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frequently asked questions
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frequently asked questions
Got questions? We have answers.
Got questions?
We have answers.
Looking to learn more about BRAVECTO®? The following FAQs can help answer any questions you may still have. If you don’t find your answer below, you can contact us for more information. For any emergencies, please contact your veterinarian.
Yes. BRAVECTO Chews and BRAVECTO Topical Solution for Dogs are vet recommended for dogs 6 months of age or older. BRAVECTO 1-MONTH is vet recommended for dogs and puppies 8 weeks of age and older who weigh at least 4.4 lb. BRAVECTO Topical Solution for Cats and BRAVECTO Plus are vet recommended for kittens and cats 6 months of age or older who weigh at least 2.6 lb.¹–⁴,¹²,¹³
BRAVECTO is the only flea and tick treatment that lasts 12 weeks* with 1 convenient chew or topical dose.1-4 Compared with any monthly treatment, your pet is protected nearly 3 times longer with BRAVECTO.1,6
The long-lasting protection of BRAVECTO effectively eliminates flea infestations on pets with just 1 dose.6,7 Plus, BRAVECTO kills ticks fast—killing 100% of attached ticks in 12 hours.8
Yes.2-4,8
After you give your pet BRAVECTO, it quickly reaches tissue fluids just under your dog’s or cat’s skin. When fleas and ticks feed, they ingest BRAVECTO and die.
BRAVECTO Chew starts killing fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) within 2 hours, and kills ticks (Ixodes ricinus) within 12 hours.2 BRAVECTO Chew kills fleas, prevents flea infestations, and kills ticks (black-legged tick, American dog tick, and brown dog tick) for 12 weeks.* BRAVECTO Chew also kills lone star ticks for 8 weeks.2
BRAVECTO Topical Solution for Dogs reduces fleas by 99% and 100% within 24 and 48 hours, respectively, post-infestation for 12 weeks.* It kills 93.3% of black-legged ticks, American dog ticks, and brown dog ticks after 48 hours for 12 weeks* and kills 90% of lone star ticks 72 hours post-infestation for 8 weeks.3
BRAVECTO Topical Solution for Cats kills 100% of fleas within 8 hours. Applied to the base of the skull, your cat will have full-body protection for 12 weeks*—killing fleas, preventing flea infestations, and killing black-legged ticks. BRAVECTO Topical Solution for Cats also kills American dog ticks for 8 weeks.4
There are no problems reported in field trials in dogs and cats that received BRAVECTO alongside other commonly used medicines.2-4,9 However, your veterinarian is your pet’s health care expert, so it is always best to discuss all of your pet’s treatments with them, whether prescription or over-the-counter supplements.
BRAVECTO is only available by prescription from your veterinarian or veterinary clinic. Find a vet today.
In a US field study in which dogs were treated at home, over 93% of dogs ate the chew voluntarily, either by itself or with food.2
BRAVECTO Chew should be given with food.2 If a chew is broken or crumbled, make sure your dog still receives the whole dose.
No.
No. Even immediate bathing, shampooing, or swimming won’t affect how well BRAVECTO Chew works because it’s not a topical treatment. Coat length and grooming or brushing also have no impact on how well it works.
Yes. BRAVECTO has been evaluated for use in breeding, pregnant, and lactating dogs.2,5
In a well-controlled laboratory study, BRAVECTO was shown to be safe in collies known to be MDR-1 gene deficient. Collies with the defect were administered 3 times the deliverable dose and had no adverse events.10
It is always best to discuss your pet’s medical treatment with your veterinarian. However, BRAVECTO has a high margin of safety. In safety studies, BRAVECTO was tested in healthy dogs and puppies at up to 5 times the recommended dose at 8-week intervals for 3 treatments.2 Therefore, no adverse effects are expected if dogs are inadvertently treated twice with the recommended dose within 12 weeks, but please contact your veterinarian.
If vomiting occurs, check with your vet to decide whether to redose or not. If an otherwise healthy dog vomits within 3 hours of receiving BRAVECTO, it is recommended that the dog be redosed. To help ensure that the dog does not vomit again, it is suggested to wait 24 hours until redosing.
If 4 or more hours have passed before the vomiting occurs, it is likely that the medication has been absorbed and the dog is protected. If the vomiting repeats, DO NOT give a third chew, and call your veterinarian.
If you suspect that a side effect has taken place as a result of giving the dog BRAVECTO, please report it to Merck Technical Services at 1-800-224-5318, and follow any advice that they provide.
Apply BRAVECTO Topical Solution for Dogs in one or more spots starting between the shoulder blades and continuing along the dog’s back. This will provide full-body protection for 12 weeks.*3 See product insert for complete application instructions.
Your cat doesn’t need to go outside to be at risk for fleas and ticks. Cats can be exposed to fleas and ticks from dogs in your house. However, even cats without dog siblings can be at risk. You can carry fleas inside on your clothes and shoes, and the larvae and pupae can hide within your home for weeks before hopping on your cat.
If you live in an apartment complex, fleas can move from one apartment to the next. Certain ticks can survive indoors throughout their life cycle, so they can come in with you from outside and eventually attach to your pet.11
Not at this time.
