Pet care: Once-a-year flea and tick prevention. Too easy?

Your dog wants nothing to do with fleas because they’d make her itch. What she’s unaware of is that these narrow-bodied little broad jumpers can carry tapeworms and plague. She doesn’t want ticks either. Those nasty blood suckers are vectors for Lyme disease and several blood parasites. All of this can be avoided with effective prevention, but there may be a downside.

What if you could make this simpler with a once yearly injection? Get an email reminder and bring your pupster to her doctor. Bravecto Quantum is new and it works. The active ingredient, fluralaner, has a proven record of efficacy but, in a small number of cases, neurological side effects like seizures, muscle tremors and staggering have occurred. You may already be giving this insecticide, found in the shorter-acting (12-week duration) Bravecto chewable tablets and Bravecto topical (spot-on).

Merck Animal Health has conducted multiple studies on Bravecto Quantum, involving hundreds of dogs, to determine its safety and to get its Food and Drug Administration approval. Four of the dogs experienced seizures during two of the studies; one of them died. A rare but sobering event.

The problem I have, along with many of my colleagues, is that long-acting medications don’t forgive. If I prescribe a daily or monthly treatment, and encounter side effects, I can change course pretty quickly. With an injection that lasts a year, my patient could struggle with its adverse effects for the duration.

According to the Veterinary Information Network, “Dr. Tina Wismer, senior director of toxicology for the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, noted that another product that lasts 12 months, the heartworm preventative ProHeart 12, does not appear to have caused more adverse events than its shorter-lasting iterations — at least not judging from reports to the center.”

If you’re hoping for a 100% risk-free treatment of any kind, you’ll be disappointed. Modern medicine doesn’t have that. We make informed choices. I protect my dog Mick against fleas and ticks with Effitix Plus spot-on, once a month. He feels nothing and then he gets a treat. I don’t worry.

For help with behavior problems, you can sign up for a Zoom group conference at drjeffnichol.com

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