Are you looking for a tasty oral dog flea treatment that’s also a broad spectrum all-in-1 wormer with convenient monthly dosing?
If you have been thinking about giving your dog protection against fleas, ticks, intestinal worms and heartworm disease, you’ve probably heard of NexGard SPECTRA. What exactly is it and how does it work? In this article, we’ll discuss how to administer the treatment and what dosage you should give your dog. This article also covers the various dosage options for different breeds and sizes. Continue reading to learn more about NexGard SPECTRA.
How does Nexgard Spectra work?
This prescription medicine prevents the growth of intestinal worms and fleas. It is a single chewable tablet that protects your dog from a variety of external and internal parasites. In addition, Nexgard Spectra can reduce the number of physical medications you must give your pet. Its extra active ingredient, Milbemycin Oxime, kills heartworms and intestinal parasites. Nexgard Spectra works by interfering with the nerves of parasites, like fleas and ticks, paralyzing them and killing them when they bite.
- For prevention and treatment of flea infestation
- Fleas start dying after 30 minutes
- Ticks are killed after 48 hours
- For the prevention of heartworm infestation
- For protection against other intestinal parasites (hookworms, roundworms, whipworms)
- Can be used as a treatment for Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD)
- Used for treating demodicosis (Demodex canis).
- Used for treating mange mites (sarcoptic mange – Sarcoptes scabiei) as well as otodectic mange (Otodectes cynotis)
- Not recommended for dogs during pregnancy, breeding or lactation
- Administer monthly for optimal protection of your dog
In a laboratory study, Nexgard Spectra effectively killed more than 90% of adult heartworms in dogs. It was also effective against fleas, ticks, and a number of other parasites (both adults and pupae).
How should NexGard Spectra for dogs be administered?
Convenient method of administration: NexGard Spectra comes in a tasty beef flavoured chewable tablet that is available in 5 sizes and given to dogs and puppies according to their body weight. The chewable tablets are administered at monthly intervals according to your dog’s weight. Because dogs like the taste of NexGard Spectra, the product can be fed to your dog by hand. Alternatively, the chewable tablets are added to your dog’s food, or broken up and dosed manually.
Although it is a highly palatable oral chew tablet, it must be administered in a manner that encourages chewing. To encourage chewing, the tablet can be broken into smaller pieces and mixed into the dog’s food. It should be administered every 4 weeks to dogs year-round. NexGard Spectra is not approved for use in breeding animals, but it is safe to give to dogs and puppies eight weeks and older.
When given orally, NEXGARD SPECTRA kills fleas quickly. It also prevents subsequent infestations. In tests conducted over a period of 35 days, it showed over 90% efficacy against Amblyomma americanum and Lone Star ticks. Similarly, the product is effective against other species of fleas.
Correct NexGard Spectra dosage choice based on your dog’s weight:
- NEXGARD SPECTRA Extra Small dogs 2–3.5 kg (Afoxolaner / Milbemycin oxime) (9 mg / 2 mg)
- NEXGARD SPECTRA Small dogs 3.5–7.5 kg (Afoxolaner / Milbemycin oxime) (19 mg / 4 mg)
- NEXGARD SPECTRA Medium dogs 7.5–15 kg (Afoxolaner / Milbemycin oxime) (38 mg / 8 mg)
- NEXGARD SPECTRA Large dogs 15–30 kg (Afoxolaner / Milbemycin oxime) (75 mg / 15 mg)
- NEXGARD SPECTRA Extra Large dogs 30–60 kg (Afoxolaner / Milbemycin oxime) (150 mg / 30 mg)
- For dogs over 60 kg calculate the correct combination of chewable tablets to be used
The difference between Nexgard and NexGard Spectra
The two products both protect your dog from fleas and ticks. However, there is one difference between these two products: the Spectra has an additional active ingredient. This ingredient helps protect your dog from additional parasites, such as intestinal worms and heartworm. Nexgard Spectra is also a monthly chew that can be administered to your dog, meaning that you only need to administer 12 convenient doses per year.
If your pet has chronic diarrhea, you may want to consider a product that provides a long-term solution for intestinal worms. NexGard Spectra is a treatment that protects your dog from internal parasites as well as external parasites. This product may be a good choice if your dog has a history of skin problems, like flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), as it will prevent external parasites and increase your pet’s life span.
How long does it take to work?
NexGard Spectra works by disrupting flea life cycles by killing adult fleas in eight hours. The medication remains effective against ticks for up to 35 days and kills 99 percent of fleas.
It can last in your dog’s system for up to six weeks, but may remain for longer in dogs with concurrent liver or kidney disorders. It is important to give NexGard to your dog in the morning to avoid giving them a missed dose.
How often should it be given?
The best way to administer Nexgard Spectra to your dog is to give it to him on a monthly basis. Your dog’s weight will play a significant role in the dosage. To ensure the proper dose, consult the manufacturer’s dosage table. You should give Nexgard Spectra to your dog at regular intervals, such as every four weeks, preferably on the same day of the month.
To ensure your dog’s safety, administer Nexgard Spectra as directed by your veterinarian. It is a monthly, preventive treatment that kills all three types of ticks: Brown Dog ticks, Bush ticks, and Paralysis ticks. You can begin administering the product any time of year, but we recommend doing so monthly throughout the year. It is particularly important to continue this medication if your dog has recently used another heartworm preventative.
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Is Nexgard Spectra better than Bravecto?
Firstly, the time period between doses is longer for Bravecto. One chew pill usually lasts for up to twelve weeks (3 months) compared to Nexgard Spectra which requires a monthly dosage. The convenience of only giving 4 doses per year to prevent flea and tick infestations is worth it for many dog owners. However, puppies or young dogs must be six months or older before Bravecto can be administered safely. If your puppy is 8 weeks or older (and weighs more than 2 kg) then Nexgard Spectra can safely be administered.
Both Nexgard Spectra (Afoxolaner) and Bravecto (Fluralaner) contain an active ingredient from the same class that treats fleas and ticks. Both products kill fleas within a few hours after being administered. Bravecto also kills lone star ticks and many other types of ticks for 8 weeks. Nexgard Spectra has a similar spectrum of protection against many types of ticks.
Both products are FDA approved and safe for dogs when used to treat and prevent tick and flea infestations. However, Bravecto is safe for use in pregnant, breeding, or lactating dogs, while Nexgard still needs to be evaluated in this regard.
Nexgard Spectra also contains another active ingredient, Milbemycin Oxime, which protects dogs against heartworm disease and various intestinal parasites, like hookworm, roundworm and whipworm.
Bravecto comes in a convenient chew tablet (for dogs) but is also available as a spot-on or topical treatment (for both cats and dogs) with an added benefit of repelling fleas and ticks. Nexgard Spectra is a chewable tablet only and cannot be used to treat cats.
Bravecto and Nexgard Spectra require a prescription from your veterinarian in some countries, but there are many other countries where both products can be freely purchased over-the-counter from any vetshop without a prescription.
Finally, Nexgard Spectra costs slightly more than Bravecto but also has the added benefit of being a good wormer, although it has to be given monthly while Bravecto is a 3 monthly dosage. Some pet owners like to start with Nexgard or Nexgard Spectra from 8 weeks onwards and then they switch to Bravecto at 6 months. Also, some breeders and pet owners can switch between the two products if their dogs are breeding, pregnant or lactating.
