as a jet ski. The approval process can be enormously expensive, potentially costing millions of dollars, with no guarantee of success. While there is a legal pathway for registering veterinary products, it isn’t necessarily practical or commercially viable for small businesses developing natural formulations. Unlike many pharmaceutical inventions, naturally occurring ingredients themselves generally cannot be patented, meaning we could invest heavily in registration with relatively little protection against competitors. That’s the regulatory reality, regardless of my personal experiences and those shared by our customers since the product’s official release in 2014.
Is Faith’s Cleanse & Detox dung beetle friendly?
My observations, along with those of many of our customers over the years, show that dung beetles are visiting and remaining active in the poo of dogs receiving Faith’s Cleanse & Detox. That’s an interesting real-world observation, but it isn’t proof that the product is harmless to dung beetles or their larvae. Specific environmental testing would be needed to establish that.
References
1. Finch et al. (2020).
Implications of Endectocide Residues on the Survival of Aphodiine Dung Beetles: A Meta-Analysis.
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 39(4), 863–872.
DOI: 10.1002/etc.4671
A meta-analysis of 22 studies investigating the effects of antiparasitic drug residues on dung beetles, including their development and survival.
2. Verdú et al. (2018)
Ivermectin Residues Disrupt Dung Beetle Diversity, Soil Properties and Ecosystem Functioning: An Interdisciplinary Field Study.
Verdú JR, Lobo JM, Sánchez-Piñero F, et al.
Science of the Total Environment. 2018;618:219–228.
PMID: 29128770
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.10.331
3. Verdú et al. (2023)
Nontoxic Effects of Thymol, Carvacrol, Cinnamaldehyde, and Garlic Oil on Dung Beetles: A Potential Alternative to Ecotoxic Anthelmintics.
Verdú JR, Cortez V, Rosa-García R, et al.
PLOS ONE. 2023;18(12):e0295753.
PMID: 38117762
PMCID: PMC10732372
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295753
4. Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA)
Documents the environmental concerns that prompted Australia’s 1995 review of macrocyclic lactones, including ivermectin.
The final 1998 review found no clear evidence of long-term damage to dung beetle populations, but also insufficient evidence to substantiate general claims of dung beetle safety.
Macrocyclic Lactones Chemical Review.
5. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
Dung Beetle Program.
CSIRO Dung Beetle Program History
Documents Australia’s dung beetle introduction program, led by entomologist George Bornemissza, including the introduction of overseas species to help manage livestock dung, improve pasture conditions and reduce fly populations.
The project began in 1965, with the first large-scale releases in 1967.
6. Dung Beetles Control Buffalo and Bush Flies.
CSIRO: Dung Beetles Control Buffalo and Bush Flies
Explains the important role dung beetles play in breaking down livestock manure, improving pasture conditions and reducing fly populations.
CSIRO confirms that a single large cow pat can produce up to 3,000 bush flies in just two weeks, highlighting the importance of dung beetles in natural pest control.
7. The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet (2015)
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2015.
Confirms that William C. Campbell and Satoshi Ōmura received half of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discoveries concerning a novel therapy against infections caused by roundworm parasites.
Their discoveries involving avermectin led to the development of ivermectin.
Disclaimer
This article is provided for general educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional veterinary advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Ivermectin and other veterinary antiparasitic medicines can play an important role in protecting animal health. Environmental findings from livestock studies should not be interpreted as evidence that these medicines are inappropriate for every animal or circumstance.
Faith’s Cleanse & Detox is intended for supplemental feeding and nutritional support. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The author’s observations of dung beetle activity are anecdotal and do not establish the environmental safety of the product. No claim is made that the product has been independently demonstrated to be harmless to dung beetles or other environmental organisms.
Always consult your veterinarian regarding parasite prevention, suspected infections and appropriate treatment for your animal.
