[Ly]

Has anyone tried the new chewable flea and tick prevention medicine called Bravecto? I’ve tried Parastar and Frontline Plus and have gotten fleas with both. Also does anyone know if I can use Comfortis and that together?

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi T –

I first heard of this product a few months ago. I have to say that I personally would be very leery not only of using a product so new to the market but also of using an oral product that could kill ticks. Ticks are very hardy little buggers so if a dog can eat something that would then result in ticks dying I have to suspect that whatever that pill causes to circulate in the blood can’t be good for the dog either.

None of the vets in my area are recommending or selling this product yet due to it being so new. I actually talked to a (conventional) vet about it to see what he thought and he said he’s definitely going to wait it out to hear about how it goes before ever recommending it because after reading the product information he’s very apprehensive.

As for using it with Comfortis – why would you want to? If Bavecto protects against fleas why would you need Comfortis as well? I highly doubt it would be advisable to use two forms of oral flea preventative.

I prefer natural means of parasite prevention but I do realize that in certain areas of the country some chemical means may need to be employed. I live in the northeast in an area with a lot of ticks and high incidence of lyme. From what I’ve heard from several veterinarians, technicians and pet owners that I’ve spoken to the products that seem to be most effective and have the lowest incidence of side effects for ticks are the veterinary recommended collars (like Scalibor).

• This reply was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[Ly]

I actually bought the Seresto collar! He has it on now, since I applied the Frontline Plus Sat and found a flea on him yesterday. I don’t prefer the collar and he isn’t much of a fan of it either. And the topical is so messy and I seem not to have any luck with it. A chew just seemed perfect. I came across Comforis, that seems pretty promising for fleas too. So if I were to get that, I would need to buy a topical for just ticks then, is that right? I live in PA. I’m preventing year long. He’s a flea magnet. I do everything I’m suppose to and they still find him.

[Susan]

Hi T, alot of ladies from the dog park use Comfortis & swear by it, its used monthly….after apply for a couple of months the ladies said that they didnt have to re-apply some months as its was still working & the dogs still didn’t have any fleas…they just give the tablet now if they see a flea & the dog start scratching..they start giving Comfortis when spring starts then their dogs are flea free for the summer….1 lady said that she hasn’t needed to give any Comfortis for 6months & she has had no fleas….
Just be careful giving first dose, make sure you know your dogs weight & only give half the tablet with food in morning, if dogs shows no side effects, then give the other half of the tablet at night with their dinner..
Comfortis must be giving with food, as a few dogs have gotten real ill & some have died here in Austrailia when the drug first came out….

[Melissaandcrew]

Hi T..I personally will not use an oral flea or tick preventative. Why circulate a flea product internally through the dog to get it to the skin level? I can not imagine it doesnt effect the organs. If I would not swallow pesticide myself to kill and repel mosquitos or ticks why should my dog? One of my boarders had a horrible reaction to their glea/tick collar. Not sure which brand but it was one of the two mentioned above.

[2nd2none]

^ same here. when it comes to chemicals and my dogs, less is more. years ago i was diligent about using a monthly preventative until one of my dogs tested positive for lyme. the vet i worked for said parasites can build up a resistance to the active ingredients in most products and that changing products, thereby the active ingredient, will help to prevent this. i, however chose to discontinue them all and went with a spray for fleas: ACV=1 cup to 1 qt of h2o, mixed together in a spray bottle, then sprayed onto each dog. for ticks, since mine are all short haired i just check them and remove any i see. if your dogs are outside dogs add some DE to the dirt. fleas despise it. it’s been 6 years now with no chemical products and ALL my dogs are still parasite free.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by 2nd2none.

[Akari_32]

Hey guys. I’m currently interning with a vet that is very excited about Bravecto. He says it’s the same as NexGuard, only it lasts longer. I’ve not personally explored it myself, but he seems to be liking it. He believes in a “why use it if you don’t have to” approach to veterinary medicine, but living in Florida, you cannot skimp on flea control.

