Heartworms, fleas, and ticks… Oh my!

At Temperance Animal Hospital, we are continually comparing new and existing products that are available for your pets. As we all know, fleas and ticks are uncomfortable for your dog and unpleasant for you to deal with. With this in mind, our goal has always been to make sure that you have access to safe, effective, and economical products to protect your pet from parasites and the infections they can transmit.

Due to recent product developments and rising concerns for lack of effectiveness of some older products, we are making changes in our recommendations for Parasite Protection for your dog.

We continue to recommend Sentinel Flavor Tabs monthly (given with a meal) for your primary heartworm, flea and intestinal parasite protection. We feel that the active ingredients in Sentinel are still the best option for preventing heartworm disease in your dog while controlling the most common intestinal parasites (Roundworms, Hookworms and Whipworms) you dog may encounter. Additionally, the Insect Growth Regulator component in Sentinel is the best there is at controlling flea eggs and flea larvae before they can ever become an adult flea!

We are now moving away from the topical Flea & Tick products which have been recommended in the past (Frontline and Parastar) and encourage you to use one of the newer oral treatments. The effectiveness, convenience, and safety of these products make them superior options to the older topical products. Many of you are already familiar with Bravecto Chews (which we have offered for the past 2 years). This product has proven to be both safe and effective at controlling fleas and ticks for 3 months, making it the most convenient option for flea and tick control available. For those who prefer to continue with a monthly option, we are happy to introduce Simparica Chewable Tablets. Whether you decide to use the monthly Simparica or the Bravcto every 3 months, we are confident you will be pleased with the results!

Unfortunately, neither Simparica nor Bravecto may be used in puppies under 6 months of age. We obviously want your puppies to have flea and tick protection too, which is why we will have a topical product called Revolution available for monthly use until your dog is old enough to get started on one of the preferred oral products.

As always, if you prefer to use a product we do not carry, a full range of Parasite Preventives will still be available on our online pharmacy. You can order them by visiting www.tahvet.com and selecting the VetSource Pharmacy icon.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to discuss this issue with one of our Doctors or Health Care Team Members.