Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Bravecto or nexgard?

20 replies

Ansumpasty · 07/02/2020 07:10

Hello,
Picked up our puppy this week and she’s had 0 flea and tick prevention. Was looking into natural treatments, but Lyme is becoming an issue and the vet said where we walk, dogs pick up ticks regularly.
My husband took the puppy to the vet without me yesterday for her initial check and came out with Bravecto. She’s refusing to eat it, but that’s a whole other issue!
I had a quick look online and the horror stories have really worried me. I’m not sure the vet will swap it to nexgard for me (we paid for the yearly plan) but can try. Is nexgard just as effective against ticks?

Thanks!

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 07/02/2020 07:14

We use Nexgard and it’s been brilliant. I found one very dead tick once! I wouldn’t use Bravecto personally.

cowboy · 07/02/2020 07:32

I'd be very careful of both with a puppy - have you looked at her to see if she has other fleas? If she doesn't I would just go over her with a flea comb and possibly try some Billy no mates for the monent.

cowboy · 07/02/2020 07:32

*moment

Original poster
Ansumpasty · 07/02/2020 07:43

Thanks! Well turns out she’s eaten 3/4 of the pill so now I have to stick with it. The vet said it would be fine for her weight.

Any success stories to calm my nerves?

OP posts:
okiedokieme · 07/02/2020 08:03

We use bravecto, combined with another tablet monthly. Not idea if they are good except to say I've never found a flea or tick on him and he's long haired and runs through woods and moorland a lot

Original poster
Ansumpasty · 07/02/2020 08:28

@okiedokieme
Thanks! I’m trying to be rational about it and think that the vet wouldn’t give it if side effects were something she worried about.

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 07/02/2020 08:50

Side effects are possible with any drug but rare. They wouldn’t be licensed if they were deemed dangerous. Ticks can be nasty though.

Canshopwillshop · 07/02/2020 08:54

We used Bravecto for a couple of years and didn’t have any problems or side effects. However, when our friend’s puppy died of lung worm I checked with our vet who told us that Bravecto doesn’t protect against lung worm so we switched to Nexguard which does.

Floralnomad · 07/02/2020 09:45

We’ve been using Bravecto for years with no issues but you also need to give milbemax / milpro monthly to cover lungworm which is way more of an issue than ticks . All drugs have side effects and I’m fairly sure you can find horror stories online about all drugs for animals and humans .

MaitlandGirl · 07/02/2020 09:52

We use Nexgard as we have bad problems with grass fleas and paralysis ticks so need something that we can give as a one off, but regularly. With Bravecto the length of coverage for fleas is different to the length of coverage for ticks.

We use the regular Nexgard as we give annual injections for heart worm so don’t want to double up by using Nexgard Spectra.

We find it really easy to dose the dogs now there’s competition for the medication but when ever I just have to dose one I use a mix of treats and broken up Nexgard tablet.

Booboostwo · 07/02/2020 11:05

Serious side-effects with Bravecto are associated with the MDR-1 gene mutation. Breeds with the MDR-1 mutation include collies, shepherds and sheepdogs, although, of course, just because a dog is part of an affected breed it doesn't mean they have the gene.

Here is a list of affected breeds and the drugs they are sensitive to:
www.banfield.com/pet-healthcare/additional-resources/article-library/veterinary-services/mdr1-genetic-mutation

Original poster
Ansumpasty · 07/02/2020 19:05

Thanks, everyone. Took her a whole day to finish the tablet but got there in the end. Thanks for the reassuring words.

@Booboostwo that’s really interesting. Her breed is not on the list, so that’s reassuring

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 07/02/2020 19:29

I wrap the Bravecto in ham so he will eat it .

Wolfiefan · 07/02/2020 19:50

Also can be pushed into a babybel or corned beef. Alternatively smother it in cream cheese or peanut butter!

Original poster
Ansumpasty · 07/02/2020 19:59

Good ideas! I’m new to this, can you tell Grin

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 07/02/2020 20:13

You’re not the only one! I got my first three years ago. It was a steep learning curve. Grin

Booboostwo · 07/02/2020 22:09

I have always given all my dogs and cats a small piece of ham morning and evening. Then when they need wormers and medications it is easy to slip them in the ham without anyone noticing...apart from the clever cats that is!

Thedeadwood · 07/02/2020 22:12

Never believe any tablet that says it’s tasty and fine to be given as is! I always smush them into a piece of Brie :)

FurryMuzzle · 08/02/2020 12:40

I had a dog that (I believe) reacted badly to Bravecto (lethergy, urinary incontinence, dullness) and the first sign of trouble was that he started to refuse to eat it.

I then crushed it and hid it in something to trick him into eating it. We then had a worrying 72 hours of him being unwell.

Loads of people use it with no issues at all but I just wanted to share my experience.

Gingerninja4 · 08/02/2020 19:35

Use Bravecto with my lab as he always in water so lot won't work for him

Mine is a bugger for tablets of any kind to point he eat the cheese and spit the tablet back at me .I do pate and then ham. To date we have had no problems with fleas or ticks and we walk in forest land a lot

New posts on this thread. Refresh page