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Are common flea preventative products safe?

Are common flea preventative products safe?

In a news which came as an unexpected surprise, the American FDA (Food and Drug Administration) raised concerns about the safety of common fleas products.
The products all belong to the same group of drugs and are sold under the brand names Nexgard, Bravecto and Simparica. I have been recommending these for years, and have been loving the way they treat fleas, ticks and mites. There have been some rumblings about the safety of those on Facebook, but I didn’t give those much attention (a lesson to learn, perhaps). Until now.

The FDA now says there is a proven link between those products and serious neurological reactions in a small number of pets (link:

What Does This Mean For Us Pet Parents?
First of all, don’t panic. All the evidence says the risk is very, very low. For those concerned, I strongly suggest sitting down with your Vet to discuss how you feel about this concern and work out best way forward.

In Queensland, and other areas where paralysis ticks are common, I strongly believe that benefit of the products in controlling ticks (they are very effective for this) far outweighs the risks.

For those dogs affected by Mange (caused by a type of mite), these products are also of great benefit. Few other options come close in effectiveness.

This leaves us with the burning question – what about those pet parents who use these product only to treat fleas. The answer is – I believe this is a personal choice for each of us. For those concerned about the risks, there are alternative effective products available.

I hope that you and your pets stay safe and healthy.

Paws

Pawssum Vets are open for business during the Coronavirus epidemic, Australia-wide 7 days a week until late.