Don't Let Fleas and Ticks Feast On Your Dog #12Bravecto

Not long ago, I found something on my dog that freaked me out.  Although I regularly use flea and tick prevention for my dogs, I must have missed a month or been a few days late in giving them their monthly dose of topical flea and tick protection. 



My Siberian Husky, Icy, communing with nature in the backyard, but she could be communing with fleas and ticks too!

I was rubbing Icy's belly and she was in heaven.  I started massaging her neck when suddenly I felt something.  Something that shouldn't be there.  A round, smooth thing that was stuck to her neck.  Panic set in, I knew immediately what it was.  A tick!  My poor, sweet dog had a tick on her neck!  I frantically dug into her thick Husky fur to get to The Disgusting Thing.  It was a tick all right.  A fat, full tick that had attached itself to Icy's neck, and had obviously been feasting on her blood!

This post is sponsored by BRAVECTO® and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer Network™. I am being compensated to help share information about BRAVECTO.  But we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers. Neither Intervet Inc., nor Merck & Co Inc., are responsible for the content of this article and have not written, reviewed, or edited it in any fashion. For more information about BRAVECTO please click here.

Here's a photo of the hateful tick I pulled out of Icy's neck.  You can see stains from the blood that came out of the tick when I squished it, YUK!

The ugly tick I pulled out of Icy's neck

I felt so guilty, how could I have been negligent with her flea and tick protection?  After I thought about it for awhile, I remembered that we spent a month packing up our house and moving across the country from Phoenix to New York.  Then we had a family crisis and that month was kind of a blur.  Well, life happens and stuff falls through the cracks, right?  The scary thing is, Fleas and ticks carry diseases that can be harmful to you and your pet so effective flea and tick control is a must! 

I knew it was time for longer lasting prescription flea and tick control!  When I heard about BRAVECTO® (Fluralaner)  it sounded like just what I needed to make flea and tick protection a whole lot easier, so I asked my Veterinarian about it (see 5 Key Questions to ask your Vet about flea and tick control below).  We talked for awhile and decided that BRAVECTO was a good fit for my lifestyle and for my dogs, so I got a prescription and started both my dogs on it. I already knew that:

> BRAVECTO is a tasty chew that provides up to 12 weeks of protection against fleas and ticks* 
 
> BRAVECTO starts killing fleas within 2 hours and kills 100% of fleas in 12 hours

> BRAVECTO is easy and convenient to use.  1 tasty chew provides up to 12 weeks of flea and tick protection*

> BRAVECTO is FDA approved and only available by prescription.  BRAVECTO is only approved for dogs 6 months and older since it's prescribed based on weight and puppies under 6 months grow so quickly their weights change too much over the 12 week treatment period.

Visit your Veterinarian and ask about flea and tick control.  It's a good idea to bring a list of questions with you to ask about what flea and tick control is best for your lifestyle and your pet.   Here are 5 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR VET to get your conversation started:

 

1. What's new in flea and tick control?

This is important because many products currently being used have been around for 10 to 20 years or more and you may not know the differences or benefits of some of the newer products.  For instance, there are now oral products that kill both fleas and ticks.  One such product, BRAVECTO®  (Fluralaner) lasts for up to 12 weeks* with just one tasty chew!

 

2. What product is best for my dog and my lifestyle?

There are many products available and your veterinarian is the right person to ask which product is best for your specific pet.  Some products are easier to administer, dosed more or less frequently, have different types of side effects and even different expectations for effectiveness.  You should feel comfortable asking your veterinarian to explain some of these differences.

 

3. Should I use a prescription product or just get a product over-the-counter?

Your Veterinarian can explain some of the differences so you can make an educated decision.  For instance, prescription products have  more in depth safety and effectiveness study requirements for approval.

 

4. What should I expect from my flea and tick control? 
You may think your current product is not working because you see fleas and ticks on occasion, but should that be expected with the product you are using?  On the flip side, you may think your current product is doing a great job because you don't see ticks and fleas that often.  But can you expect more?

 

5. Lastly, ask to get more information on BRAVECTO if you are interested in treating less often with a tasty chew without compromising on safety or effectiveness.

 

 BRAVECTO® is so easy and convenient.  Icy and Phoebe think it's a treat, they love the taste!  I feel more confident using a prescription flea and tick product because of the increased requirements around safety and effectiveness for prescription products needed for FDA approval.

Boxes of BRAVECTO, which I now give to both my dogs, Icy and Phoebe.

BRAVECTO tablet in it's individual packet

A BRAVECTO chew, in the size for dogs 44 - 88 lbs.  One tasty chew provides 12 week protection against fleas and ticks*.

Don't let FLEAS & TICKS make a meal out of your precious dog, ask your Veterinarian about BRAVECTO today!  Click here to find a Veterinarian near you that can provide BRAVECTO .

* BRAVECTO  kills fleas, prevents flea infestations, and kills ticks (black-legged tick or "deer tick", American dog tick and brown dog tick) for 12 weeks.  It also kills lone star ticks for 8 weeks. 

FOLLOW BRAVECTO  on Facebook and Twitter

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION:The most common adverse reactions recorded in clinical trials of BRAVECTO  were vomiting, decreased appetite, lethargy, diarrhea, polydipsia, and flatulence.  BRAVECTO  has not been shown to be effective for 12 weeks' duration in puppies less than 6 months of age.   BRAVECTO  is not effective against lone star ticks beyond 8 weeks after dosing.


If you enjoyed this blog post, you may also like these two posts on BRAVECTO :
Learn more about the 4 stages of the Flea lifecycle and see why just a few fleas on your dog can mean there are many more are hiding!

In my first BRAVECTO blog post, you'll find a link for $50 Cash Back when you purchase BRAVECTO from your Veterinarian! 

