If your dog has never tried Nexgard or Heartgard, you may wonder if it's safe to give them both medications simultaneously. The answer is yes; it is safe to give Nexgard and Heartgard to your dog simultaneously.
Combinations to Know: Heartworm Medication
If you're concerned about combining heartworm medication with flea and tick products, Heartgard is a good choice, as it doesn't target fleas or ticks. This means that it can usually be safely combined with other flea and tick medications.
By administering Nexgard Tablets together with Heartgard Plus, you are not only protecting your pooch from fleas and ticks but also from intestinal worms as well as heartworms. This unique combination of treatments works perfectly together as it has the same mode of administration and covers all the parasites.
In a well-controlled field study, NexGard was used concomitantly with other medications, such as vaccines, anthelmintics, antibiotics (including topicals), steroids, NSAIDS, anesthetics, and antihistamines. No adverse reactions were observed from the concomitant use of NexGard with other medications.
In heartworm endemic areas, dogs should be tested for existing heartworm infestation prior to administration of NEXGARD SPECTRA. At the discretion of the veterinarian, infested dogs should be treated with an adulticide to remove adult heartworms. NEXGARD SPECTRA is not indicated for microfilariae clearance.
All cats need parasite protection, and NexGard COMBO topical solution is the first and only product specifically formulated for cats that protects against fleas, ticks, heartworm disease, roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms in one, easy-to-apply topical solution.
Nexgard® has a wide margin of safety. Vomiting may be the only sign of an overdose of Nexgard®. If you suspect an overdose, immediately contact your veterinarian, seek emergency veterinary care, or call an animal poison control center.
It is advised to be used with caution in dogs with a history of seizures, and the safe use of NexGard in pregnant, breeding, or lactating dogs hasn't been evaluated. NexGard was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2013, meaning the FDA decided that the benefits of it outweigh the potential risks.
How long should I wait between worming and flea treatments? Many people wonder if they can treat their cats for fleas and worms at the same time or how long they should leave between treatments. Depending on the two treatments being administered you may need to wait either 48 hours or two weeks between treatments.
Some pets are sensitive to topical flea and tick medications, and in my practice I always administer topical flea and tick medication on a separate day from heartworm preventative medication or vaccinations, in order to lessen the burden on a pet's immune system.
Sentinel, Trifexis, and Bravecto must be given with a meal. Give oral heartworm prevention (Trifexis and Sentinel) and flea and tick prevention (Nexgard and Bravecto) on separate days. Do not allow your pet to swim and do not bathe your pet two days before or two days after administering topical Frontline Plus.
How often should NexGard SPECTRA be given? You should dose your dog once a month, ideally on the same day of each month.
You should leave 2 weeks between administering spot-on treatment (e.g. Advocate) and a worming tablet (e.g. Milbemax). Alternatively, if you give worming tablets first, such as Milbemax or Drontal, it is advised to wait 48 hours before giving the spot-on treatment.
Less than 2 weeks: Give your dog the missed dose immediately. Your dog will be protected from heartworm disease because you will still be within the 45-day grace period in which the preventative is effective. Resume your normal monthly dosing schedule.
Most of the monthly heartworm medicines have a safety factor of at least 15 days of protection if a dose is missed. This means that if you're just a week or two late, your pet is likely still within that window of protection and would be unlikely to become infected during that time.
Many flea and tick medications are manufactured in a once-monthly topical application or pill. If you miss that monthly dose, your pet is at risk of getting flea or tick bites.
These products are safe to use in the majority of pets, but there are some pets that cannot tolerate the medication (specific liver disorders, pre-existing seizure disorders).
Isoxazolines are neurotoxic to more than just insects; they also affect mammals. There is a reason why so many dogs experience seizures, ataxia, and tremors after taking NexGard — the pesticide compromises the dog's central nervous system. Once this happens, there is often no way back.
NexGard is given as a tablet of the appropriate strength for the dog's bodyweight. NexGard kills fleas within 8 hours and ticks within 48 hours.
It is important to understand that this may take some time, as this flea and tick treatment is given once a month, and it may still be in their system for up to 30 days.
NexGard® chews have been shown to provide effective protection for a complete month: it is not required or recommended to treat more frequently than this. To ensure your dog is always protected, aim to dose your dog on the same day every month.
Signs of heartworm disease may include a mild persistent cough, reluctance to exercise, fatigue after moderate activity, decreased appetite, and weight loss. As heartworm disease progresses, pets may develop heart failure and the appearance of a swollen belly due to excess fluid in the abdomen.
The lifespan of a dog in this condition is most likely limited to a few weeks or a few months. Your vet will guide you on the best course of action for treating your dog depending on the severity of their infection. Dogs can live for at least six to seven months after becoming infected with heartworms.
The medicine in the treatment (Immiticide) can cause a lot of inflammation at the injection site. This can occur no matter how smoothly things go and how little it seems to bother the dog at the time. This can range from being absolutely undetectable to a dog that is crying constantly with pain.