My dog reacted to Trifexis. Is Interceptor safe after neutering?

You have a few options. If you want an all in one product, try Trifexis. Otherwise you will two separate products. You might try Simparica (fleas/ticks) and Interceptor (heartworm/intestinal worms). I also recommend to have Sparky's stool checked for worms in case that was a round worm. For that parasite, pets are often given bolus dewormings since people can get that worm. That will clear up the infection faster.

Hi there. While there's technically no reason that these two medications can't be used together, they are both heartworm preventatives - so there's quite a bit over overlap in what they do, and both should not be needed at the same time. If your pup is currently on Interceptor and you want to add a second medication to cover fleas, I would recommend using something like Nexgard or Bravecto - these are flea/tick meds only, so you wouldn't be treating her unnecessarily for heartworms with two different meds.

Side effects are generally very rare in heartworm preventative medications, but are certainly possible. I have attached a handout below that discusses the different heartworm preventative products. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=488 As you can see, there are a huge number of products on the market. Some herding breed dogs (such as Blue Heelers and Australian Cattle dogs) will be sensitive to ivermectin (the active ingredient in Heartgard), so I would discuss your other heartworm preventative options with your veterinarian. I have been very pleased with Interceptor or Sentinel for herding breed dogs. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

It is generally not recommended to use two oral products together. It's not to say it's impossible but many of these companies have not done the testing to know if there are interactions. You may discuss this with your regular vet to see if they have any experience with this. Most topical flea and tick products are expected to be safe to use with Trifexis. There is also a collar called a Preventic which is fine to use with oral products. Most people only put the collar on the pet when it is going out to tick areas and they remove it when the pet is not in those areas. Another option is to ask your vet if they would exchange the product for something like Simparica and Interceptor which would get all your parasite concerns. Some clients will also switch products when ticks are in season or when exposure is expected and then switch back once the exposure time is over. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Switching to Trifexis is fine. Just be aware that Trifexis doesn't get ticks (neither does Sentinel, it is just heartworm, GI parasites and sterilized female fleas). I hope this helps!

Hi. Unfortunately there is no "all natrual" and effective flea/tick/heartworm prevention medications. It takes an actual medication and antiparasitic medication to prevent these. The natural products you see when you look in to these are not nearly as effective or studied as those recommended by your veterinarian. This is obviously completely your decision, but from a medical standpoint I do not recommend the all all natural medications or collars for this. If your pet is having reactions to vectra and interceptor, please discontinue them and speak to your veterinarian about other options such as revolution, heart guard, simparica or Brevecto. Good luck.

If Adam seems to have skin problems secondary to food allergies it is possible that she is reacting to the flavoring in the Bravecto and Interceptor. You may want to look into using unflavored Heartgard and something like a Seresto collar (although this could cause topical skin irritation similar to the Frontline). Unfortunately there is no chemical free heartworm preventative, and most ‘natural’ options for flea prevention contain essential oils that don’t work well and can even cause harm.