If you are reading these pages, you are a responsible pet owner who wants more than anything for your dog to be protected from all types of parasites found in Australian yards. Unfortunately, Australia is home to countless varieties of ticks, fleas and other internal or external parasites that can cause serious health problems for your fluffball.
One solution for their protection might be to buy anti-flea medications that provide immunity to insect bites for weeks or months. But which brand should you choose?
Perhaps the most popular options for pet owners in Australia are Bravecto and Nexgard. Both drugs work similarly, but their active ingredients are different, as is the protection they offer.
As you are a responsible pet owner, you will probably want to know more details, so in the following article, we will take a closer look at the properties of these two medicines and present the reasons why protecting your pet from parasites found in Australia should be a priority.
Why Choose Bravecto?
In short, because it’s one of the most effective anti-parasite treatments you can give your dog. Bravecto is a prescription chewable tablet that can provide up to twelve weeks of protection for your furry friend against almost all parasites found in the Australian outback.
The medication can be administered as a chewable tablet that is easily digestible for most dogs, or it can be applied as a spot-on treatment.
The medication’s active ingredient is Fluralaner, a compound of the systemic insecticides family, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in May 2014, that acts on the nervous system of ticks and fleas, killing them effectively.
Compared to other anti-flea treatments available on the Australian market, Bravecto offers long-lasting protection for up to twelve weeks, which is beneficial for pet owners who do not have the time to repeatedly administer medication to their fluffballs.
In addition, having been approved for use in Australia since 2015, the drug produced by MSD Animal Health is now considered one of the most respected and modern anti-flea treatments available in the Land Down Under.
Why Go for NexGard?
If your vet has recommended you also try active ingredients other than Fluralaner, then you could consider NexGard. This anti-parasitic treatment uses Afoxolaner as an active compound, which can provide up to a month of protection for your four-legged pet against most of the internal and external parasites found in Australian backyards.
Why would you try Nexgard? Because it is effective against fleas and also against the dangerous Lone Star Tick. The medicine comes in the form of a chewable tablet that is easy for dogs to swallow and is available for dogs under four kilograms and for pets ten times this size.
As an insecticide belonging to the Isoxazoline heterocyclic chemical group, the active ingredient in NexGard acts as an ectoparasiticide, binding itself to the chloride channels of the insect’s nerve cell membranes. Authorisation for widespread use was approved by the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use in November 2014. The drug has become one of the most commonly recommended anti-flea treatments on the Australian market. And the long-lasting protection combined with the low price has made it attractive for most Australian households.
Why Are Anti-Parasite Treatments Necessary?
Unfortunately, the Australian continent is home to countless parasites that can transmit dangerous diseases to your pet. The bush tick, for example, is one of the most common types of disease-spreading ticks found in the outback, and it can spread the deadly Babesiosis, a parasitic red blood cell infection that can prove fatal.
The Brown dock tick, on the other hand, carries the dangerous Brown dog dick disease, which can manifest itself through fever and loss of appetite and culminate with more dangerous symptoms such as irregular heart rhythms and life-threatening seizures.
Last but not least, the eastern part of the continent is affected by The Paralysis Tick, which affects more and more dogs yearly and can lead to loss of coordination and even death in extreme cases.
But these are not the only diseases that can affect Australian dogs. Although rarer in Australia than in other parts of the world, Lyme disease has seen a rise in cases in recent years, and it can lead to significant complications for your furry friend.
Dogs in Northern Australia are susceptible to Ehrlichiosis infections, while Anaplasmosis is commonly found in areas of Australia where cattle are present. Fleas are also a nuisance for Australian pet owners. They can transmit Tapeworms and Bartonella or cause allergic dermatitis, which can be challenging to manage.
The increase in average temperatures in Australia brought a rise in the number of parasitic infections annually recorded in our non-talking companions. Treatments for diseases transmitted by ticks and fleas are often expensive, and if they are detected too late, they may not even be fully effective.
The best way to protect your pets from the dangers of the Australian backyards is to use anti-parasite medications that provide long-lasting preventive protection against all sorts of nuisances.
Enjoy the Company of Your Friend for as Long as Possible
Dogs are loyal animals needing our attention to lead long, carefree lives. Unfortunately, Australia is riddled with parasites that can affect our companions’ medium and long-term health. Therefore, as pet owners, we must take all possible measures to ensure that diseases transmitted by ticks and fleas do not spread to our fluffballs.
Whether you choose Bravecto or NexGard, what matters, in the end, is to go for any option that can provide long-lasting protection for your dog against all the diseases specific to the Land Down Under.
Unfortunately, Australia’s aridity is a perfect breeding ground for parasites, and the high temperatures throughout the year mean there isn’t a tick and flea season as in countries with more temperate climates.
Therefore, our dogs and cats are constantly at risk of catching diseases, which can culminate in dangerous complications that can prove fatal and require a substantial financial effort to eradicate. Anti-parasite medications are the best way to prevent these nuisances before they occur, and the benefits they offer your pet outweigh any cost associated with their administration.
