Fleas and ticks are the most common issue faced by dogs and their pet parents and oral treatments are arguably the best choice to combat such pests. While there are several oral treatments that do an excellent job at treating and preventing fleas and ticks, there has always been a tight tussle between Bravecto and Nexgard. So which one to opt for? Well, we’ll have to do an in-depth comparison to find out.
Bravecto V/S Nexgard
As you all must know, Bravecto and Nexgard are both potent flea and tick treatments and provide excellent protection for many weeks. Now before we compare both the products, let us look at them individually and see their characteristics.
Bravecto
Bravecto is an excellent flea and tick control oral chewable treatment designed specifically for dogs. This tasty chewable treatment offers complete protection from flea and ticks for approximately 12 whole weeks. The oral treatment happens to kill 100% existing fleas within just 24 hours from its administration. Moreover, it kills 4 tick species, namely – American dog tick, black-legged tick, brown dog tick (for 12 weeks), and lone star ticks (for 8 weeks). Besides, Bravecto is fairly safe to be given to pregnant, lactating, and breeding dogs and is also safe for breeds of dogs.
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Nexgard
Nexgard is also a powerful and potent flea and tick removing oral treatment for dogs. It comes in a soft beef-flavored chewable form for easy dosage. The chewable manages to eliminate fleas and ticks and destroys adult fleas before they can lay eggs. It is an excellent formula that kills numerous tick species including American dog tick, black-legged tick, lone star tick, and brown dog tick. Furthermore, it also protects canines from various other health conditions such as flea allergy dermatitis and other flea and tick infested diseases. The chews are extremely safe for all breeds of dogs and are also suitable for puppies over 8 weeks of age and older.
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Difference between Nexgard V/S Bravecto
Bravecto and NexGard are used for similar purposes i.e. to stop flea and tick infestations as well as end their life-cycle by killings eggs and larvae in dogs. It is safe for your canine friend but toxic for the pest that infests your dogs.
Both Nexgard and Bravecto treat and control fleas and ticks with a pesticide from the same “laners” class. Bravecto contains Fluralaner, while Nexgard has Afoxolaner. Within two hours of administration, Bravecto chews start to kill fleas. On the other hand, Nexgard eliminates over 99% of fleas in just 24 hours.
Key features of Bravecto
- Long-lasting treatment
Bravecto offers extended protection from fleas and ticks for up to 12 weeks; this is one of the primary reasons for customers to choose this topical solution. - Available as a topical treatment
Bravecto topical solution works best for dogs that are fussy eaters who don’t like the taste of tablet. This treatment is generally applied on the dog’s back between the shoulder blade where they cannot lick. It is also suitable for dogs with a weak stomach. - Terminates ticks within 12 hours
Bravecto is more efficient than NexGard when it comes to killing ticks. It kills most of the ticks within 12 hours after they have attempted to feed on your dog. - Safe for pregnant and lactating dogs
Bravecto can be safely administered to pregnant, lactating, or breeding dogs. - Controls 4 types of ticks
It can kill four kinds of ticks including Lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum), Black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis), Brown dog tick(Rhipicephalus sanguineus), and American dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) - Terminates ticks in 12 hour
Bravecto is more efficient than NexGard when it comes to killing ticks. It ticks within 12 hours of application.
Key features of NexGard
- Four-week protection
NexGard is effective in treating parasites for weeks. Thus, it requires monthly repetition however the beef flavored chewable is easy to feed to pets. - Works well for puppies
NexGard works perfectly for puppies; it is safe to be used for puppies as young as 8 weeks of age and weighing more than 4 pounds. NexGard for Puppies is available in 3, 6, and 12 dose, convenient packs. - Easy feeding
Unlike Bravecto you can feed NexGard chewable with or without food. You can either mix it with food or simply provide the soft beef-flavored chewable to your dog. - Prevention of Lyme disease
NexGard prevents Lyme disease by killing deer ticks that transmits Lyme bacteria to the dogs. It provides 30-day protection. - Treats three kinds of tick
It eliminates three types of ticks in dogs, including the Black-Legged Tick, Lone Star Tick, and Brown Dog Tick. - Can be given with/without food
NexGard is convenient to feed your pet, you can either mix it with food or fed this orally.
