For our animal friends, pesticides and the dangers linked to environmental contamination have by now become a constant, and the latest research on the subject bears this out. Glyphosate, for example, is one of the most widely used herbicides in agriculture and is an active ingredient in the commercial product Roundup, whose production patent was held by the multinational Monsanto until 2001.

It is normally sprayed on crops, such as soya, that have been genetically modified precisely to withstand large doses of the herbicide. And its toxic action causes genetic damage and oxidative stress — in humans, certainly, but also in pets. Let us take stock of the situation with Dr Cinzia Ciarmatori, a veterinary surgeon who holds a master's degree in new technologies in medicine and is also a member of the Nutravet group, made up of vets with a passion for nutrition.

Not just glyphosate

One of the problems in the environment around us is what are known as endocrine disruptors. These are chemical substances or mixtures of substances that interfere with normal hormonal function. They are in our homes and workplaces, in cars, in the clothes we wear. They may be in children's toys or in those of our four-legged friends, in household appliances, in furniture. They are also found in paints, in cleaning products for the home and in personal and animal hygiene products. They are truly everywhere, and they cause serious damage to health.

Endocrine disruptors were first discussed in 1991, and since then hundreds, if not thousands, of studies have been published on the subject. Many of these substances are well known, as is their devastating effect on living organisms and on the environment. We know that their negative influence is felt particularly in growing individuals, both during the stages of embryonic and foetal development and after birth.

What are the risks

The danger these substances pose in relation to chronic and degenerative diseases is well established. Their role in many reproductive problems is indeed known, with infertility at the top of the list. A recent study explains why we can now even change their name. They will no longer be called endocrine disruptors, but endocrine and nervous system disruptors, because their harmful action is exerted on the nervous system as well, and above all. There are 177 compounds under indictment — most of them derived from petroleum — which, according to the World Health Organisation, interfere not only with the endocrine system but also with the nervous system.

And in 177th place we find the herbicide Roundup itself, containing the well-known and feared glyphosate, which continues to remain on the market in a great many countries around the world, despite various studies having shown that it is a substance responsible for genetic damage and oxidative stress, not to mention the fact that it is also potentially carcinogenic. Twenty per cent of disruptors have repercussions on the thyroid, and 80 per cent act, precisely, through direct or indirect mechanisms on the nervous system.

The United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) has drawn up a very long list of materials with a demonstrated impact both at the reproductive level and on other hormonal functions: plastics, finishing materials, flame retardants, lubricants, pesticides, fungicides, some commonly used medicines. And the list could go on. Recent research has confirmed that all these substances play a role in disrupting the messages that cells exchange with one another. Cells communicate through chemical or electromagnetic signals, precisely via the endocrine and nervous systems, and disruptors act as disruptors causing problems large and small for living organisms, whether human or animal.

So what should we do?

Now more than ever it is important to stay informed and informed, especially if one wishes to pursue the wellbeing and health of ourselves and the environment around us. A case in point? Some products in common use in animals, such as the antiparasitic Fipronil, according to the latest studies induce alterations in thyroid function in rats through a mechanism that is not yet fully understood. And if we consider that millions of dogs and cats to which these substances are administered also come into contact with natural environments, we can appreciate the damage to ecosystems.

On the list of very widespread substances that may contain agents harmful to our four-legged friends is plastic. Bowls, toys and chew bones can release tiny particles of this material into animals' bodies. It is therefore better to use metal or ceramic bowls for both drinking and eating, and to forget about plastic toys in favour of sustainable ones made from more suitable materials.

Food deserves a separate discussion. The more natural it is and the shorter the supply chain, the less it relies on toxic substances such as pesticides. Pets are exposed not only from an environmental standpoint, but also a nutritional one, particularly if they are fed industrial foods that contain them. A 2016 study examined bisphenol A (BPA) in particular, detecting its presence in packaging (both cans and wrappers), but also in dry and wet food. And this was the case even when the products were declared BPA-free. In short, let's inform ourselves and try to look into the matter more deeply, especially and above all when it comes to our four-legged friends. We will guarantee them a better environment, as well as health and wellbeing for all of us.