That said, such a new product is a bit worrisome. Especially a product that’s got such a high dose of flea meds that it’s lasts three months. However, if it’s what works for you and your dog, go for it. I’m taking my dogs off Trifexis (Comfortis plus heartworm preventive) because it really bothers me, especially with my oldest dog.

For just fleas, I really like Little City Dogs (a sort of generic Program pill). Its safe even at extreme over doses, and it’s new enough that fleas are not yet immune to it, yet the active ingredient (lufenuron) is well known enough not to be sketchy. Not to mention, it’s extremely affordable, at just $25-80 a year for cats and dogs of all sizes.

http://littlecitydogs.com/smallpetfleacontrol.html?

I will be trying Sentinel this go around as my new alternative to Trifexis. It’s $90 for a whole year for my 60 lb lab mix. Seems like a safer and MUCH cheaper alternative.

[Dori]

I’ve been using Sentinel for my dogs for years and years with never an issue of any sort. Knock on wood!

I wouldn’t try Bravecto, it’s just too new a product and lasts too long. Also the group of vets I see are all in consensus about new products. They like products to be around awhile to get a better feel for efficacy and side effects. I’ll stick with Sentinel. We’ve never had a dog with HW. We’ve also never had a dog with fleas and that’s saying something considering we’ve been living in Georgia for a little over Georgia. The South is pretty well known for HW and an over abundance of fleas and Mosquitos.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by Dori.

[Ly]

My dog is on Sentinel as well. So he got fleas, and the Parastar didn’t kill the adult fleas. But since I’m on Sentinel I have nothing to worry about because it’ll kill the eggs? Is that right? So I tried Frontline Plus. I waited 24 hours, and the next day we went outside for a short walk and came home. He laid down and started biting his paw. I jumped up and grabbed the flea and tick comb and he had a flea on him. But prior to that he’s been good for days without any fleas or flea dirt on him. He just got him from our short walk. He’s like a magnet. My friends don’t think that normal. I’m a little concerned. Should I be? I thought maybe it was me and putting the topical stuff on. Maybe I don’t do it well enough. Hence the research and finding a chewable alternative. He’s a yorkie. I get him groomed every 4 weeks and keep his hair short. It’s too short to separate to apply it, but at the same time it’s like long and it seems to just go all over his hair. That’s why my vet said to use the Seresto Flea and Tick Collar. He hated it and I didn’t care for it either. After a few days I went out and bought the frontline plus and put that on him.
At least it will be winter soon and I won’t have to worry about fleas.

[Dori]

Sorry T. I don’t use Frontline or any topicals on the dogs. IMO it’s just too much insecticide for my little girls what with them being on Sentinel the first of every month. Above I meant to say that I’ve been living in Georgia a little over 12 years and no fleas. We also used to live in Cape Cod before that and they never got fleas there either. You must be walking your dog in an area where there are a lot of fleas maybe. Could you change where you walk your dog and see if that helps. I don’t use flea collars either. I hate those. Unfortunately living in Georgia they’re on Sentinel 12 months of the year.

[judy t]

Hi, all…new to this site, but found it doing a search on “Bravecto”. The little gal behind the front desk at my vet’s office told me that this was the best, absolute safest product from my old dog. A few years ago, another receptionist told me the same thing about Comfortis, which killed my dog.

I think I’ll pass.

[Lynn B]

Hello,

I work in an animal hospital and can tell you that Bravecto has made an amazing impact in the US flea and tick market. It was launched in Europe last March and in the US in June. This product has the FDA’s approval and works amazingly well in fleas and ticks. Fleas start dying in 2 hours and ticjs are dead by 12 hours (faster than anything else on the market). Comfortis and Trifexis does not kill ticks at all and is more expensive per month.

Bravecto has already sold tens of millions in the US since June. The safety data is the most amazing. Bravecto even has a pregnant and lactating label which Most other flea and tick products do not have. (That reflects the safety of this product).