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information published. However, it remains the responsibility of the readers to familiarize themselves with the product information contained on the USA product label or package. More product information is available here: https://intervetus.naccvp.com/product/view/1047512?e=d97b22ed63e734e84c1a5910a9c8f531z1688

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information published. However, it remains the responsibility of the readers to familiarize themselves with the product information contained on the USA product label or package. More product information is available here: https://intervetus.naccvp.com/product/view/1047512?e=d97b22ed63e734e84c1a5910a9c8f531z1688

Stop Fleas In Their Tracks With BRAVECTO #12Bravecto

Few things strike fear in the hearts of pet owners like discovering a Flea Infestation in their home!  Spotting a few fleas on your dog is just the tip of the iceberg.  It usually means there are many more hiding under your dog's fur, and quite possibly in your carpet, pet bedding or furniture.  Fast acting, effective flea prevention is essential to protect your home from a full blown flea infestation.



Finding a few fleas on your dog usually means there are many more hiding deep in his fur!

There are 4 stages in the Flea Lifecycle: EGG, LARVA, PUPA, and ADULT

A Flea population consist of about 50% eggs, 35% larvae, 10% pupae, and 5% adults.  By the time you see fleas on your pet they are already in their most advanced stage of life.   Many more eggs, larvae, and pupae will soon become adult fleas.  This viscous cycle will continue unless you break it with fast acting, effective flea control!

This post is sponsored by BRAVECTO® and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer Network™. I am being compensated to help share information about BRAVECTO.  But we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers. Neither Intervet Inc., nor Merck & Co Inc., are responsible for the content of this article and have not written, reviewed, or edited it in any fashion. For more information about BRAVECTO please click here.   

BRAVECTO® kills fleas and prevents flea infestations.  It starts killing fleas within 2 hours and kills 100% of fleas in 12 hours. 

BRAVECTO provides continuous flea and tick control for 12 weeks* with just 1 tasty chew! 


Your dog loves the great outdoors, but so do FLEAS and TICKS!

If you consider the 4 stages in the Flea Lifecycle, you can see how easy it is for a flea infestation to occur without proper flea prevention and control.

Stage 1: EGG
The adult female flea lays eggs after having a blood meal from a mammal such as your dog.  Blood is necessary for the adult flea to reproduce.  The eggs are tiny white particles, laid in the dog’s fur in batches of 20 or more eggs.  An adult flea can lay up to 40 eggs per day.

As your pet moves around, eggs drop off and are distributed around the environment.  This is how fleas end up being present not just on your dog but in bedding, carpet, and furniture.

The eggs will hatch in anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks, depending on the temperature.  The warmer it is the faster they'll hatch!

 Stage 2: LARVA
Once the eggs hatch they are in the Larva stage of their lifecycle.    Larvae are approximately 1/8 inch long, white and do not have legs.  They are also blind. 

Larvae feed on the pre-digested dried blood and other organic material passed by adult fleas.  You can sometimes see these tiny black specs (flea poop) on your pet’s fur, commonly known as “flea dirt".

Stage 3: PUPA
At one to three weeks of age the Larvae will pupate, creating silky cocoons leading to the next lifecycle stage, the Pupa stage.  The Pupae remain ensconced and protected in their cocoons, waiting until they sense that a viable host is near before the adult flea will emerge.  They “sense” a host through vibrations, heat, and carbon dioxide.   
 
The sticky Cocoons may be buried deep in carpeting, bedding, or in your pet’s fur while they wait to emerge to wreak havoc on your household!

Stage 4: ADULT
Once the adult flea emerges from it's cocoon it must begin feeding very quickly.  Once it feeds, the adults flea will mate and females will begin laying eggs right away.  Adult fleas typically live anywhere from a few weeks to several months and will spend most of their time feeding off your pet's blood and reproducing.

> If you see 10 fleas on your dog, there may likely be 40 or more hiding! 

> With 40 fleas there are probably approximately 80 pupae (cocoons), 280 larvae, and 400 flea eggs hiding in carpet, bedding and furniture!  

That's a LOT of potential adult fleas just waiting for their turn to snack on your dog!

As you can see, the flea lifecycle continues to repeat and can quickly get out of control unless you STOP it with adequate flea prevention and control.  It's important to continue flea prevention and control regularly throughout the year, never missing a dose, to keep fleas under control.


Enjoy the great outdoors, but protect your dog against FLEAS and TICKS with BRAVECTO 

There are a lot of flea and tick control products out there, but BRAVECTO provides a tasty chew that lasts for up to 12 weeks!*  

BRAVECTO is FDA approved and only available by prescription from your Veterinarian or Veterinary Clinic. 

Take your dog to your Veterinarian and ask for BRAVECTO so you can start extended protection against fleas and ticks now!



Don't let FLEAS and TICKS spoil your outdoor fun!

>>>  Learn more about BRAVECTO (Fluralaner)

* BRAVECTO  kills fleas, prevents flea infestations, and kills ticks (black-legged tick or "deer tick", American dog tick and brown dog tick) for 12 weeks.  It also kills lone star ticks for 8 weeks.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION:
The most common adverse reactions recorded in clinical trials of BRAVECTO  were vomiting, decreased appetite, lethargy, diarrhea, polydipsia, and flatulence.  BRAVECTO  has not been shown to be effective for 12 weeks' duration in puppies less than 6 months of age.   BRAVECTO  is not effective against lone star ticks beyond 8 weeks after dosing


Read my earlier post on how BRAVECTO offers extended protection against TICKS as well as FLEAS in one tasty chew!

Remember, Fall is still prime Flea & Tick season so be sure to protect your dog all year!

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information published. However, it remains the responsibility of the readers to familiarize themselves with the product information contained on the USA product label or package. More product information is available on Bravecto's web site.