Simparica is an excellent choice for flea and tick protection. The monthly chew also comes with an option for heartworm protection, too, as Simparica Trio. But while Simparica is usually safe flea and tick treatment for dogs, it shouldn't be prescribed to dogs with a history of seizures.
Our Pick: Simparica Trio
Veterinarians recommend Simparica Trio because of its effective protection against ticks and fleas, as well as heartworms, roundworms, and hookworms—all in one convenient monthly chew. It's a small, liver-flavored chewable tablet available by prescription.
Our pick for the best flea treatments for dogs in pill form is Simparica TRIO. This chewable tablet is fast-acting and kills more parasites than any other oral product. It starts to work within four hours and kills 100% of adult fleas on dogs within eight hours.
NexGard Chew for Dogs
NexGard Chew is also effective in killing adult fleas, so it can help reduce the risk of your dog getting flea bite dermatitis. If you're looking for a safe and effective flea and tick treatment for your dog, NexGard Chew is the way to go.
Both products are safe for dogs when following directions and have been approved by the FDA to treat and prevent flea and tick infestations. While Simparica was trialed and not approved, Nexgard has not yet been evaluated for use in breeding, pregnant, or lactating dogs.
Side Effects & Warnings
Simparica may cause abnormal neurologic signs such as tremors, unsteadiness, and/or seizures. Simparica has not been evaluated in dogs that are pregnant, breeding or lactating. Simparica has been safely used in dogs treated with commonly prescribed vaccines, parasiticides and other medications.
If you give your dog or cat the flea and tick preventatives Bravecto, Nexgard, Simparica, or Credelio, the FDA wants you to be aware that these medications may cause neurological issues like stumbling, seizures, and twitching in your pet.
Diatomaceous earth, a powder composed of the fossilized remains of single-celled algae, can be sprinkled on carpets to eliminate fleas safely. Diatomaceous earth is harmless if ingested but should not be inhaled. When applying, remove animals from the area and wear a protective mask.
If chemical products are necessary for additional flea or tick control, NRDC recommends s-methoprene or pyriproxyfen, which are less toxic ingredients—but read the labels carefully because some products use them with other, more harmful pesticides.
Simparica Trio is considered safe for dogs as young as eight weeks old who weigh at least 2.8 pounds. However, the product has not been evaluated in breeding, pregnant, or lactating dogs.
If your dog does have a history of seizures, it is advised to use different flea and tick medications than those mentioned above. Topical medications such as Advantage, Vectra, Revolution, or Frontline are good choices. Some dogs may have a localized reaction to topical medications.
Simparica is safe and effective in the treatment and prevention of flea infestations.
The answer is yes, flea and tick preventatives need to be applied year-round in order to keep your pets safe. Read on to learn more about how fleas and ticks operate, the dangers they can harbor, and how best to protect your dogs and cats.
Yes, Nexgard is an incredibly safe and effective prevention for fleas, ticks, and mites. However, because Nexgard is ingested and absorbed into the bloodstream, rather than applied to and spread by the oils of the skin, the few reactions that do occur can seem more dramatic.
Salt. Much like baking soda, salt is a great natural flea home remedy when accompanied by vacuuming. Salt acts as a dehydration agent, helping to get rid of adult fleas. To treat fleas with this natural remedy take some salt (finely ground works best) and sprinkle it all over your carpets in each room.
The most common signs of toxicity from pyrethrum-based flea products are muscle tremors and excessive salivation. Common signs of toxicity from flea products containing organophosphates are diarrhea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, small pupils, muscle tremor, weakness or falling over, and drooling.
Because side effects are rare, the Food and Drug Administration considers Bravecto and other isoxazoline products safe for dogs.
Deaths reported total 28 (death + death by euthanasia). The Nexgard product insert lists vomiting (with and without blood), dry flaky skin, diarrhea (with and without blood), lethargy, and anorexia as the top 5 adverse events in the pre-approval field study (415 dogs treated with afoxolaner).
Pyrethrin/Pyrethroid insecticides (commonly known as “tick medications”) are widely considered safe to use by pet owners, but contain some risks if improperly used. These medications can cause skin irritations, vomiting, along with life-threatening symptoms such as seizures.
When treated with concentrated permethrin-containing products labeled for use on dogs, they typically develop muscle tremors, incoordination, seizures, hyperthermia, and death within hours if the toxicity is not treated," the website states.
That same information showed 720 reported seizures for Bravecto in four years and 557 for Simparica in three years. For Credelio, six seizures were reported in the first six months after its approval. The manufacturers said the risk of side effects is rare, less than one in 10,000 doses sold.
Seizures in dogs are common, but it does appear that the risk increases when using Nexgard, Bravecto and Simparica.
Use with caution in dogs with a history of seizures. Simparica Trio contains sarolaner, a member of the isoxazoline class, which has been associated with neurologic adverse reactions including tremors, ataxia, and seizures in dogs with or without a history of neurologic disorders.