The best thing about the product is not only does it work super fast but it lasts 12 weeks. You only have to dose your dog 4 times a year! It is so easy with very little worries as a pet owner. Both my dogs use Bravecto, and I have been so surprised at how well it works.

No need to be weary with this product. We haven’t seen a flea and tick product with this kind of safety data in a long time. Plus, it’s economical. You can usually buy it from your vet for like $50 for 3 months. Buy 6 months and get $15 rebate. Net cost ends up around $85 for 6 months!!

[Susan]

Hi Lynn, is Bravecto a tablet or a spot on??? you mention Comfortis so Id say it’s a tablet, have you seen any problems with dogs that are very sensitive to tablets get ill from Bravecto….My boy doesnt do to well on any medications & vet adviced against Comfortis so are the ingredients the same as Comfortis & Trifexis….I even hate putting on the Frontline Plus spot on, I always check his paws after a walk as they are white & kill the flea as I dont have any fleas at home BUT I have a cat who brings home fleas, the vet said if you have a cat you’ll have fleas, do they make a tablet for cats, my cat has an iron stomach….

[BeeBee]

Hi everybody, I gave my dog Bravecto at the beginning of November, and the other day found a bunch of ticks on her, and I am FURIOUS! I promised myself that I will never use anything for my dog unless I absolutely have to, the groomer said that she found few fleas, few people thought I was irresponsible for not regularly giving my dog prevention from anything and everything under the sun… So I decided to give it a try.
My dog has a sensitive stomach, I made sure she ate well before I gave it to her and she tolerated it well. No OBVIOUS side effects, but when I found couple of ticks 3 wks later, I was LIVID.

It is really difficult to get honest information. It is a new med and it is being pushed onto vets, who then push it on their customers… The only scientific info I found is a study from Australia stating that it is OK to use it with Scalibor…

From now on, my darling will get regular checks and hygiene, and if necessary local preparation, no long acting chemicals…
Thank you!

[Jenna M]

My 9 year old min pin recently got fleas for the first time. We live in FL and went from living in a home with no other animals, to living in the city, where many other animals are walked in the neighborhood. Im not a fan of medications for myself or my dog, but seeing fleas swarming throughout my dogs hair and finding flea dirt (poop) everywhere freaked me out. I actually didn’t know what was going on, since he never had fleas before. The vet I went to mentioned bravecto and said it was new and also mentioned frontline etc. I ended up choosing bravecto because I wanted to get rid of the problem immediately. I was concerned if a medication that lasted so long would be good for my dogs organs etc. My dog did not have any adverse reaction and the fleas were gone within 1-2 days. The only thing I noticed about 2 weeks later, was on my dogs eyes. There were thin white marks on the outer corner of his iris. I know this could be related to my dog being 9 years old, but I didn’t see them before.

Anyway, I’m unsure if I will use the product again. I prefer a less aggressive approach. Also, even thought my dog is free of fleas, do the flea eggs still live in my house on the couch etc, waiting for bravecto to run out so they can hatch on my dog again? Should I get my sofa steam cleaned etc? Pillows, blankets? I have no clue. I want to do all I can to prevent this from happening again.

[judy t]

Jenna…I wouldn’t use it again. I killed my elderly lab by giving her one of those oral flea medications. It was too much for her kidneys. I’m still not over that. I did have to break down and give my four dogs Nexgard for fleas and I’m happy to say that it worked great and no one got sick at all.

I probably wouldn’t use chemicals at all if we lived somewhere else, but here in the south inside/outside dogs are going to have fleas and mine were just covered up this year. The house was also infested but I used diatomaceous earth (DE) and vacuumed often. Also, once the dogs were flea-free it didn’t take long before the house was also clear. Just vacuum everyday, including the furniture. I’d also put some DE in your vacuum bag.

