Are Flea and Tick Pills Dangerous?

If you are not aware by now, there is a widespread alert from the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) showing that flea and tick pills can might cause neurological signs.  These include products such as Bravecto, Nexguard, and Simparica.  FDA issues warnings about medical products after monitoring reports of side effects.  When they do, it may either cause panic, concern or raise questions regarding those that are using flea and tick pills on their pets. In this article I plan to discuss the following questions. What did the FDA alert actually say? What questions should you ask your veterinarian about flea and tick pills? If you are using these pills should you stop? What alternatives do you have if you don’t want to use flea and tick pills?

Dissection of FDA Alert of Flea and Tick Pills

When these alerts come out, there is always a risk of misinterpretation of the information released.  Flea and tick pills such as Bravecto, Nexguard, or Simparica are considered being in the isooxazoline class of drugs. They have found these particular class of drugs can cause neurological signs such as ataxia, muscle tremors, and seizures when side effects occur. Keep in mind that these side effects are not new.  In fact if you pull out the included pamphlet if you have purchased the product you will see they list these as a potential side effect. The reason the FDA felt the need to release this alert was because they felt these potential side effects needed to be clearly labelled on the product.  Not because this was a new side effect. Most people don’t read the pamphlets inside the box. The FDA also mentioned that they still consider this drug safe because the incidences of side effects are still small.

Questions to ask your veterinarian about Flea and Tick Pills

If you have used these products in the past, I am sure you will have plenty of questions for your veterinarian. Here are questions you can discuss with your veterinarian.  Should you continue to use this product? Are the side effects long term? How long should it take for your pet to show signs if they are sensitive to these drugs?

Should you discontinue the Flea and Tick Pills?

So you have been giving your pet these flea and tick pills for quite some time should you stop? Remember this report is based on side effects. Most side effects occur after the first or second dose. So if your pet has taking these without problems they are not likely to have problems with this in the future.  As far as whether you should start this in a new pet would have to depend on your comfort level and your pet’s health history. This is a discussion to be had with your veterinarian.

Alternatives to Flea and Tick Pills

So if this FDA alert has you uncomfortable there are other alternatives you can use. Just remember all flea and tick medication are insecticides because you are dealing with with fleas and ticks which are insects. So all can have a potential to have side effects in pets that are sensitive.  You have your topical medications such as Frontline, Advantix, and Vectra among others.  You also have the Seresto collar that can provide flea and tick prevention for up to 8 months. Please avoid flea and tick shampoos and over-the-counter topicals as they cause even more side effects due to the older class of pesticides they contain.  There are also natural remedies that people claim may help. You may need to research viable options on your own.  My experience has been that natural remedies may have some effect with repelling pests, but if you are dealing with a major infestation, they are less effective. Also they tend not to last that long requiring frequent treatments. Most times you have to combine these natural products with a manual effort such as flea combing, and consistent grooming. If you are trying to avoid exposing your pets to any pesticides, it may require more effort, but that may be your best however least effective option.

Conclusion: What does all this mean for flea and tick pills?

Contrary to what may become the popular belief after this alert make it rounds, flea and tick pills are not dangerous. Just like any other medications, they have their side effects. To compare this on the human side if you look at potential side effects of some common pain relievers such as aspirin it would surprise you. But yet these medications are still popular because only a small percentage of people have reactions. What this report emphasizes is how important it is to report any side effects your pet may experience from any medication prescribed. This information can help determine if a new problem will occur and if a current side effect needs to evaluated. Overall you need to be comfortable on what you treat your pets with. Working together with your veterinarian to make sure you get all the information on potential side effects of any new medications will help make that easier.