Apply the dose to one spot on the skin on the back of the neck (push back fur if necessary). This will provide full-body protection for 12 weeks.*4 See product insert for complete application instructions.
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Dosing reminders
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Use our dosing reminder tool and never miss a dose!
Testimonials
RESOURCES
Hear how BRAVECTO has benefitted pet parents and veterinarians.
Dosing reminders
RESOURCES
Use our dosing reminder tool and never miss a dose!
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BRAVECTO is available by prescription only.
BRAVECTO is available by prescription only.
*BRAVECTO kills fleas, prevents flea infestations. BRAVECTO (fluralaner) Chews for Dogs kills ticks (black-legged tick, American dog tick, brown dog tick, and Asian longhorned tick) for 12 weeks. BRAVECTO Chews also kills lone star ticks for 8 weeks. BRAVECTO (fluralaner topical solution) for Dogs kills ticks (black-legged tick, American dog tick, and brown dog tick) for 12 weeks. BRAVECTO Topical Solution for Dogs also kills lone star ticks for 8 weeks. BRAVECTO (fluralaner topical solution) for Cats kills ticks (black-legged tick and Asian longhorned tick) for 12 weeks. BRAVECTO Topical Solution for Cats also kills American dog ticks for 8 weeks.
References
1. Lavan RP, Armstrong R, Normile D, Zhang D, Tunceli K. J Vet Sci Technol. 2017;8:439. 2. BRAVECTO Chew for Dogs [prescribing information]. Rahway, NJ: Merck Animal Health; 2014. 3. BRAVECTO Topical Solution for Dogs [prescribing information]. Rahway, NJ: Merck Animal Health; 2016. 4. BRAVECTO Topical Solution for Cats [prescribing information]. Rahway, NJ: Merck Animal Health; 2016. 5. Freedom of Information Summary, NADA 141-426. Approved May 15, 2014. 6. Dryden MW, Smith V, Bennett T, et al. Parasit Vectors. 2015;8:364. 7. Dryden MW, Canfield MS, Bocon C, et al. Parasit Vectors. 2018;11:422. 8. Burgio F, Meyer L, Armstrong R. Parasit Vectors. 2016;9:626. 9. Walther FM, Fisara P, Allan MJ, Roepke RKA, Nuernberger MC. Parasit Vectors. 2014;7:481. 10. Walther FM, Paul AJ, Allan MJ, Roepke RKA, Nuernberger MC. Parasit Vectors. 2014;7:86. 11. CAPC website. guidelines–ticks. Updated April 2017. Accessed February 1, 2022. https://capcvet.org/guidelines/ticks 12. BRAVECTO® 1-MONTH (fluralaner) Chews [product label]. Millsboro, DE: Intervet, Inc; 2020. 13. BRAVECTO PLUS (fluralaner and moxidectin topical solution) for Cats [prescribing information]. Rahway, NJ: Merck Animal Health; 2019.
Important Safety Information
Important Safety Information
BRAVECTO 1-MONTH Chews: indicated for dogs 8 weeks of age and older. The most commonly reported adverse reactions include itching, diarrhea, vomiting, decreased appetite, elevated ALT, lethargy, and weight loss. BRAVECTO 1-MONTH is not effective against A. americanum in puppies less than 6 months of age. BRAVECTO Chews for Dogs: The most commonly reported adverse reactions include vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea, anorexia and pruritus. In some cases, adverse events have been reported following use in breeding females. BRAVECTO Topical Solution for Dogs: The most commonly reported adverse reactions include vomiting, hair loss, diarrhea, lethargy, decreased appetite, and moist dermatitis/rash. BRAVECTO Topical Solution for Cats: The most commonly reported adverse reactions include vomiting, itching, diarrhea, hair loss, decreased appetite, lethargy, and scabs/ulcerated lesions. BRAVECTO Topical Solution for Cats is not effective against American dog ticks beyond 8 weeks of dosing. BRAVECTO PLUS Topical Solution for Cats: The most commonly reported adverse reactions include vomiting, hair loss, itching, diarrhea, lethargy, dry skin, elevated ALT, and hypersalivation. BRAVECTO PLUS has not been shown to be effective for 2 months in kittens less than 6 months of age. Use with caution in cats that are heartworm positive. The effectiveness of BRAVECTO PLUS to prevent heartworm disease after bathing or water immersion has not been evaluated.
BRAVECTO has not been shown to be effective for 12-weeks’ duration in puppies or kittens less than 6 months of age. BRAVECTO Chews and Topical Solution for dogs is not effective against the lone star tick beyond 8 weeks of dosing. BRAVECTO Topical Solution for Dogs and Cats and BRAVECTO PLUS for cats are for topical use only. Avoid oral ingestion. The safety of BRAVECTO Topical Solution for Cats and BRAVECTO PLUS has not been established in breeding, pregnant, and lactating cats.
All BRAVECTO products contain fluralaner, which is a member of the isoxazoline class. This class has been associated with neurologic adverse reactions including tremors, ataxia, and seizures. Seizures have been reported in dogs receiving isoxazoline class drugs, even in dogs without a history of seizures. Use with caution in dogs with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders. Neurologic adverse reactions have been reported in cats receiving isoxazoline class drugs, even in cats without a history of neurologic disorders. Use with caution in cats with a history of neurologic disorders.