Flea and heartworm prevention

[Collette Bonvillain]

What does everybody use for flea and heartworm prevention in the area? I know different products work differently in different areas, and I'm kind of annoyed with the conflicting info I've gotten from vets. For example, our regular vet insists on trifexis and coincidentally it's the only product she carries unless you want to get 1800petmeds (which isn't guaranteed by the manufacturer for quality)... So I go to the Petco vet and they insist that nexgard and heartgard... Is the only thing that works. I'm getting the feeling that big pharma has taken a hold of vets as well and it's aggravating when trying to make the best choice. Also, I used trifexis in the past for a dog with sensitive skin (schnauzer) and trifexis wouldn't honor my rebate because of the invoice format! So I'm not too fond of their business practices... For now we went with nexgard and heartgard, but I'm also considering the pro heart injection. Thanks in advance! :)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

We use Frontline Plus and Heartguard.  We do purchase it from our vet but he carries other choices as well. 

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

We use Revolution. It is a topical. Covers fleas, heartworm and ticks. Enzo was on Trifexis, and we never did have any problems with it....but some of the reporting cases of seizures, etc. made me a bit nervous. We made the switch over a year ago and have been pleased with this product.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

One of the downsides of topicals - at least on my dogs, is that it makes their coats mat more, especially where the topical is applied. 

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Interesting! We have never had that expierence with the matting.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

It's least obvious with Clancy and most with Ned, so it might be a coat or skin thing.  Ned's skin and hair are dryer (is that the right spelling? drier?).  Even though we haven't had Charlie that long, I have noticed it on him also. 

And, this is only my anecdotal obversation and not backed up by research. 

[Collette Bonvillain]

Thanks everybody. Good to know about the topical and matting too... Yea and about trifexis and seizures, that's so scary. I'm surprised at all the companies switching to chewables or more of them anyway, because my cousin (a vet at an emergency hospital) said that with chewables you are essentially feeding them the poison, rather than applying it to the affected area. Either way it gets in their body though so, ugh so many choices! Lol. Well I think we may just stick with the 2 chewables or try topical first then chewables. I have some topical on hand, and the chewable we were prescribed for fleas is the wrong strength! So we can't use that one yet.

[Sandy Aicher and Bailey]

My vet did not recommend heartworm protection for the area we live and Bailey is very sensitive to medicines and so we don't use anything for fleas either.  With her, less seems best.