Heartworm, Flea and Worm Protection for Dogs

Are you confused by the all the options to prevent heartworm, fleas and intestinal worms in your dog? This table shows you a selection of products available in Australia. See below for a general discussion of how to choose, what is missing and more on each product.

A dark tick (✔️) means the product gives only partial coverage for intestinal worms, usually because it doesn’t kill tapeworm. These products are best used together with a praziquantel tablet every 3 months.

How To Choose A Product

You should choose the product based on the threats in your area. Therefore, your local vet’s advice is important. Here are some general guidelines:

• Heartworm and intestinal worm prevention is required Australia-wide. If you choose a product which does not cover these, you will need to add in a separate heartwormer or intestinal worming tablet.
• Flea control is optional, but fleas are everywhere and impossible to avoid. Therefore, flea control is highly recommended.
• Tick control is vital in paralysis tick areas. Consult the map on this page but also check with your local vet and be mindful when travelling.
• Mite control is seldom necessary, but is nice to have, and sometimes essential.

What Is Missing

The table above is only a selection of the dog parasite treatments available in Australia. Some products will have been overlooked or are new releases. However, the vast majority are omitted because they contain either:

1. Outdated flea control, or
2. Inadequate protection from tick paralysis

Products which only treat heartworm or intestinal worms, on the other hand, have been excluded simply because there are too many to mention. Most of these will work well.

More On Each Product

1. Products For Heartworm & Fleas

Warning: monthly tablets or chews containing ivermectin (usually found in supermarkets) should never be used in Australian Shepherds , Collies or Collie cross dogs (read why here). All dogs should be tested free of heartworm before starting.

Follow the links to learn more about:

• What heartworms do and how they are treated
• Heartworm in Adelaide dogs

Proheart® SR12 & Afilaria Once a Year Injection

Prevents: Heartworm only

Comes as: Annual injection (moxidectin)

• The most popular heartworm prevention for our clients’ and our own dogs
• Continuous protection against heartworm
• No need to remember to give monthly treatments
• Safe in dogs who have missed prevention
• Can be used in breeding dogs, pregnancy and lactation
• We send an email or an SMS when the injection becomes due again.

The Injectable is effective long-term protection against heartworm (and hookworm briefly). Dogs receiving it still need a flea control every month and a worming tablet every three months. However, the peace of mind is in knowing you have taken the most life-threatening disease and made its control guaranteed.

How to Use The Heartworm Injection

We advise you start at 6 months of age, it will next be due around the time of your dog’s annual vaccinations each year for a convenient single visit. Of course, you can start any time and the injection will then be due at the same time every year. Proheart has been tested in breeding dogs, and is safe if given to dogs carrying heartworm although testing is still advised.

Advocate Ultra

Prevents: Heartworm, Fleas, Ticks, Intestinal worms including tapeworm

Comes as: a flavoured chew given once every month (lotilaner, moxidectin, praziquantel & pyrantel)

• Highly effective flea control now with added heartworm prevention
• Treats tapeworms so intestinal wormers are not required (this is ‘first-in-class’)
• No restrictions on bathing, no mess
• Effective against paralysis ticks

How to use Advocate Ultra

Advocate Ultra can be used from 8 weeks of age in animals over 2kg. Safety has not been evaluated in pregnant, breeding or lactating dogs.

Simparica® Trio

Prevents: Heartworm, Fleas, Ticks, Intestinal worms (except tapeworm)

Comes as: a flavoured chew given once every month (sarolaner, moxidectin & pyrantel)

• Highly effective flea control now with added heartworm prevention
• Does not treat tapeworms so intestinal wormers are still required
• No restrictions on bathing, no mess
• Effective against paralysis ticks

How to use Simparica Trio

Simparica Trio can be used from 8 weeks of age in animals over 1.25kg. Safety has not been evaluated in pregnant, breeding or lactating dogs.

Nexgard® Spectra

Prevents: Heartworm, Fleas, Ticks, Intestinal worms (except tapeworm)

Comes as: a meaty chew given once every month (afoxolaner & milbemycin)

• Highly effective flea control now with added heartworm prevention
• Also treats mange caused by demodex and sarcoptes mites and treats ear mites
• Does not treat tapeworms so intestinal wormers are still required
• No restrictions on bathing, no mess
• Effective against paralysis ticks

How to use Nexgard Spectra

Nexgard Spectra can be used from 8 weeks of age in animals over 2kg. NexGard Spectra can be used in breeding, pregnant and lactating females. Safety in breeding males has not been evaluated.