[Donna K]

HI I live in Australia and my dog Iggy did the Bravecto trial. Iggy was covered in fleas a hundred plus it was horrible so I thought Id reply to a free trial that was in the local newspaper. She qualified so we started the trial the fleas dropped off with no side affects. Ive just found out this product is finally a name not just a number so I`m going out to get it.

[Susan]

Hi Donna, where in Australia are you from?? I live Newcastle NSW…

[Susan]

I’ve been reading about Sentinal spectrum tasty chews & it has the same ingredients as Mibemax all wormer that Patch can stomach & does well on when I worm him.. I’m looking for something that kills worms, heartworms & fleas prevention & Sentinel looks real good….Patch doesn’t have fleas only the odd hitch hiker that jumps on his leg on our walks, so maybe cause I use the Milbemax all wormer this has prevented any flea… Does anyone know much about Mibemax & Sentinal they both have the same ingredients….

[frostyrockyk]

FLEA TRAP ,, I have a part fix for fleas that works very well . In a safe area put a sheet pan of water with about 1 or 2 drops of any soap in it , hang a bare light bulb over it , 6″ to a foot over the water . Some people put it in front of a low TV set over night . At night when all the lights are out , they jump for the light & end up in the soapy water & sink to the bottom . THIS MUST BE DONE IN A SAFE MANNER!! If you want to see if they are in an area TO TREAT and or to see if the treatment worked this is a good test . My vet has also told me you must spray the yard also , depending on the area I think he is right . Fleas are attracted to heat & light . Keep in mind if the bulb gets in contact with carpet or wood or paper , it can start a fire , ( keep it out of the water also!! ) so keep all pets & kids away from it . I would only use this at night when all the lights are out . Depending on how many fleas there are , it is possible to catch a lot of fleas .

[theBCnut]

Even a regular night light works for this method.

[Donna K]

Hi Susan I`m on the central Coast !!

[Rick R]

We started using the Bravecto cookies about 6 months ago (3rd time now), and we love it! And so does the dog 😉 Fleas and Ticks die within 2 hours, and the dog is protected for up to 12 weeks!

Watch the video I made of my dog taking Bravecto: youtu.be/-Wgp4Dnkg3s

You will also see me trying to use the spot on stuff that we used before, the dog remembers it well, and doesn’t like it / runs away :p

• This reply was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by Rick R.

[Amie W]

A simple google search of Bravecto (or any medicine, really) will bring up the scientific reports, trials and fda/cvm information. This is all honest, scientific information. Bravecto is extremely safe. Reading through this Freedom of Information Summary, you can read about all of the studies done and any and all adverse reactions.

For those who think oral is more dangerous than topical – topical soaks transdermally directly into the bloodstream. It also has the potential to be spread between animals, as well as humans. Some require placement in spots along the back. If the dog then licks around his back where he was treated, he has then taken the drug transdermally, as well orally. I, for one, would rather know exactly the dose my dog is getting, without the fear of my children getting it on them by touching the dog, or touching the dogs bedding, etc.

For those with dogs in the 75-80 pound range that claim this doesn’t work, your dog is at the very top of the dosage weight. It is possible that the dose is just not strong enough for your dog and you should speak to your vet about using the next size up, which in this case would be for 88lbs. In most cases, this is perfectly acceptable.

All flea and tick treatments are pesticides. No matter how they are administered. If you are against chemicals completely, that is one thing. But, if you are against only particular chemicals, I would say do some research.

Here is the link for the FOI Summary, provided by the FDA:

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AnimalVeterinary/Products/ApprovedAnimalDrugProducts/FOIADrugSummaries/UCM399075.pdf

[Lynn J]

I just want to comment, that although many of these products are effective at killing fleas and/or ticks, they often do not repel them. So your dog may pick up parasites while out and about and get bitten by them. Hopefully, for ticks especially, parasites are killed before they are able to transfer pathogens such as Lyme Disease. Tick collars may offer some repellant activity, but in my case, when I was using the Preventatic collar, the ticks were dropping off in my house, some still alive, I was not happy about that. Everyone has to balance their dogs tolerance to chemicals, parasite levels where you live, dogs allergic reactions to flea/tick bites, other pets/children in the home, etc.

