Q. My vet recommends an oral treat for fleas and ticks. Does this work?

A. I suspect your Doctor is speaking about NexGard. NexGard was introduced last year by the makers of Frontline Plus as a safe oral product providing flea and tick prevention. Our clinic sold this product last year along with Frontline Plus and received positive feedback from our clients. NexGard has similar effectiveness to Frontline Plus. The difference is that NexGard is given orally – making it easier to administer. It is not affected by bathing, and does not leave the oil residue of topical products. We occasionally see skin irritation in some dogs where topical products are applied. NexGard is also safer in households where topical products might be licked or ingested by housemates.

We recommend both Frontline Plus and NexGard depending on client preference and the dogs’ environment. NexGard seems especially attractive for clients who do not want to deal with a topical application, who have multiple pets and worry about licking or ingestion problems, and by clients whose dogs swim or are bathed frequently.

Regardless of which product you use – it is critical that you administer Frontline Plus or NexGard every 30 days, starting March 1st and continuing through the first of December. Many clients give these products year round for complete protection against fleas.

Our clinic sees over 20% of our canine patients test positive for Lyme disease and/or other tick borne disease at their annual health exams. Of these positives, two thirds of them are being confirmed with additional testing as having active disease requiring long-term antibiotic treatment. In our area we recommend annual lyme disease vaccinations along with a high quality monthly flea and tick preventative to protect our canine friends. Please ask your veterinarian for more information.

Dr. Swingle

Countryside Veterinary Clinic
715-246-5606
24/7 Emergency Services 715-246-2619
www.countrysidevet-nr.com
www.facebook.com/NRCountrysideVetClinic