Dog flea/tick control
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I’ve used Seresto collars too but switched to NexGard a couple years ago after hearing about the possible neuro side effects. NexGard has worked great for my dog. No fleas or ticks since we started, and she hasn’t had any weird reactions. It’s a chewable, so way easier than messing with collars.
Nexguard, bath dogs regularly with Dawn or other mild soap, vacuum the house regularly, and treat the yard (I like permethrin, but choose your poison). “Regular” is the only way to defeat fleas once they get in the house/truck.
For humans, I put sulphur pellets in a sock, stomp on it, then dust myself with the sock. You will stink, but it keeps ticks and mosquitoes off. Used this for years. Tick borne diseases are not fun!
For humans, I put sulphur pellets in a sock, stomp on it, then dust myself with the sock. You will stink, but it keeps ticks and mosquitoes off. Used this for years. Tick borne diseases are not fun!
Well... Nothing that has been reported on that I can find.
Maybe you should do a blind test on a relative you don't really like and let us know how it went
.Maybe I'll just try something on myself...if I do, I'll let you know.Well... Nothing that has been reported on that I can find.
Maybe you should do a blind test on a relative you don't really like and let us know how it went
So I almost lost my dog last week - she had seizures after Simparico trio. BTW dog seizures look nothing like human seizures - animal has trouble walking/ataxia, lifting head, tremors,very confused. Almost like she was really drunk or stoned. No drinking for two days - had to take a cup to her mouth for her to take sips, and 4 day to eat again. Not a breed that should have trouble (genetically) but she has had liver problems in the past year.
On further research someting like 6400 dogs in US have died from Simparico, and 1700 from Bravecto.
On further research someting like 6400 dogs in US have died from Simparico, and 1700 from Bravecto.
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That's a drag but there will always be drug interactions. Fortunately for us, and our dogs, we have never had any issue with Simparico Trio over the last 15-20 years. During that time we have lost 4 (old age and a puppy we don't know for sure what happened) and currently have 3. Just a couple of days ago was the dosage day. The Weiner Dogs just gobble that stuff down but my bird dog tries to fool us...chew air and then drop that tablet when he thinks we aren't looking. It won't have a single tooth mark. Don't believe folks when they tell you dogs won't lie! HAHA! I can usually just tell him no and to eat that but I ended up having to put it down his throat, hold his muzzle, stroke his neck and blow in his face. He finally swallowed. Now...the only resistance was not swallowing that pill. He is very compliant otherwise.
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I used to go extremes to hide my dogs flea/tick meds; would hide quarters in chunks of Chuck roast - then find those quarters miscellaneously under her bed, in corners etc...so sneaky. I forget which movie had an actor hiding meds they were supposed to take; One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest? She does not like meds.
Grand mal (major) seizures, the most common in dogs, look pretty much the same, if not even more violent. Petit mal (minor) seizures on the other hand, can take on almost any form and are less common, but probably what you observed. The class of drugs which includes Simparica/Simparica Trio, Nexgard/Nexgard Plus, Bravecto, Credelio/Credielio Quatro, etc (isoxazolines) ALL come with a warning to use with caution in dogs with a history of seizures. The most likely explanation in your case is that it unmasked a subclinical form of epilepsy, especially if it was a younger dog (less than 5 yrs old). I have seen dogs with a history of seizures take these drugs with no problems, and others that it definitely affected - which matches the label to "use with caution", vs "contraindicated". You just don't know until you try it. Most of the time, we avoid using these with a history of seizures, unless the owner is fully-informed and still wants to go with it. Also most of the time, they still do fine, but not always. On the upside, they are incredibly effective -the most powerful tool we've ever had against fleas/ticks, and we see very few experience side effects. I'm sure you are aware that almost any drug ever produced has a website or twelve dedicated to how "deadly" it is, where most of the data presented is anecdotal and not clinically proven. While my experience may be different tomorrow, (and is also "anecdotal", since I'm not involved in a current clinical study) I can say that to date we have not seen a death directly attributed to isoxazolines since they were introduced (Nexgard was the first to market in 2013). Seizures - yes, but no deaths.
Netherlands docs have done large studies on pharmacokinetics of above isoxazolines (sarolaner & afloxolaner) in humans specifically for addressing vector borne mosqituoes & sandfly diseases; I remember about something one dose providing efficacy for 50-90 days, but I have only seen handful of case reports/clinical trialls - I think sarolaner was used for drugs resistance human scabies. Case reports and small studies - not widespread use.
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I was partway through a reply but saw that @vh20 gave the best response...as the real professional (not me).
Part of the exam process before a prescription flea/tick medication is given is to cover medical history to try to reduce occurrences like yours. It can still happen though, and sorry that it happened to you. It will vary from vet to vet on if one of those meds will be prescribed to a patient with seizure history, and the majority of the time we suggest other means unless the owner is adamant. I know that we have (1) that is on Bravecto as well as Levetiracetam (seizure med). There was a long conversation about it.
Hope your dog makes a full recovery.
Okay, now I'm going to have to look for this one today
.I'm guessing that the medication was just studied to prevent the disease not the transmission (bite)... but if someone could figure out a chewable mosquito repellant they'd make billions.
I'm so tired of spraying myself in the face with OFF. You start trying to repair fence in the treeline, and the bastard mosquitoes and ticks have no mercy.
I don't know - "maybe" is definitely possible, but I haven't seen anything about it specifically. Simparica Trio is regular Simaparica (sarolaner) with moxidectin (a cousin of ivermectin, both members of the avermectin class), and pyrantel (a super-common dewormer also sold under the names Nemex and Strongid, both of which are even available OTC). Thus three drugs in one to get the "Trio" in the name.
Was it the first time she ever had Trio?
The manufacturer of Credelio, which is the latest isoxazoline to come to market, like to "hint" that because their molecule is more up-to-date, and "cleaner", that they "expect" fewer problems with seizure patients. They "hint" but do not "claim" because they haven't proven it (you know how drug companies are). They just released Credelio Quatro, with FOUR drugs in one (praziquantel added for tapeworms) to try and out-do Simparica Trio, which is a competitor's product. Anyway, it is "possible" that she tolerated Credelio but not Simparica I guess. I can't say I've seen that, but I wouldn't discount it either. It is also possible, I guess, that if she has bad enough liver problems that have advanced, she can't tolerate Credelio now either, but that's pure speculation on my part. I don't know of clinical evidence in that regard.
I hope she's doing well now, and sorry to hear she (and you) went through that! I'd avoid Trio going forward, and call Zoetis and report the adverse event. You might get to speak with one of their staff vets who could shed more light on the issue. Your vet definitely has access to their staff vets. All he has to do is call his Zoetis rep and they can have one call him back.
You might cautiously go back to plain Credelio that you used before, and use something else for heartworm preventative separately, given at different times of the month to try and separate them out. Or, avoid the isoxazolines altogether and just try avoiding flea exposure (treating yard and house, and limiting her access to other areas. Frontline (fipronil) topical is another, very safe option, but much less effective than it used to be.
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