[Christal M]

First, I would like to explain something about sentinel and sentinel spectrum.

These two drugs do NOT kill adult fleas or eggs. If a flea bites your dog, this drug simply sterilizes the flea, so that flea can no longer reproduce.

Sentinel provides the flea sterilization, as well as prevention for heartworms, hookworms, roundworms and whipworms. It comes in a tablet form. Sentinel spectrum is a smaller chewy square that works for all of the above and tapeworms. Both are dosed monthly.

Secondly, to the person who was livid because they found fleas and ticks on their dog after using bravecto, please understand that this drug does not repel parasites. It only starts to kill them after they bite.

[Akari_32]

The fact that lufenuron does not kill fleas is what makes it a safer product than other flea medications– because it’s not a pesticide, like the others are. If you do not have a serious flea problem, you will notice it working within a couple weeks, as the existing fleas and eggs go through their life cycles, coupled of course, with regular bathing, flea combing and vaccuuming.

[Anonymous]

I use k9Advantix II (topical monthly) on my dogs, but only during the summer. Heartworm pills every 6 weeks (not 4) during warm months, yearly testing, careful checking and avoidance of all tall grass, brush and woods.
I also use Brewers yeast/garlic supplements as they are supposed to deter bugs, plus natural spray repellents.
I would not use an oral agent, wish I didn’t have to use anything, but the ticks are bad in my area. They all are pesticides/poisons.

I have heard terrible things about this product http://vitalanimal.com/trifexis-hoax/

[Anonymous]

“Lufenuron, a benzoylurea pesticide, inhibits the production of chitin in insects. Without chitin, a larval flea will never develop a hard outer shell (exoskeleton). With its inner organs exposed to air, the insect dies from dehydration soon after hatching or molting (shedding its old, smaller shell)”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lufenuron

Just look up the ingredients of any flea/tick products or repellents, if you have any doubt about what they are.

[Susan F]

I use Mercola Flea and Tick Defense. It’s essential oil based, so no harsh, toxic chemicals. Yes, I need to apply about 2x per week, but at least I’m not poisoning my dog. http://smile.amazon.com/Mercola-Natural-Flea-Tick-Defense/dp/B004GTD3UK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427740941&sr=8-1&keywords=mercola+flea

[Lauren Y]

Hi,

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I’d post my experience.

I’ve been using Bravecto for 6 months (2 doses). When I was using Advantix II, I would find dozens of flees on my dogs for days after visiting a highly infested area. After I started using Bravecto, I haven’t found a single flea on him that wasn’t dying…even after spending hours in the same infested area. I comb him regularly and have never found a flea on him after leaving an infested area. My dog hasn’t had a single tick since using this medication, but he only picked up one in the previous 2 years so that doesn’t say much.

When I first started using this, my dog had picked up fleas from a friend’s house and the Advantix I had put on a week before wasn’t helping. My vet called the company, which said that Bravecto can be used concurrently with topical medications, so I gave him the Bravecto tablet immediatly. There were no ill effects and the fleas all died. It’s not something I would do regularly, but it’s good to know that it’s safe.

I do have 2 concerns with this product:

1) This product does not repel and requires the flea/tick to bite before killing. This is okay for ticks because it takes ticks 24-48 hours to transmit diseases and Bravecto kills in a few hours. Even better, they’re dead/dying when they drop off so they aren’t a danger to anyone else. However, it seems to make fleas sort of dizzy and easy to catch before they die. That means my dog is more likely to lick them up, and thus get worms.

2) Bravecto is hard to get from a vet’s office. My vet likes the product but says there just isn’t enough demand for him to stock it. This means I have to get it from online distrubuters, and that makes me really nervous. It’s a new enough product that I HOPE there aren’t a lot of counterfeiters out there, but you can never be sure.

