Is my dog's scratching a Nexgard side effect? What should I do?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would not recommend that you switch him yet as this may be completely coincidental. Nexgard is a great preventative and I would give it more time before switching to something else. Hopefully the scratching is not a reaction to it as that would be quite unusual. If the itchiness continues despite giving it a few days, that would likely be due to allergies rather than a cause of using Nexgard. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

He will still scratch, as the ticks injected an anesthetic into the skin and he may be reacting to that. I would not worry about this at the moment, as this will go away within a few days. Since you are finding a lot of dead or fallen off ticks, The Nexguard is obviously working. It takes a few days to kill off the ticks. Sometimes they just dry out while hanging on and then they will eventually fall off.

Hi, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Poor Myla, it sounds like she is having a bad time. The hairloss can occur from both ringworm and Demodex. Lethargy and loss of appetite could be a possible side effect of nexgard or can also be side effects of any antibiotic and antifungal medications she may be on. As long as she is relatively alert and active, then I would contact her regular vet in the morning to discuss your concerns. If she is severely lethargic, hasn't eaten at all in more than 12 hours or showing other signs of illness then I recommend taking her to an emergency vet tonight to have her checked out. I hope she's feeling better soon.

Yes. Like all medications, there can be side effects, including vomiting and diarrhea. Here is the product insert that discusses everything about the medication. Look at the section called "Adverse Effects": https://nexgardfordogs.com/assets/NexGard_PI.pdf

If you’re noticing increased itching in that area and you found a flea, you may try switching the flea prevention to see if that helps. Fleas can become immune to products. The top products on the market are oral products such as Nexgard and Simparica. Most pets can use these products but you should talk with your veterinarian before switching. They are administered once a month and at this point appear to work very well. If the itching goes away, then you know it was related to flea bites. Best of luck.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Excessive skin itchiness is listed as one of the potential side effects of Capstar. The symptoms are supposed to be mild and transient. Sadie should be back to normal within 24-48hrs, if not please, take her to your local vets for a check.

You could talk to your vet about switching from frontline to Nexgard. Also, if he has any skin lesions, he may need additional medications to treat. He may need an antibiotic, anti-histamine, corticosteroid, or other medications to control the itching. It would be best to call your vet and schedule a recheck examination.