Mary Allen
Every year, we in Sweden spend many millions on tick repellents to protect our dog friends. In 2016, more than a million doses of tick repellent were sold in pharmacies.
The most popular tick remedy is Frontline, which is dropped on the dog’s neck and is non-prescription. The second most popular tick remedy Bravecto is a prescription chewable tablet. But according to preliminary figures, 89 of the 120 side effect reports received by the Medical Products Agency in 2016 were about Bravecto. Among these figures are suspected milder and very serious side effects.
Serious Side Effects
At present, the data is too small, and it is dependent on veterinarians reporting suspected side effects in order to determine the future of specific tick repellents. But the good news is that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is currently investigating Bravecto.
In June, the investigation is expected to be completed, and then we will hopefully receive more information about how the preparation affects our dogs. It is still too early to say anything more general about the preparation, but as with all preparations we use on our doggies, it is important that we keep an eye on the dog and look for any side effects.
What About Your Own Dog?
There are many preparations against ticks in the trade, and it is difficult to know which one suits your own dog. At the same time, ticks are a real monkey for our four-legged friends. What do you do to protect your dog from ticks? Do you use tick repellent, tick collar, or something else? Do you feel safe with that solution?