All dog owners look forward to spring bringing warmer weather so their pets can get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine. The thing they don’t look forward to is a new crop of fleas waiting to attack their pet. There are lots of methods to prevent and treat fleas on dogs, but now two companies are releasing chewable pills to manage fleas with the help of chemicals called Isoxazolines.
Isoxazolines are pesticides that were first introduced to veterinary products in 2013 to combat fleas and ticks on dogs. They have proven to be extremely effective over the last two years, and now two products, NexGard and Bravecto, use the substance in their oral chews.
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NexGard is from the makers of Frontline Plus. It kills adult fleas before they lay eggs and also kills ticks. The pill is in the form of a delicious beef flavored soft chew that is safe and effective for 30 days. It is FDA approved and proven to be safe for use in all dog breeds.
NexGaurd killed 100% of fleas within 24 hours in a study done on the product. It is the first pill of its kind on the market.
Bravecto has also been approved by the FDA and delivers an amazing 12 weeks of flea and tick control with just one pill. It has been approved for use in all adult dogs including those that are pregnant, breeding, or lactating.
One pill will kill fleas, prevent re-infestation of fleas, and prevent black-legged ticks, American dog ticks, and brown dog ticks from attaching themselves to the dog for the full 12 weeks. It also kills lone star ticks for up to 8 weeks. It is the first oral pill for dogs that can do all of that.
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The best thing about these pills is that since the treatment is in the dog’s system, as opposed to topical treatments, the flea is killed as soon as it begins feeding. They are killed fast enough that they don’t even have time enough to inject enough protein into the dog’s body to elicit an allergic reaction.
These pills could be a huge game changer for dogs who suffer from flea allergies. In order to get the best flea control for their pet, owners are encouraged to seek the advice of their veterinarian. The vet will know the dog’s history and background information and can recommend the flea product that will be most beneficial.
