Flea and Tick Preventatives for Dogs and Cats

It’s That Time of Year—Protect Your Pet From External Parasites

                Spring is here—sort of.  While the weather may not quite be in line, it is officially spring, and that means more fleas, ticks and mosquitoes will be around to feast on our pets.  What can you do to protect your pets from these nasty parasites?  Patton Veterinary Hospital offers several options.

                Vectra 3D is a very effective topical product that is applied to your pet’s skin once a month.  Vectra 3D starts killing fleas within six hours and it repels ticks and mosquitoes making it very unlikely that the will land on your pet in the first place.  Fleas and ticks do not have to bite your pet to be affected by the drugs in the product.  This is only available for dogs as the ingredient that kills ticks is permethrin which is toxic to cats, so do use caution around kitties.   Dogs may occasionally experience an itchy sensation after the product has been applied, but it should go away within 24 hours.

                Bravecto is a chewable product for dogs and a topical treatment for cats.  The main benefit to using this product is that it provides long-acting protection.  Bravecto lasts for three months, providing constant control of fleas and ticks.  It begins killing fleas within two hours after administration.  Bravecto is not meant for cats or dogs under six months of age.

                Simparica is another chewable option for dogs.  Simparica is administered once a month to dogs six months of age or older.  The active ingredient is similar to that of Bravecto, but does not last as long.  Simparica kills fleas within three hours of administration and ticks within eight hours.  This relatively rapid tick kill is important as it should reduce the incidence of Lyme disease and other tick borne illnesses in dogs taking Simparica since the ticks should die before being able to transmit disease. 

                Our doctors feel that all of these products are safe and effective, and side effects are rare.  However, there may be a few contraindications to using these products so please discuss any medical issues or concerns with your veterinarian before starting any of these products. 

                Preventing fleas and ticks and the associated illnesses that these parasites carry is important.   Both dogs and cats can have severe allergic reactions to fleas and dogs can contract many bacterial and viral infections from tick bites.  Keep your dogs and cats parasite free year-round with good quality flea and tick preventatives. 

                This blog brought to you by the Patton Veterinary Hospital serving Red Lion, York and the surrounding communities.