Bravecto
The Merck Corporation recently released a novel product for flea and tick control in dogs. This is a unique product that provides extended protection against these pesky critters.
Bravecto is a pork flavored, chewable tablet that is labeled for control of fleas and ticks. It provides 3 months of protection for fleas, as well as 3 months of protection for most tick species that we encounter in our area. The American Brown Dog Tick and the Black legged Tick ( aka 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. Though this tick is important, it is not the most common tick in our region.
There has yet to be a flea and tick product that eliminates the biting of the flea or tick. All products do not offer a rapid enough kill to prevent these parasites from biting. The good news is that a tick needs to be attached for an extended period of time to transmit disease. This is often 24 hours or longer. Bravecto kills fleas within 2 hours and ticks within 4 hours.
We feel that this product fills a much needed niche within the flea and tick control market of products, as there has never been an oral tick control product, nor has there been a product that lasts for 3 months for flea control
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.
Article written and published by Dr. Jeffrey R. Fink
