Flea, Tick,Heartworm Prevention, and Intestinal De-worming Products
The following products have different active ingredients and thereby provide different spectrums of parasitic protection. This chart shows what each product does and how it is administered. They are all effective and safe, although any given individual can have sensitivity to certain products. Let us help you determine which product meets your pet’s needs best.
Revolution® (selamectin) from PfizerThis prescription drug is designed as a once a month heartworm preventive and flea preventive for dogs and cats as young as 6 weeks old. It also kills adult fleas and can be used to treat sarcoptic mange, ear mites and ticks. It also helps control roundworms and hookworms. The product is placed on the skin at the back of the neck, and is absorbed into the body. Revolution is a prescription drug requiring a current veterinary-patient relationship. Baths do not wash it off.
Comfortis ®for Dogs (spinosad) from Elanco Comfortis is a monthly prescription tablet for fleas represents a completely new class of drugs in flea control.  It is available for use on puppies and dogs 14 weeks of age or older and is available in 5 different sized flavored (soy and pork) chewable tablets. This tablet must be given with a full meal. It is meant to be used once a month and results show it is very useful for flea allergic pets as it has a rapid kill rate.
AdvantageII® (imidacloprid) from Bayer Advantage II is available as a topical for either dogs or cats. Advantage® seems to be very well tolerated by sensitive cats. It provides flea knockdown in about 8 hours. 100% killing can be maintained for at least two weeks. It is susceptible to wash off, therefore outdoor active dogs and dogs that swim or that must be bathed because of dermatitis must be re treated frequently. Advantage has no effect against ticks. www.bayer-ah.com
Frontline Top Spot® (fipronil) from Merial Fipronil is a broad spectrum insecticide available as a topical. It is a different chemical from Advantage but behaves similarly, except that it is also affective against ticks. Fipronil binds chemically to the hair and is absorbed through the hair follicle by the sebaceous glands. It can withstand repeated baths fairly well, though it does get diminished.
Assurity® (Spinetoram) from Elanco Brand new product with impressive studies indicating high efficacy and safety. Elanco reported that Assurity kills 98 percent to 100 percent of fleas within 12 hours, killing fleas before they can lay eggs. It is 100 percent effective for a full month, according to the company.   www.assurity4cats.com
Triflexis® (spinosad = milbemycin oxime) from Elanco Brand new product with the same great flea control from spinosad (Comfortis) combined with a proven heart worm preventative. Milbemycin oxime is the heartworm preventative component, Interceptor (also a milbemycin oxime product) is a well known brand-name heartworm preventative that been around for a long time and proven to be safe and effective. SO, if you are happy with the effectiveness of Comfortis and want the convenience of a combined monthly flea and heartworm product in the form of a pill = THIS IS IT! www.trifexis.com
Heartgard Plus® (ivermectin/ pyrantel)  from Merial  Heartgard is the original consistent workhorse of the heartworm preventatives. Merial guarantees its product and has a long history of providing a stable, safe, and effective product. This is a monthly flavored chew. It also treats Roundworms and Hookworms.  heartgard.us.merial.com
Iverheart Plus® (ivermectin/ pyrantel)  from Virbac Iverhart is a generic version of Heartgard. It also is a monthly flavored chewable tablet that treats Heartworms, Roundworms, and Hookworms. Iverhart has been a perfectly good option for many people. www.iverhart.com
Preventic® (amitraz) from Virbac Preventic collars prevents the attachment of ticks for 3 months, and detaches existing ticks before they can transfer disease-causing organisms. Preventic contains 9% amitraz and is recommended for use on dogs 12 weeks and older. Do not use on cats. www.virbacvet.com/Products
Vectra 3D® (Dinotefuran, Permethrin, Pyroproxyfen) from Summit Fast-acting protection against fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, lice, mites and sand flies. Vectra 3D® contains a unique combination of three active ingredients carefully formulated into a system that allows Vectra to spread quickly and adhere to the dog’s body delivering a,  Proven, highly-effective product. Repellent action helps reduce the risk of vector-borne disease transmission. www.summitvetpharm.com
Profender® Topical Solution (emodepside + praziquantel) from Bayer Profender® is the first and only topical feline dewormer that treats and controls ascarids, hookworms and tapeworms. Profender combines powerful, broad- spectrum coverage of intestinal worms with the ease and convenience of a single-dose treatment. No more struggling cats; no more stressed-out owners. And above all, no more worms.  Profender Topical Solution is not for use in kittens less than 8 weeks of age or weighing less than 2.2 lbs (1 kg). www.bayerdvm.com/products/profender
Drontal® for cats
The broadest-spectrum feline dewormer available, Drontal (praziquantel/pyrantel pamoate) provides an effective first-line defense against intestinal parasites in cats.
Key Benefits
Proven to eradicate the most common intestinal parasites
- 100% efficacy against tapeworms.
- 100% efficacy against hookworms.
- 98.6% efficacy against roundworms.
Convenience and Compliance
- Single-dose formula can help eliminate owner compliance problems.
- Drontal may be given directly by mouth or in a small amount of food.
Safety
- Drontal has an excellent safety profile, is well tolerated and has a long history of reliable deworming with few if any side effects.
- In a clinical field study, 83 of 85 cats treated with the recommended dosages of Drontal tablets did not exhibit any drug-related side effects. Drontal tablets are not for use in kittens less than 1 month of age or weighing less than 1.5 lb.  www.bayerdvm.com/products/drontal
Drontal® Plus for Dogs
Nothing kills more intestinal parasites than Drontal Plus (praziquantel/pyrantel pamoate/febantel) for Dogs. Available in both tablets and beef-flavored Taste Tabs®.
Key Benefits
Three in One
- Only Drontal Plus provides the power of three deworming agents in one tablet.
Efficacy — Proven to eradicate the most common intestinal parasites:
- Tapeworms (E. multilocularis, E. granulosus, T. pisiformis, D. caninum).
- Hookworms (A. caninum, U. stenocephala).
- Roundworms (T. canis, T. leonina).
- Whipworms (T. vulpis).
Synergistic Effect
- Pyrantel pamoate and febantel work synergistically to eliminate more worms than either can alone.
Convenience and Compliance
- Single-dose formula can help reduce owner compliance problems.
- Taste Tabs formulation makes it simple to send clients home with a follow-up dose.   Found palatable by 9 out of 10 dogs.
- Increase owner compliance.
Drontal Plus should not be used in pregnant animals or dogs weighing less than 2 lbs. or puppies less than 3 weeks of age. Federal (U.S.A.) law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.