Anyway, I hope this helps people decide if they want to use this product. I’d highly recommend it. It seems as safe as the topicals and works better. Of course, if you can get away with not using any chemicals, I’d do that, but it’s not an option for me.

[Anonymous]

http://store-kneew2.mybigcommerce.com/natural-flea-tick-mosquito-control-for-dogs-evolv/
Wondercide

Seems to help, so that I can use less pesticides/poisons.

PS: Regarding flea/tick killing products. They are not medications.

[Lynn J]

While these oral tick/flea medications will kill fleas or ticks after they bite, they do not repel. So unfortunately they don’t prevent your dog from picking up fleas or ticks. You shouldn’t find engorged ticks on your dog, but you might find them crawling around on the dog, or dead ticks where your dog sleeps or hangs out.

[davis h]

Hi All
I once used a product Activyl Plus. Didnt work..my Service Dog Booster had meningitis and came within 24 hours of death. He had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
http://www.cvm.missouri.edu/news/Booster2014.html
Hes a cancer survivor that almost died from a tick bite! Harsh chemicals or death? Im trying Bravecto BUT the lesson is..dont rely on a new product until you know it works. Be vigilant.
In Arkansas and Mississippi where I live, ticks and heartworm equal certain death. My choice is chemicals. Sure side effects but Ive had it with fleas,ticks,heartworms. I have 7 Labs and i cant comb every day so a good preventative is necessary. Its a rough alternative but beats what ive gone through due to perasites.

[Cathy B]

I’ve used bravecto on my 110 lb male and 50 lb female dog for 3 doses, about 10 months. No signs of any fleas or ticks. Before this I had used comfortis and before that trifectis with good flea results but because these meds are priced by the weight of the dog, bravecto works out to be much less expensive with the added benefit of no ticks which were still an issue. I understand some pet owners concerns about giving such a strong medication but I trust my vets judgement and for me, nothing else but pills has worked. Dips, topicals, nothing else even phases the amount of fleas we have in the warm weather months which is about 9 months out of the year. I’m in deep east Texas near the Louisiana border. We live on a lot of acreage that is heavily wooded. My dogs run through the woods which are crawling with fleas and ticks. The dogs also come in the house when I’m home, sleep in the house at night and I’m not willing to risk a flea infestation. Anyone who has ever dealt with that mess knows how horrible it is to get rid of them if they start laying eggs in your house. I have an indoor cat with skin allergies that can not be exposed to flea bites so for my situation and the quality of life I provide my dogs, pills are the best fit. I’ve had no problems with bravecto. The pills are like a small round cookie, mine eat them like they’re a treat. My vet said they will really last more than 12 weeks so I re-dose about every 14.

[Cathy B]

Pethelpers Inc have a posting on Facebook regarding one dog who died at four years old shortly after taking Bravecto of liver and kidney failure and one dog seriously ill from this medication. They said other dogs have died from complications within 30 days of taking it.
Personally, I would not give my dogs anything by mouth that kills fleas….

[Jan Y]

I’ve just read the posting on FB too from Pethelpers….I certainly won’t be using Bravecto and I had been contemplating it. At the moment I’ve put the new Seresto collars on my dogs – has anyone heard anything against these??

[InkedMarie]

We just ordered all natural flea collars from HolisticFamilyandPets dot com & they arrived yesterday. They have a money back guarantee but am hoping they work.

[colleen h]

We gave our 7 year old dog Bravecto in March 2015 when she went for her checkup. We were told it was the latest and best for our girl. I wish I had found this site before giving it to her. She weighed 65.9 pounds that day. We had to put her to sleep Memorial Day. She weighed 49 pounds, had stopped eating. She had a tumor that had spread throughout her intestines and it was cancer. She was perfectly healthy until that dose. No one has even mentioned that it could have been this medicine. We are so upset. I wish we had not given it to her. She was the best dog anyone could hope for.
I hope this helps someone else make a better decision about Bravecto.