Credelio Plus®

Prevents: fleas, ticks, heartworm

Comes as: a meaty chew given once every month (lotilaner, milbemycin)

• Prevents heartworm disease
• Highly effective flea control
• Effective against paralysis ticks
• No restrictions on bathing, no mess
• Use with caution in dogs with a history of seizures

How to use Credelio Plus

Credelio Plus can be used from 8 weeks of age in animals over 1.4 kg. Safety has not been evaluated in pregnant, breeding or lactating dogs.

Comfortis® Plus (previously Panoramis)

Prevents: Heartworm, Fleas, Intestinal worms (except tapeworm)

Comes as: a tablet, given monthly with food (spinosad & milbemycin)

• Highly effective flea and heartworm control
• No restrictions on bathing, no mess
• *We advise using a tapewormer every 6 months
• Not recommended for Collies or Australian Shepherds

Many people find giving a tablet quite difficult; for these people we recommend using Revolution. If monthly dosing may be missed, we recommend using Proheart SR-12 injection annually, Comfortis for fleas and Milbemax for intestinal worms.

How to Use Comfortis Plus

Comfortis Plus can be used from 14 weeks of age. There is a serious interaction with off-label doses of ivermectin (which all vets should know) so please tell your vet you are using Comfortis Plus if your dog needs to be treated for mites. Dogs who have missed prevention and may have heartworm require a blood test before starting. Safety in breeding, pregnancy and lactation not established.

Imidacloprid & Moxidectin Spot-ons

Prevents: Heartworm, Fleas, some intestinal worms, most mites

Comes as: a vial of liquid applied to the back of the neck on a monthly basis (moxidectin & imidacloprid)

• Rapid flea control
• As well as heartworm and fleas, it is also useful in treating puppies infested with ear mites and dogs who have been exposed to sarcoptic mange (fox mange)
• Also has a label claim to “aid in the control of” demodectic mange- see Simparica below

How to Use Imidacloprid & Moxidectin

Advocate and its generics can be used from 7 weeks of age. Animals can be bathed after 48 hours, but if bathing is done frequently, some loss of effect of flea control may occur. We highly recommend you also give intestinal worming tablets every 3 months. The solvent may damage clothing and painted surfaces so take care after applying it, and avoid placing it where the animal can lick. We have also seen coat colour change (pictured below).

Dogs who have missed prevention and may have heartworm require a blood test before starting. Safety in pregnancy has not been established.

Selamectin Spot-ons

Prevents: Heartworm, Fleas, some mites

Comes as: a vial of liquid applied to the back of the neck on a monthly basis (selamectin)

Selapro, Novela, Wagg&Purr and Evicto are equivalent products.

• A quick-drying, and less messy spot-on treatment
• Once the product is fully absorbed your pet can be bathed without loss of effect
• As well as heartworm and fleas, it is also useful in treating puppies infested with ear mites and dogs who have been exposed to sarcoptic mange or fox mange
• Our favourite treatment for those wanting to use a combined flea and heartworm preventative.
• Safe in very young animals
• No adverse effects when trialled in breeding, pregnant or lactating dogs

How to Use Selamectin

Revolution can be safely applied to puppies from 6 weeks of age. Dogs who have missed prevention and may have heartworm require a blood test before starting. You will still need to use an intestinal worming treatment.

Sentinel®

Prevents: Heartworm, Fleas, Intestinal worms

Comes as: a tablet, given monthly with food (milbemycin, lufenuron & praziquantel)

• No restrictions on bathing, no mess
• Safe in very young animals

Disadvantages are the need to give a large tablet, and the need to remember it every month. Also, the method of flea control sterilises fleas rather than killing them, meaning dogs which go into heavily flea-infested areas like dog parks may still need other treatments. Shown to be safe in pregnancy and lactation.

Read more here about the pros and cons of Sentinel Spectrum.

How to Use Sentinel

Sentinel is safe in puppies from 6 weeks of age and breeding dogs. Dogs who have missed prevention and may have heartworm require a blood test before starting.

2. Products To Prevent Fleas & Not Heartworm

These products are used together with a heartworm preventative and intestinal worming (see elsewhere). All cats and dogs living together need to be treated to control fleas in a household. Read more about controlling fleas on dogs and treating the house for fleas here.

