Bravecto: Oral Flea and Tick Control
Introducing Bravecto!
We are excited to announce the arrival of a new product for prevention and control of fleas and ticks: Bravecto! Developed by the Merck Co. this novel unique for flea and tick control was released for dogs at the end of June 2014. This is a product that is unlike any other and provides long-lasting protection against both fleas and (most) ticks for 12 weeks!
Bravecto is a pork-flavored, chewable tablet and is readily eaten by most dogs. It is similar in taste to previous chewable heartworm pills that are availalble on the market. Providing 3 months of protection for fleas, as well as 3 months of protection for most tick species that we encounter in our area; Bravecto is the only pill that can claim such results. The American Brown Dog Tick and the Black legged Tick (Ixodes/ Deer tick) are both controlled under this 12 week duration. The Lone Star Tick, which is present in low numbers in Ohio, is only controlled at effective levels for 8 weeks. That being said, 8 weeks is a long duration of protection for ticks. At this time, the Lone Star tick is not a major species in Ohio.
There has yet to be a flea and tick product that eliminates the biting of the flea or tick. All products that are currently on the market do not offer a rapid enough kill to prevent these parasites from biting. The good news is that a tick need to be attached for 24 hours or longer in order to transmit disease. Bravecto kills fleas within 2 hours and ticks within 4 hours. As you can see, this is fast enough to prevent disease transmission.
Bravecto fills a much needed niche within the flea and tick control market of products. There has never been an oral tick control product, nor has there been a product that lasts for 3 months for flea control. That has changed with the release of Bravecto! There are a certain population of dogs that react negatively to topical medications. Bravecto helps to alleviate this concern.
As with everything, there are side effects that have been reported. These include vomiting and diarrhea. One advantage to Bravecto is the product support that is offered by Merck. If you give your dog this treat and he vomits within 3 hours, Merck will replace the tablet free of charge. If the vomiting occurs after three hours, the product has already been absorbed and is guaranteed to be effective.
Written for Akron Barberton Veterinary Clinic, by Jeffrey R. Fink D.V.M.