[Patty D]

Well I just joined up for this Dog Food Advisory site.
I have read all the threads about the flea and tick issues of Oral verses Topical verses collars choices.
I too have had questions about side affects (long or short) of these products.
Whether your dog is small to very large, young to geriatric, I feel that Blood Screen Panels, commonly know as Sr. Wellness or Jr. Wellness Blood Screenings should be thought about doing at the least “Once a Year”.
These Blood Screenings, I feel from past experiences with my 2 Silky Terriers. Both have pasted on now and were 16 1/4 yrs and 17 1/4 yrs ( both of which were rescued dogs).
My first sliky died of renal failure ( really had to put her down, horrible thing to had to do..) and the second silky died from pancreatitis, a horrible disease ( died at home in my husbands arms ). Both were terrible to watch them go thru in 2011 and the other 2014.
Great in hindsight now but unfortunately I did not do these Blood Screening Panels every year when I first got my silkies ( at different times). Even worse I could have had this done well before either one ever got to 10 years old and could have foreseen any diet changes that could have been made or any other product changes or problems etc.
Us humans are told by our Dr’s that we should be having our blood screenings done each year or so to help in preventing certain problems or in adjusting all or any meds. So why not do this for our best friends also…
I have now been very blessed with a rescued little Chihuahua as of last year (now is about 2 yrs old). Sarah was about 3.5 #s when they found her abandoned in a parking lot in S. Fl. by a rescue group. She was at 4.5# when I adopted her. She is now 5#s 3 ozs.
Very happy, snuggly and very social little girl.
I have done 2 Jr. Wellness Blood Screens on Sarah ( one at the first week I got her and the 2nd this month ). I want to keep up on anything that she may come down with and to be able to catch it asap then to find out way too late in the game.
These Blood Screens could be a tool in also in deciding what is working for your dog in the flea/tick meds and what is harmful. Each dog is different just as we are and not all things work the same and in all regions of our country ( or world ).
What kind of meds whether Oral or Topical…. single dosing of monthly, quarterly or all inclusive ( 2 or meds combined ) is your choice but please consider as well at least once a year a Blood Screen Panel be done.
These meds can be harmful whether the pet is small, young or getting into geriatric years.
I choose to give Sarah her Flea/Tick ( Comfortis ) separate from her Heart Guard with several days apart. I feel that with her weight ( 5#s 3 ozs ) being the biggest concern to me being too much stuff all at once in such a small body. I would feel the same if my dog weighed more But was in the geriatric years ( over stressing the system ).
Ask questions and concerns at your vets ( write down all before you go in and jot down the answers as you go or use a ( tape, etc ) recorder of sorts ). If you feel you aren’t getting answers then think about going to another Vet ( your friends could be a good source for this info.).
We do this for our family members and our selves when we go to the Drs… right, or really should.
We plan to be vigilant with my 2 yr old Sarah ( Sarah has filled a great void in my husbands and my life ) and hope to keep her in great health as possible well into both our older years. She is now my life insurance of such and Sarah will be our last.
** Blood Screens Panels at least once a year pet parents… could save you heartaches down the line… <3

[Anonymous]

I agree, that at certain times in a dog’s life, lab work is important…but if the dog is displaying no symptoms of illness, maybe every 3 years or so, if the vet thinks it’s indicated is more like it. Especially a geriatric work up at some point after the age of 7.

Lab work, however, doesn’t always pick up potential problems. And, not every pet owner can afford the $200-$400 bill for all the testing (ball park figure) once a year.

Best to discuss with your vet, what you can skip here and there, and what’s most important.

Of course there is heartworm testing every year, parasites, etc.

[Gary L]

My wife is afraid of chemicals so we are trying the natural
route. Its not working. The house is infested, the dogs are being eaten alive, and thier suffering is a fate worse than death. Please dont ever let your pets suffer over foolish fears. Treat them with the meds they need.

[Lazaro B]

Brave to only kills 4 species of ticks but not deer ticks. I’ll stick with Frontline Plus thank you.