Systemic (tablet) treatments are considered more environmentally friendly than topical (spot on) options. Warning: do not use any products made for dogs on cats, rabbits or ferrets.

Simparica®

Prevents: fleas, mites, ticks

Comes as: a tablet given once every month (sarolaner)

• Highly effective flea control
• No restrictions on bathing, no mess
• Registered for the treatment of demodectic mange
• Also treats sarcoptic mange and ear mites
• Effective against paralysis ticks

How to use Simparica

Simparica can be used from 8 weeks of age in puppies and dogs over 1.3kg. Safety has not been evaluated in breeding, pregnant or lactating dogs.

Read about Simparica’s side effects and tick prevention here.

Bravecto®

Prevents: fleas, ticks

Bravecto (fluralaner) comes in 2 forms:

1. A chewable tablet given once every 3 months with food
2. A spot-on pipette given every 6 months.

• Very long acting flea control
• Also controls paralysis ticks for 4 months (chew) or 6 months (spot-on)
• Treats dogs up to 56kg
• The chew but not the spot-on also treats demodectic & sarcoptic mange and ear mites
• Safe in breeding, pregnant and lactating animals

How to use Bravecto

Bravecto can be used from 8 weeks of age from 2kg bodyweight. However, in young puppies there will be a big change in body weight which may make accurate dosing difficult for such a long-acting product. We recommend starting it at or after 6 months of age. Give at a mealtime. If you are concerned about the safety of Bravecto please click here.

Imidacloprid Spot-on

Prevents: fleas

Comes as: a vial of liquid applied to the back of the neck on a monthly basis (imidacloprid)

Enduramid, Exi-Flea, Advantage and Neoveda are equivalent products.

• Fast, effective flea control
• Almost 20 years of reliable performance
• Wide dose range for multi-animal households
• Safe in pregnancy and lactation

How to Use Imidacloprid

Advantage can be used from weaning; before this treating the mother should also protect the puppies. Animals can be bathed after 48 hours, but if bathing is done frequently, some loss of effect of flea control may occur. The solvent may damage clothing and painted surfaces so take care after applying it, and avoid placing it where the animal can lick.

The image shows permanent hair colour change that occurred at the site of application in one dog.

Nexgard®

Prevents: fleas

Comes as: a meaty chew given once every month (afoxolaner)

• Highly effective flea control
• No restrictions on bathing, no mess
• Effective against paralysis ticks
• Use with caution in dogs with a history of seizures

How to use Nexgard

Nexgard can be used from 8 weeks of age in animals over 2kg. NexGard can be used in breeding, pregnant and lactating females. Safety in breeding males has not been evaluated.

Credelio®

Prevents: fleas

Comes as: a meaty chew given once every month (lotilaner)

• Highly effective flea control
• No restrictions on bathing, no mess
• Effective against paralysis ticks
• Use with caution in dogs with a history of seizures

How to use Credelio

Credelio can be used from 8 weeks of age in animals over 1.3 kg. Safety has not been evaluated in pregnant, breeding or lactating dogs.

3. Products To Treat Intestinal Worms

There are four important intestinal worms: roundworm, hookworm, whipworm and tapeworm- read about them (and see pictures!) here.

There are many wormers available, and most do a reasonably good job. Look for two or more active ingredients including at least ‘praziquantel’ plus one other. Always worm all the adult dogs in a house at the same time.

Worming is necessary every two weeks until 12 weeks of age, then every month until 6 months old, then every three months for life. Dogs in hydatid tapeworm areas (usually rural) should be wormed every 6 weeks. It is a requirement of taking your dog to Tasmania that you provide evidence they received a praziquantel dose within 14 days of entry.

Milpro®, Milbemax® etc

Prevents: intestinal worms

Comes as: tablet (milbemycin & praziquantel)

• Small tablets easily hidden in food
• Single tablet treats up to 25kg dog
• Highly effective worming
• Can also be used for heartworm control if given monthly

How to Use Milpro

Follow the schedule listed above. Do not use in dogs who may have heartworm without blood testing first. Safe in pregnant bitches.

Drontal®

Prevents: intestinal worms

Comes as: tablet, drops, flavoured chews (various)

• Original brand name all-wormer
• Highly effective worming
• Many generic similar formulations exist

How to Use Drontal

Follow the schedule listed above. Safe in pregnancy.