Sorry if this has been covered many times... looking for advice re which are the best flea/tick treatments and which wormers cover lungworm. One of our vet nurses has suggested a couple of possible regimes: Advantix for Extra Large Dogs used monthly, together with Milbemax used monthly or Bravecto used every 3 months plus Milbemax monthly. I want to be sure that lungworm is covered, preferably as in prevention. I have two labs, so it's doubling up, which is fine. I think I'd prefer to give a tablet, rather than the on-skin treatment, and had wanted to be able to buy online (without vet prescription). I understand that certain meds aren't available without a prescription, but wondered what everyone else recommends. We've only had the girls a few weeks, so am trying to pick brains and make sure that I get it right. Thanks for any advice or thoughts.
Hi Nicky. I think it's important to listen to your vet, who has knowledge of the local area and the necessary preventatives. For me, until recently, I've been using Advantix with Drontal. I wasn't happy about the lack of heartworm protection, so decided to move to Milbemax. My vet says that heartworm isn't a problem where we are (in Andorra), but we've just bought a house in Spain and also travel to France and the UK enough to make it a concern, so I needed cover. I was very happy with Advantix, until we spent time at the property in Spain, which has too many ticks for it to cope with. We still found several latched on every day we were there. Ick. So, I moved to Bravecto to get the guarantee of ticks being killed. After one weekend, though, I wasn't happy that they were still covered in ticks - not necessarily latched on, just walking over their bodies. That's because the Bravecto doesn't have any repellent properties. We also had problems with other critters biting them to the point they were very uncomfortable. Another consideration we have (which isn't a problem in England) is sand flies, which can transmit leishmaniosis. So, having talked to several vets, I decided to add Frontline Tri-Act to the mix, which is a spot-on with repellent added. I'm not 100% comfortable with having doubled-up on tick and flea treatments, but I am extremely pleased with how effective it all is together. The next weekend we spent at the property in Spain, they weren't bitten on their tummies at all, we saw no live ticks on them, and no dead ones that had latched on - unless they had then fallen off. Now, this is an area with a very high concentration of ticks, so not your average walk in a managed UK park. I am sure most people don't have to go to those lengths. So, I would say that either of the options given would probably suffice for you. If you then find you're not getting the level of protection you're happy with, revisit your decision. We're going to be assessing what we use on an ongoing basis, as we clear the land of long grass, and I'm hoping to go back to using Advantix in the future. Bravecto is far more convenient, but I'm just not happy with seeing live ticks crawling on my dogs.
Thanks Snowbunny... that's really helpful. I admit that I'm really quite confused by the various medications available, and it seems that there is no easy answer. When I had my rescue dogs a few years ago it seemed somehow much more cut and dried (had never heard of lungworm then!) My new girls don't especially go munching for slugs and snails, so far as I've noticed, and we're not in long grass much, though are in parkland and woodland, so I guess there are nasties everywhere. I think another visit to the nurse to discuss will help me to decide, but thanks for the info re Bravecto, which I was leaning towards. Your dogs are obviously seasoned travellers... how lovely!
Hi Nicky , a massive bravecto fan here I walk both my dogs in deer forests most days , they were always picking up the little blighters , but since using bravecto , I have yet to find a live tick , just the very odd dead one and no fleas either .
I use Bravecto and Milbemax but don't do the Milbemax quite as often as monthly but more like every three months.
Not sure where you live, so treatment probably is different. I have no need to use flea, tick treatments and use Millbemax once a year only. As soon as heart worm gets to this area, then I will use what is recommended.
Thanks, Kate... that's good to hear, as I was veering that way. On another slant, what about the deer? Do your dogs chase? We've just introduced ours to parkland with young heifers and steers (previously gloriously cattle-free!) ... must admit that I was a bit nervous, as one of the girls loves a chase, and seemed a bit frisky with them. My partner was braver than me (he's been a farmer, so understands cattle) and they've been fine. Do you see many deer? Bet there are wonderful smells!!
Thanks Heidrun... would prefer every three months for both really. I know it's necessary, but don't like the idea of over-medicating.
South-west England... certainly there are ticks around, but not sure about heartworm or lungworm. Going to check with the vet nurse again. Have been using other stuff (Drontal was one... can't for the life of me remember what we used last time ... think something supplied by the Rescue organisation), but want to get on to a proper regime.
Curious to see what the answer is to this. Here, in Ontario, Canada, it is illegal to allow your dog to harass wildlife.
@NickyW I`m in Cornwall , as my username says ! We do see Deer , quite a lot as I tend to go off the beaten track . My terrier doesn't chase, but my almost five year old Lab Sam does love to track them . He is pretty good with the stop whistle though , not as head strong as he used to be , so as soon as I see the signs , head up nose up, I can stop him
Milbemax needs to be used monthly if you're using it for heartworm. We have heartworm here (south eastern Australia) but we deal with this with an annual injection. I use Milbemax every three months for intestinal worms and Nexguard/Bravecto as needed for ticks. Fortunately we don't have a flea problem so I don't treat specifically for that.
Snowshoe, totally agree. The aim is not to harass wildlife here too, and we would always be careful. I took my girls to my partner's farm a couple of days after we'd adopted them. There were no cattle grazing, so it seemed perfect... until I saw a little herd of deer prancing daintily across one of the fields. I held both girls tightly (no mean feat!) until the deer were long gone, and then back on the lead. I was nervous regarding the young cattle in the parkland where we usually walk, but the girls have been fine with them over the past days, and the cattle not really interested. Anna wandered over today and gave a little bark, but it was more curiosity. We are working hard on recall training when distracted, and it seems to be bearing fruit, as she came right back when called. I'm not sure if the recall training would work if Anna spied some deer, but I know that they'd easily outrun her. In the meantime, am avoiding walks where there are deer!
Kate, I'm avoiding deer at the moment, as Anna definitely would give it a go. She loves to track, though her sister isn't interested. Fascinating how different they are. But I'm walking them alot of the time in an area of fenced woodland (brilliant place, very beautiful) where I can work on the 'total recall'. It's really made a difference over the past couple of weeks. We hope to bring the girls on holiday to either Devon or Cornwall this summer, so it's important that the recall is reliable, as they'll be in unfamiliar territory.
It is safe to deworm every month. I use heartgard/nexgard combination for my dogs and cats. In the past, I used heartgard/frontline but I've switched to new meds like two years ago. My dogs love swimming, so chewable tablets work better. (both from either walmart/amazon/ petbucket)
Nicky, I've not seen any problem reactions to any of the medications I mentioned. I've used Milbemax and heartworm injections on two dogs and Nexguard on one dog. I'd be comfortable using Milbemax monthly if I was sure I'd remember to give it! I use the heartworm injection so I don't have to rely on myself to remember a monthly tablet. I think that all of the above are safe products - inevitably some dogs out there might have some side effects but this wouldn't be common.
Unless it is for heartworm prevention or treatment, why on earth would anyone worm their dog monthly! The vets I know, do not worm their own dogs that frequently.
Yes, for worms every three months is usual for adult dogs. More often for puppies though.... But I guess if products only last a month then monthly it has to be. Or more often for some parasites... Here we have ticks that can kill a dog and if you're using Advantix that needs to be done every 2 weeks for these particular ticks! Luckily we now have Bravecto and Nexguard here which can be given less frequently.
