Simparica for fleas & ticks: Is it safe with seizure side effects?

Simparica ( Solaner), is a monthly flea & tick product that is extremely safe. Please ignore all those unsubstantiated remarks online. No product that is known to cause death or seizures would be allowed to be sold for very long. I would definitely continue its use if this is what your veterinarian recommended. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I think both are good products with few side effects. The topical medications do sometimes cause some irritation to the skin, even if it doesn’t seem red, but it typically does not last long. Oral preventatives in he same class as Simparica can cause gastrointestinal signs and lethargy. You could try a different oral medication like Nexgard or Bravecto - some do better with one over the other. I wouldn’t worry about the smell from the Vectra.

I am really sorry but to answer your question, there are NO natural remedies that are proven to work for fleas and ticks. They just don't work. If your dog did not do well on Bravecto there are many other products available that don't have the same active ingredient as Bravecto. You could try Simparica or Nexgard. Are you 100% positive the Bravecto caused the seizure? I hear this a lot from owners. They say the dog had a seizure a week or so after the Bravecto administration and peg that as the cause. It is highly unlikely to have been the cause that many days after ingestion. When dogs have seizures the most likely cause is underlying epilepsy. It is rarely due to medication administration. The other option is to try a Seresto collar. Many of my clients love this option and it does work well. One collar works for up to 8 months so it is cost effective too! ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/seresto-flea-and-tick-collar-for-dogs ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

There are less than a handful of cases of dogs that had break-through seizures some time after given Bravecto. However, unlike other products (i.e. Comfortis, Trifexis), Bravecto has NOT been proven to increase the seizure threshold. Many many pets do well on it and therefore it has been considered relatively safe across the board. Seizures rarely cause death in pets fortunately if Bonita does happen to have a break-through seizure. Report any adverse events to your veterinarian. Also, keep in mind that pets that have seizures and are on anti-seizure medication, can still have seizures but they should not be frequent (less than 1 per calendar month) and should not last more than 3-5 mins in duration. Best wishes with your pet Bonita moving forward. Take care! : )

I would suggest Frontline Plus. It is safe and effective when applied properly and does not go systemic as some other preventatives. It stays in the layers of the skin. If your dog has seizures, start a Seizure Log. Note the time of day, activity, meds, diet or anything happening around the time of each seizure. This will help you and your vet pinpoint potential triggers.

The topical flea products are a bit safer than the oral ones in pets with seizures. However, there will be a slight risk with just about any product you use. We have found the least amount of seizures occuring with Advantage Multi. Best of luck with your pet TJ moving forward. Take care.

Simparica works efficiently against flea and ticks. Covering ticks is very important and this product is excellent. Discuss with your veterinarian a possible treatment for heartworms as well though as simparica does not cover for that. 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.