Photo by Mikhail Nilov
As a responsible dog owner, you must keep your furry friend free from pests and diseases. You can take several steps to achieve this, but many pet owners have varying opinions and answers to questions like, “Is Simparica Trio safe for dogs?”
Many vets agree that one of the best ways to keep your dog healthy and free from disease is to use preventative medication. This protects your dog from some common infestations, such as heartworm, fleas, and ticks.
Let’s explore how you can protect your pets from pests and disease and discuss the importance of preventative medication for dogs. We also discuss how medication like Simparica Trio can help your pet and how best to use it.
Common Dog Health Problems
Dogs are susceptible to ticks and fleas, which can spread diseases and cause uncomfortable irritation. These pests can also create other problems for your dog.
Ticks can transmit diseases, while fleas can cause itchiness and discomfort. In severe cases, flea infestations can even lead to anemia. They could also cause your dogs to lose hair, develop scabs, and have painful, red, flaky skin.
Many parasitic diseases can affect dogs. Some of the more common ones include heartworm, hookworm, and roundworm. These diseases are most commonly contracted by coming into contact with contaminated soil or water.
Heartworm is a disease caused by a parasitic worm that lives in the heart and lungs of the infected animal. If left untreated, heartworm can be fatal. It’s important to see your vet immediately if you think your pet is suffering from such a parasitic infection.
Dogs can get infected with heartworm disease through mosquito bites. The mosquitoes pick up the worm larvae from another infected dog and transmit them to other dogs through their bite.
Hookworms and roundworms infect dogs through contaminated soil or feces. When your dog eats something contaminated with these parasites, the eggs can develop in its intestines and pass them to other animals.
All of these diseases are preventable, and the best way to do so is through medication.
How To Prevent Disease And Infestation In Dogs
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Pests and parasites can cause various diseases in dogs—some can become deadly, while others are simply a nuisance. However, all of them can be prevented with proper care and treatment.
Here are some things you can do to prevent these common health problems in dogs:
Regular Grooming
Make sure to groom your dog and check for ticks and fleas regularly. If you find any, remove them immediately. You can use a tick and flea collar, shampoos, or sprays specifically formulated to eliminate these infestations.
If you aren’t sure which treatment to use, consult your vet if you spot fleas or ticks in your dog.
Area Restrictions
You can also keep your dog away from areas where ticks and fleas are known to thrive, such as woods and tall grass. If you take your dog for a walk in these areas, check it over for pests when you get home.
Use Pet Medication
Specific pet medicines can prevent ticks and fleas in your dog. These medicines can also prevent other parasitic infections, such as heartworm, hookworm, and roundworm.
Which Pet Medication Is Safe To Use?
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Many different types of dog medicine can help prevent heartworm and pest infestation. These medicines work by killing the worm larvae before they have a chance to mature. These medicines also protect against fleas and ticks.
One of these is Simparica Trio, a chewable tablet for dogs. It is formulated for dogs that are eight weeks or older, from 22 to 44 pounds. It contains three active ingredients that prevent heartworm disease, kill fleas, and destroy five kinds of ticks.
The active ingredients are the following:
- Sarolaner - treats and controls flea and tick infestations
- Moxidectin - prevents heartworm
- Pyrantel pamoate - controls adult roundworms and adult hookworms
These ingredients each have very specific effects, so you must get your dog tested to ensure it has a condition that requires the use of Simparica Trio.
Is Simparica Trio Safe for Dogs?
The United States Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine approved Simparica Trio as an effective treatment for flea and tick infestation and as a preventive drug against heartworm disease.
The chewable medicine tablets can be taken without food, and the liver-flavored tablet makes it easy for dogs to chew.
The medicine has several side effects in dogs. These include:
- Lethargy
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Itching
- Hyperactivity
- frequent urination
- Frequent drinking
- Ear infection
In some cases, some dogs display muscle tremors and seizures as adverse reactions to the medication.
A thorough veterinary physical exam and blood test are needed to ensure your pet has not developed full-blown heartworm disease. Your dog must not have adult heartworms because Simparica Trio only kills larvae. The medicine could only worsen the dog’s condition if the heartworms have fully developed.
Caring For Your Dog Means Being Well-informed
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Pet owners bear the responsibility of caring for their furry family members, and it can be a challenge to provide everything they need. Aside from basic things like food, hygiene, and exercise, you must also know about the drugs, medications, treatments, and procedures that can help pets live their best lives.
If you live in an area where your pet is exposed to fleas and ticks, you must use the best preventative medicine available. Talk to your veterinarian and go for regular checkups to ensure your pet can take medication like Simparica Trio to avoid such infestations and the illnesses they bring.