Comparing Bravecto And Nexgard
The table given below is a thorough comparison between Bravecto and Nexgard. Let’s take a close look and see which product pips the other.
| Subject | Bravecto | Nexgard |
| Kills Fleas | Yes | Yes |
| Kills Flea Eggs And Larvae | Kills newly emerged fleas before they can lay eggs | Kills fleas before they can lay eggs |
| Flea Dermatitis Allergy | No | Yes |
| Kills Ticks | Yes | Yes |
| Safety | Safe for all breeds of dogs including pregnant, lactating, and breeding dogs | Safe for all breeds of dogs. Moreover, the safe use of Nexgard in pregnant, lactating, and breeding dogs have not yet been evaluated |
| Time It Takes To Work | Bravecto takes just two hours to show signs of effectiveness | Nexgard eliminates all existing fleas within one day |
| Taste | Tasty chewable | Beef-flavored chewable |
| Active Ingredients | Fluralaner | Afoxolaner |
| Manufacturer | Merck | Merial/Boehringer Ingelheim |
| Cost | Costlier than Nexgard | Relatively cheaper than Bravecto |
Related : Nexgard v/s Nexgard Spectra
Can I give my dog Bravecto and NexGard together?
It is never a good idea to combine flea treatments, except advised by your veterinarian. Over-treating may lead to a number of adverse reactions that may even cause life-threatening consequences. As we have discussed here, Bravecto and NexGard both are powerful flea and tick treatments for dogs. Both products contain different ingredients, but they provide protection against the same parasites. So, using any one of them is enough to protect your dog from these irksome pests. Moreover, if you over-treat your dog by giving Bravecto and NexGard together, their ingredients may react and cause problems.
What are the side effects of NexGard and Bravecto?
Bravecto and NexGard both are trusted names in dog flea and tick control. These treatments are approved for use by regulatory bodies of multiple countries after thorough research clinical research and studies. In these studies, side effects of Bravecto and NexGard have been rarely reported.
The most commonly reported side effects of NexGard and Bravecto include vomiting, dry skin, and diarrhea. However, the reporting rate of these side effects is very low. To prevent side effects, we advise using these fleas and tick treatments with your veterinarian’s consultation and by following the complete dosage guidelines mentioned on the packaging.
Is NexGard Safe For Dogs?
Boehringer Ingelheim, the manufacturer of NexGard, firmly backs the safe use of the chewable for dogs and puppies from 8 weeks of age. In a well-controlled laboratory study, no clinically-relevant effects related to treatment on physical examination, body weight, food consumption, clinical pathology (hematology, clinical chemistries, or coagulation tests), gross pathology, histopathology or organ weights have been found.
Furthermore, the concomitant use of NexGard with other medications, such as vaccines, anthelmintics, antibiotics (including topicals), steroids, NSAIDS, anesthetics, and antihistamines has also been studied. No adverse reactions were reported.
All these studies suggest that NexGard is completely safe for use in dogs. However, it is important to note that the safe use of NexGard in breeding, pregnant or lactating dogs has not been evaluated yet and its use in dogs with neurological disorders has been linked with adverse reactions.
Is Bravecto Safe For Dogs?
Bravecto for Dogs is trusted by thousands of pet parents from all over the world. It has been approved for use in dogs and puppies from 6 months of age. In a well-controlled laboratory study, no clinically-relevant effects on physical examinations, body weights, food consumption, clinical pathology, gross pathology, histopathology, or organ weights have been reported.
In a well-controlled field study, Bravecto (fluralaner) was used concurrently with other medications, such as vaccines, anthelmintics, antibiotics, and steroids. No adverse reactions were observed from the concurrent use of Bravecto with other medications in this study.
But again, since the isoxazoline class of its “laner” ingredient has been associated with adverse reactions in dogs with neurological conditions, it is essential to use it with caution in dogs with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders. This information is in line with the product license and has been also mentioned on the product label.
From the table given above, it is very difficult to pick a clear winner. Hence, we recommend pet parents should opt for the treatment that is most suited to their furry buddy. Besides, if you still have difficulties in picking one, we suggest you seek the expert opinion of your local vet. Moreover, you can get these Chewables at discounted rates only if you shop from BudgetPetWorld. Hurry!