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Puppy itching after NexGard. Is this normal or should I switch brands?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 4 months and 7 days old | 18 lbs

NexGard seems to make our puppy itch. We have only had him 2 weeks, he does not have fleas. We gave him his monthly pill as instructed by the Vet and he is itching now. Is that ok or should we switch brands for next month? 18 pound spaniel-terrier mix. About 4 months old.

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

Published on May 7th, 2018

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!
Vote Icon5Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on August 3rd, 2017

    This is probably due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites.
    First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment (advocate or advantage), then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation.
    If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy.
    Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc).
    Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics).
    Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

    Vote Icon

    2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on May 21st, 2018

    This is probably due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites.
    First of all, ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation.
    If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy.

    Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc).
    Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics).
    Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

    Vote Icon

    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Health & Wellness
Is my dog's scratching a Nexgard side effect? What should I do?
It has been known to cause local skin irritation, but the itching could mean that it is working if she had fleas on her. I would see if there is a number on the package to call for advice. If the itching continues into tomorrow or if she's actually injuring herself with the scratching or starts having other symptoms such as lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting, etc., get her seen by your vet as soon as possible.
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My dog is scratching after NexGard. Is it working or a bad sign?
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.
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My dog gets hyper and scratches after flea spray. Is it normal?
Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think the topicals sometimes cause tingling or burning. My dog didn’t like the advantix spot on. I really like the new oral flea/tick medications, monthly nexgard or simparica or every 3 month Bravecto. I hope this helps!
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Dog still itchy with Nexgard & diet change. What else can help?
Sorry to hear about all of Jazz's issues. Dermatologic issues can be very frustrating and take a long time to resolve unfortunately. In terms of the steroid shots, if those are not working there are definitely other medications available that can assist with the symptoms. The first two the come to mind are Apoquel, which is a daily medication that is given orally, and the second is Cytopoint, a once monthly injectable biologic. I have had fantastic success, far greater than with steroids, fighting against severely itchy dogs. The itchiness associated with both fleas and food allergy should be addressed with both of these medications. In terms of switching to a different flea medication, I would switch if you feel you have been finding fleas. If not, then I see no reason to change to something else. Nexgard is typically a really good choice, which is part of the reason it is so expensive. As for the dietary changes, these trials can be very long and often require repetition with different proteins. I usually don't start with chicken since it is such a common protein that your dog has likely been exposed to already. I would have chosen something like salmon or venison. You might want to speak with you vet about why he thought to go with chicken as a first line choice. Anyway, I think the above recommendations are a good place to start. If you are not seeing any improvements are want the advise of a specialist, ask your vet for a referral to a dermatologist. Hope this helps!
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My dog reacts to flea/tick meds. Is switching to Nexgard safe?
No worries. You can safely switch up flea medication every 2-4 weeks no problem. All flea prevention is labeled as safe for dogs but pets can have adverse reactions to just about any medication unfortunately. But these are not expected to happen. I have seen fewer reactions with Nexgard if that is any consolation. : ) Best wishes with your pet Jack moving forward and I hope that he tolerates Nexgard well! Take care.
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Why is my dog still itchy and has fleas despite Advantix treatment?
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.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My dog has fleas and still itches after Nexgard. Can I use Seresto?
Hello, & thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Yes, you can absolutely place a Seresto Collar on Nala today, if you wish. But please consider that here may be other reasons besides fleas that are causing her to itch. Dogs can suffer from many allergies, just like we can, & sometimes fall can be the worse time of year for this. You will probably need to speak with your veterinarian to see if Nala does have allergies, & not fleas, & what medications will work best for her. Take care.
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