My Dog Ate Nexgard

The Short Answer is:

It is marketed as the easiest way to keep your pet’s coat insect-free with chewable tablets for flea control. Just give one tablet once a month or less, and you’re done. Nexagrd contains a powerful insecticide, which is a disadvantage. They work by attacking the fleas’ nervous system, but can also cause damage to your dog’s nervous system. There is a problem with this type of product and it can cause neurological problems,

The purpose of this article is to explain “My Dog Ate Nexgard“.

Due to a large number of products available on the market it can be difficult to choose the right flea prevention for your dog.

Even though chewable tablets are relatively new on the market they sound very inviting since the treatment is easy to administer and only needs to be taken once a month or even every three months. Do you think your pet should use Nexgard?

Perhaps you should read up on the side effects first since this kind of treatment could be deadly for your dog.

Nexgard is well tolerated by many pets but some do not. If your pet is one of those you do not want them to suffer.

What is Nexgard?

Nexgard tablets are the dogs “No.1 preferred chews” according to the manufacturer. How many dogs were surveyed is not known.

Nexgard is the veterinarians number one choice as an anti-flea treatment. We do not know how many of these veterinarians receive monetary incentives to recommend this particular treatment.

Nexgard is technically an insecticide and acaricide made up of an active ingredient called afoxolaner which kills fleas and ticks.

Dogs can start using the product at the age of eight weeks and it is available in four different presentations depending on the weight of your pet.

How does Nexgard work?

Chewing the tablet which tastes like beef your dogs active ingredient enters the bloodstream within four to eight hours and stays there for up to one month.

It begins killing fleas in four to eight hours and ticks the following day. Fleas and ticks are poisoned when they bite.

The afoxolaner attacks the Znervous system of the insect and kills it. Although this sounds pretty simple and straightforward you should consider the fact that your dogs blood contains a poison that can cause serious side effects.

What is the proper dosage of Nexgard?

Nexgard chews are available in four varieties specially designed for puppies and toy breeds small medium and large dogs up to 121 pounds. Make sure that you choose the right dosage.

Can you overdose a dog on Nexgard?

While the toy breed variant contains 11.3 mg of afoxolaner the large breed variant contains 136 mg which is ten times as much. Therefore you should not give your Chihuahua that many insecticides.

He already suffers from many side effects from the product so an overdose might be too much for him.

One tablet per month is enough to protect your pet from fleas and ticks for all four types.

Manufacturers recommend that you do not give your pet more than one tablet a month as it is unnecessary. It can be dangerous too.

The many dangerous side effects of Nexgard

Check out the Nexgard official website and you’ll notice the first thing they tell you about these tablets is their side effects.

Its not the benefits but the side effects. The reason is there are a lot of them they’re serious and there have been cases of dogs losing their lives due to this product.

The most common adverse reactions include vomiting (with or without blood) itching dry flaky skin diarrhea (again with or without blood) lethargy and appetite loss.

Because the active ingredient targets the nervous system of fleas ticks and quite possibly the dog itself the product should not be used for animals with a history of neurological disorders.

Furthermore no safety studies have been conducted on the administration of Nexgard to pregnant breeding or lactating dogs.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction include swelling and hives.

The following are the manufacturers warnings. Going online the story gets much darker.

It was previously mentioned that some dogs tolerate Nexgard just fine but others experienced serious adverse reactions and die within days. Some even had to be put down due to their poor condition.

It is impossible to know how such products will affect your pet and once they are in the dogs blood they are virtually impossible to remove.

In contrast to flea collars its not removable if your pet has an allergic reaction. For this reason many veterinarians do not recommend it. There is not much they can do if things go wrong.

The FDA issued a special warning regarding flea treatments in the isoxazoline class in 2018 including the active ingredient in Nexgard as well as similar products such as Bravecto Credelio and Simparica.

