As you may have heard on the news, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration created an “alert” for pet owners and veterinarians to be aware of the potential for neurologic adverse events in dogs and cats when treated with drugs that are in the isoxazoline class. Drugs in this class include Bravecto, Nexgard, Simparica and Credelio which are for the treatment and prevention of flea infestations and the treatment and control of tick infestations.

The press release was a result of a routine review of ALL possible side effects of medications after FDA approvals. All medications have the possibility for side effects. I recently reviewed a drug insert on aspirin and it is over 3 pages long. The drug insert for fluoxetine (Prozac) is nearly 6 pages long.

The FDA still believes that Bravecto, Credelio, Nexgard and Simparica are safe for most pets. The FDA simply recommends that the manufacturer make changes to the product labeling in order to provide veterinarians and pet owners with the information they need to make treatment decisions for each pet on an individual basis. This is a routine request after review of most medications.

We will use our knowledge of the products and your pet to provide recommendations for prevention products. We believe these products are safe and have not personally seen any problems from our pets taking Bravecto, Nexgard or Simparica.  In fact, I personally use and will continue to use these products on my own pets. We will stay informed of problems and will alert if you if our recommendations change.

Please call us if you have any questions or concerns. 740-587-1129.