Trifexis?

[Lindsey & Cocoa]

What is your opinon on Trifexis the all in one Flea & heartworm chewable?

My vet stared Cocoa on this a couple months ago and we are about to give her round 3.  I went online to see if I can order it cheaper since my vet is charging $27.00 a month for this.... and I did I find I can save $100 a year to order online. But this is only if my vet will give the script for it.

Well after reading reviews I got scared seeing dogs having issues after this. But then others commented this could happen with any flea or heart worm product and you have to figure out if you want to chance the heart worms/fleas or the meds?

My yorkies we always did the Heart Gaurd chewables and Advantage flea.  But I hated that they would have greasy necks for a couple days.

[Gail and Bailey]

I am due to give my Bailey her third dose of Trifexis next week and I am worried as well!  Since I have read all the stuff about Trifexis on DK...I am starting to rethink everything.  I had to change from Certifect to Frontline because Bailey had a terrible reaction to Certifect.  Other than a heartworm med...I am wondering if we could do without flea and tick meds....it is just so scary.  I have a neighbor who only gives heartworm meds to his 2 greyhounds...unless he starts to see fleas.  Of course the dogs never leave his property...acres of fenced in yard.  For those of us who socialize with other dogs...I guess we have to give all of it.  It is just so hard to know will be safe for our pups!

[cheryl & oliver]

I have been using the trifexis for the past year with Oliver, and I have not had a problem.  I give it to him with his breakfast, and I am very pleased.  where we live the fleas are always a problem.  I used Frontline and had a flea problem with it.  AND, when we applied it he would freak out, literally screeching and running around in circles.  Of course I think there can be problems with any of the products, but for us, and several other of my friends that are using it, it has worked well.

[Lindsey & Cocoa]

I used the stuff you squeeze on the back with my yorkies and they would run and rub it all over my furniture so I had to make sure I put it on and locked them in the cage for awhile.... I hate it.  Then you would forget about it and pet them and have to hurry and wash your hands.

[Leigh & Allie]

So funny I am seeing this today. I just gave Allie her second round of it today. The first time I gave it to her she threw up that day. She had thrown up recently and I took her to the vet so I kind of thought it was nothing to worry about. I am watching her closely today and she seems fine. I made sure she ate before I gave it to her. I, also, had a problem with the product you put on her back. She would freak out and hated it, so I thought I would give this a try. I have started to see mosquitos so I knew I needed to give her a round.

[Lindsey & Cocoa]

So what I think I am finding out here is its really a choice of the lesser of 2 evils... kind of like choosing to vaccinate your dogs or kids.  Whats worse the side effects of the drug or the thing you are using the drug to prevent?

I think then since some of you trust this med i will continue to use and it and not read to much into the online reviews. We live in a area that gets mosquitos bad and I have had dogs in the past that I forgot to give flea stuff just 2 months over the winter and they had fleas so they must be bad here too.

[Elizabeth & Cosmo]

Lindsey, I think that certainly heartworm disease is much worse than the side-effects of the anti-heartworm meds. If you have searched DK on this topic, you've probably found that there are other options, but that the best one, in my opinion, Sentinel, is no longer readily available because of the closure of the Novartis plant.

Trifexis uses the same anti-heartworm active ingredient as Sentinel, milbemycin oxime. It uses a different anti-flea med, spinosad, compared to Sentinel's lufenuron.

Many people are using Trifexis with no issues, but, as you have seen, several DK members have reported vomiting or lethargy or tremors.

If Cocoa is tolerating the Trifexis, I would recommend you keep using it. None of the other brands are significantly cheaper, but 1800petmeds.com and other online sources may be less expensive than the vet's office. If you do order online, be sure to check the expiration dates and condition of the packaging when you receive your shipment.

If Cocoa begins to have problems with Trifexis, I would suggest talking to your vet about switching her to ivermectin (Heartgard). But then you would need something else for the fleas.

Hope this helps!

[Lindsey & Cocoa]

Thanks,

I did not notice any issues with the first 2 rounds.

1800 petmeds is out of stock right now so I hope to get it when they come back in.... I just hope my vet will give me the script. I remember having issues with this with a vet years ago and can not remember if it was this office or another that flat out refused to give the script and made you buy from them.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

When we were going to order from Fosters and Smith's they actually faxed a form to tour vet to fill out??

[F, Calla & Luca]

I would wonder if that is legal? Anyway, I certainly would not use a vet that forced me to buy medication from them.

[Leigh & Allie]

Update.....no problems since giving her second dose. I think she had not eaten the first time, so I made sure she ate before I gave her the pill this time.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Trifexis caused Stuart to go into vomiting, foaming at the mouth, totally out of it BUT if your dog has been taking it without issues then I'd guess you are o.k.  Advantix II also caused him to have head tremors.  He is on Frontline and Heartguard and is doing fine well.  Just our experience.

[Ashley Leifer]

we have been giving trifexis to Caleb our 11 mth old labradoodle since he was 10 weeks old and no problem.

we use petcarerx.com and our vet seems to know and petcarerx always ship it to us.