[Jill V]

Been trying to research this product but am just too skeptical to try it. I have two senior chihuahuas and just cannot risk their health on this. They are not outside all that much so it just doesn’t seem worth it. I currently use Frontline Plus. Our vet was pushing us to try Vectra so I did and both the dogs were horribly itchy afterward and it made their coat extremely greasy so I moved them back to Frontline. I’d love to just not use anything but we’ve dealt with a flea infestation before when we moved into an infested rental house (it was awful!!!). Took 3 months to get rid of them all. Don’t want to revisit that.

[Allison M]

I have a horribly itchy dog. Vet said it was most likely fleas and put her on Bravecto. She is still itchy but she doesn’t scratch herself till she bleeds now. Haven’t seen a tick on her in 2 months since we started using it. No ill side effects that I have noticed

She probably still gets flea bites and is really sensitive to them, but they’ve been biting her less now. The place where I live is perfect for tons of fleas so this is as good as it can get for my poor dog

[Helen B]

Hi everyone, I have a 10 month old springer spaniel and live in the UK. I was recently advised by our vet to change from frontline to Bravecto as it was “more effective”, I would like to add that we had never had issues with ticks or fleas prior. It has been one month since his first dose however last week we noticed a significant lump in the skin tissue on his back thigh about 2.5cm diameter. I immediately took Harley to the vet as he was irritated by it and it was becoming sore within the day. The vet put it down to a skin infection and gave a weeks worth of antibiotics 4 days in I have seen no immprovement. Harley has also been scratching a lot and seems generally irritated with his skin. It was my husband that pointed out that he only started scratching after his Bravector tablet. I am now wondering whether Bravecto could be the cause of this lump which the vet is now suggesting he may surgically remove!!!!! And his poor constant itching. I wish I had done my research before trusting my vets advise. What I would like to know is, has anyone else experienced similar and is there any evidence to support my suspicions?

[Susan W]

I am very concerned about this medication. I am hearing more and more stories about bad side effects but nothing is being done. Above, Colleen H comments that her dog died because of it. I am concerned mine may have to. I urge anyone with negative side effects to please go to the Facebook group called Does Bravecto Kill Dogs and explain your dogs symptoms. And make sure you report it to the FDA and the ASPCA poison control.

[Jeni T]

Before you administer either NEXGARD or BRAVECTO to your loved ones….I beg each and every one of you to check out the Facebook Groups….Nexgard- Did it Kill my Dog and Bravecto – Does it Kill Dogs. I know thousands of parents have given their dogs these new chewables and have had fabulous success – but others haven’t – please read first.

[matt f]

I know this is a old post but I have comfrontis and trifexis
that I need to move my and my wife was doing fostering fordogs and we had bought aa lot of comfrontis and trifexis we found out that the rescue was using us so we are quitting and need to move what we have and we have a lot 2 for 100 any size plus shipping only in the great usa please help me move this all good dates a lot of it is 2018 please help my email is foster355@gmail.com please and thank you

• This reply was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by matt f.

[Melissa K]

Please do your research on this product!! We did not and now we are faced with a terrible situation. We have a beautiful, gentle 2 year old golden retriever that lives in a household with multiple young children, in a neighborhood with even more and our yard boarders a elementary school where the children come visit her daily. Our dog has been the most passive easy going animal until one week after we administrated the Bravecto. Within a week after we gave her the med I witnessed her turn her lip up at a 12 year old for absolutely no reason. Three weeks later she was involved in a scuffle with another nonaggressive dog, and the following day bit a 4 year old who required stitches in his hand. She also experienced prolonged diarrhea and excessive salivation to the point that it woke me up at night. The ONLY thing that changed in her life was this drug. The drug has now worn off presumably, and she seems to be back to her normal self, but as her owners with young kids we are struggling to trust her again and are considering rehoming her where there are only adults. My children are devastated and so are we. I know this may work for some, but please be aware!!

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