Click the product name or scroll down. •Proheart Injection •Simparica Trio •Nexgard Spectra •Credelio Plus •Comfortis Plus •Sentinel •Advocate •Simparica •Bravecto •Advantage •Nexgard •Credelio •Seresto •Advantix •Milbemax •Drontal
Are you confused by the all the options to prevent heartworm, fleas and intestinal worms in your dog? Here is our guide to the best options available. You should find all the common, safe and respected treatments found in your vet or pet supplies store.
Also visit Andrew’s recommendations for Heartworm and flea products & Tick treatments.
The chart above gives an overview of each product, with detailed descriptions below. Protection against the parasites in RED is considered necessary in all dogs. You can just choose the treatment that does the most but we advise you make a more tailored plan by reading about each product.
This list is in order of our preferences but please consult your vet for advice specific to your pet before use. Choose products so that you don’t treat the same thing twice; for example, if choosing Revolution, you don’t need another flea control.
At this quality end of the market, most flea, heartworm and worming programs work out at around the same cost.
Important Note Re Tick Control
There is no need to have tick prevention in the Adelaide region. If you live or travel elsewhere, please read our guide to preventing tick paralysis.
1. Products To Prevent Heartworm
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:
Proheart® SR12 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.
Proheart 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 Proheart
We advise you start Proheart 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.
Simparica® Trio
Prevents: Heartworm, Fleas, 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, 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.
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.
Advocate®
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 Advocate
Advocate 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.
Revolution® (discontinued)
Prevents: Heartworm, Fleas, Intestinal worms*, some mites
Comes as: a vial of liquid applied to the back of the neck on a monthly basis (selamectin)
Update 2020: Selapro® and Evicto® are two equivalent products now available, although they do not include intestinal worming.
- 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 Revolution
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.
*Canex intestinal all-wormer is supplied in 6-packs of Revolution
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:
- A chewable tablet given once every 3 months with food
- 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.
Advantage®
Prevents: fleas
Comes as: a vial of liquid applied to the back of the neck on a monthly basis (imidacloprid)
- 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 Advantage
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.
Seresto®
Prevents: fleas & ticks
Comes as: an insecticide-impregnated collar (imidacloprid & flumethrin)
- Flea control for 8 months and tick control for 4 months
How to use Seresto
Seresto can be used from 7 weeks of age. Safety in pregnancy has not been established.
Advantix®
Prevents: fleas & ticks
Comes as: a vial of liquid applied to the back of the neck on a monthly basis (imidacloprid & permethrin)
- Flea control for 1 month and tick prevention for 2 weeks
- Very toxic to cats
- May have a unique fly and mosquito repellent effect
- Safe for use on pregnant and lactating bitches
How to use Advantix
Advantix can be used from 7 weeks of age.
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.