Even dogs without a history of seizures can have neurological problems caused by these drugs. By issuing this warning the FDA is alerting you to possible dangers associated with the use of these tablets.

Even so the product is still considered safe since it has not been taken off the market. Yet.

Check out this Facebook group to read heartbreaking stories from other pet owners about Nexgard.

Once you give your dog one of these tablets it is impossible to take it back. That is why you should carefully study the side effects of these tablets.

My dog hates Nexgard! How can you “hide” pills in other food?

Nexgard is often very eagerly taken by dogs since it has a beef flavor but there are also those who would not eat it.

Alternatively you can wrap the tablet in a piece of raw or cooked meat and give it to your pet as a special treat. If you normally give your dog peanut butter you can coat it in a bit of it as well.

You should store these tablets in a locked cabinet as dogs will be attracted by their flavor and can easily overdose on them.

What are the alternatives to Nexgard?

Additionally you can find several other chewable tablets that can be used against fleas and ticks.

These tablets work for up to three months making them very convenient for dog owners.

In addition you need to consider that the dosage must be quite high to be effective for such a long period.

Bravecto has been associated with significantly more adverse reactions than Nexgard. The number of Bravecto-related deaths is in the hundreds.

A newer product on the market Simparica has already caused serious damage according to reports.

As an alternative to chewable tablets you can use topical treatments such as Frontline or Flyaway. Insecticides do have various side effects some of which are quite serious since they contain insecticides as their active ingredient.

Four home remedies for flea treatments?

Natural flea treatments are available at specialized stores or you can make your own at home if you want to avoid chemical pesticides. The process isnot difficult.

• Coconut oil – Rub a bit of coconut oil in your hands to warm it up and make it less dense then apply it to your pets’ fur. Fleas are made greasy limiting their mobility and ultimately suffocating.
• You can give your dog 1/2 a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar per 25 pounds of weight each day. ACV can also be sprayed on the dog. Combine 4 ounces of warm water with 6 ounces of apple cider vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Spay your dog with the solution every week by pouring it into a spray bottle. Be sure to pay particular attention to the tail and underbelly. Bedding can also be treated using this solution.
• Some essential oils such as lavender lemon peppermint clary sage and palmarosa repel fleas. It is recommended to use grapeseed oil or coconut oil as a carrier oil. 3 to 6 drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil are recommended. Put a bit on your dogs collar or bandana or rub it on the back of its neck.
• In addition to pumpkin seeds this remedy can be used all year round to prevent fleas. The seeds should be ground or chopped finely. A quarter of a teaspoon of ground pumpkin seed sprinkled over your dogs food is safe to give them. Give them this special treat at least twice a week.

There is no doubt that natural home remedies take more time to prepare and apply which is one of the main reasons many pet owners are tricked into using chemical products that only need to be administered once a month or less.

On the other hand they’re safe.

Conclusion

It is marketed as the easiest way to keep your pets coat insect-free with chewable tablets for flea control.

Just give one tablet once a month or less and you’re done. Nexagrd contains a powerful insecticide which is a disadvantage.

They work by attacking the fleas’ nervous system but can also cause damage to your dogs nervous system.

There is a problem with this type of product and it can cause neurological problems even according to the FDA. Think carefully before giving your dog something like Nexgard and consider using natural remedies instead.

Amanda (Author)

With over a decade of experience, Amanda is a distinguished dog trainer. Her expertise in canine behavior has transformed countless lives, fostering harmonious human-canine connections. Through compassionate and personalized approaches, she empowers owners to understand and connect with their furry companions, creating a legacy of joyful tails and transformed lives.

Osvaldo Maciel (Content Reviewer)

Osvaldo Maciel, a stalwart in the field with 14 years of experience, is a revered dog trainer. His journey is defined by a profound understanding of canine behavior, shaping unbreakable human-canine bonds. Osvaldo guides owners to connect with their beloved pets, leaving an indelible mark of happiness and transformation. His legacy shines through the countless lives he has touched.