Your pet’s safety is paramount, and you are a responsible pet owner who wants to be informed on how to prevent flea and tick diseases from affecting your loyal pup. Purchasing an anti-flea and tick medication like Simparica Trio or Nexgard Spectra could be one of the most inspired decisions you can make in the pet ownership process, and the financial benefits you can reap from purchasing these medications could be vital to your family’s economic comfort.
A monthly dose of anti-flea and tick medication could prevent dangerous and difficult-to-treat conditions such as Ehrlichiosis or tick paralysis, which, left untreated, can lead to severe life-threatening complications. Moreover, besides the medical safety aspects of your pet, treating the symptoms of tick diseases can be impossible without expensive and long-lasting treatments, and this could be out of the realm of possibility for many Australian families.
But you may need more information. Simparica Trio and Nexgard Spectra are reputable medications whose effect is visible, but the active ingredients between the two products differ, as does how they work. In the next few minutes, we will list some of the differences between the two products, look at how they work at the molecular level to protect your pet, and present some elements that might signal tick disease in your pet.
What Should I Choose?
Tick-borne diseases are a problem in Australia due to the dry climate and the wide distribution of ticks close to large urban centres. There are over seventy types of ticks in Australia, and a good number of them can transmit dangerous diseases to our pets, such as Babesiosis or Anaplasmosis. But preventing these diseases is simple if you use effective anti-flea and tick medications like Simparica Trio or Nexgard Spectra. Both types of medication work similarly, but the main difference between them lies in the active ingredients.
Simparica Trio uses Moxidectin, Pyrantel and Sarolaner, which are compounds that act on the nervous system of fleas and ticks, paralysing them and eliminating their danger. Sarolaner and Moxidectin are effective against fleas and ticks, while Pyrantel is scientifically proven to prevent infections with intestinal parasites such as Dipylidium caninum. NexGard Spectra, on the other hand, uses Afoxolaner and Milbemycin oxime, which have a significant effect in treating sarcoptic mange and act on the nervous system of parasites. Both Simparica and Nexgard Spectra offer long-lasting protection against a broad range of parasites and are administered once a month as chewable tablets.
Why Should You Care?
Unfortunately, Australia is home to some of the most dangerous parasites that commonly affect household pets, as our country’s arid climate is favourable for ticks and fleas, which carry hazardous diseases. The administration of anti-tick and flea medication is necessary to prevent infections with internal and external parasites that can lead to illnesses with significant complications. From Lyme Disease to Rocky Mountain spotted fever, your dog could be infected with some terrible conditions, which, if left untreated, can require a substantial financial commitment on your part.
Treating the effects of an infection that has already occurred can be costly, and the effects on your pet could be permanent, so prevention is one of the wisest decisions you can make in your pet ownership process. From roundworms and hookworms to ehrlichiosis and flea-borne typhus, the protection you administer to your pet could be the most effective way to avoid infection with unpleasant diseases, which in severe cases could even have the potential to be transmitted from dog to human.
What Are the Symptoms of Tick-Borne Diseases?
When it comes to diseases that can be picked up by our dogs from Australian ticks, we’re mainly talking about four ailments: Babesiosis, Lyme Disease, Tick paralysis disease and Ehrlichiosis. Babesiosis is primarily transmitted by the brown dog tick, and cases of infection with this disease are often reported in New South Wales. Once infected with Babesiosis, your dog may suffer from fever, anaemia, dark urine and, in advanced cases, severe neurological effects.
Lyme disease is mainly linked to ticks in Central Europe and North America, as tick species capable of transmitting this condition are not endemic to Australia. However, risks can still exist, especially if you are a person who often travels abroad with your dog. As with Babesiosis, Lyme disease symptoms can include swollen lymph nodes and fever, and there is the potential for neurological problems in more severe cases.
Ehrlichiosis is mainly found in northern and central Australia, though cases have also been reported near the east coast. Ehrlichiosis can lead to severe symptoms such as external and internal bleeding or respiratory problems, which in chronic cases are often fatal. But Ehrlichiosis is rare, which is not the case for tick paralysis. This disease is practically a symptom of the Ixodes holocyclus bite, which in severe cases, can lead to coordination problems and complete paralysis of the animal’s lower limbs. Tick paralysis affects about ten thousand pets a year, but this number is increasing with the expansion of our cities into mainland Australia.
Prevention is the Best Medicine
If you reached the end of this article, we can assume you are a responsible pet owner who wants the best for your dog. Preventive treatment with Simparica Trio or NexGard Spectra may be one of the best decisions you can make for the health of your four-legged friend and your family’s financial prospects. Treatment with these two medicines is necessary for people who plan to let their pets loose in their backyards or who intend to travel with their animals in the wilderness of the Australian outback.
Diseases transmitted by ticks and fleas are unpleasant, and their symptoms can range from minor ailments such as itching or restlessness to full-blown internal hemorrhages that constitute medical emergencies. Preventative treatment with Moxidectin, Pyrantel, Sarolaner or Afoxolaner and Milbemycin oxime can form an impenetrable barrier to ensure the comfort and safety of your pet. Treatments with professional anti-parasite medicines are an investment in your companion’s health, and as an informed pet owner, you must take all possible steps to ensure that your furry pal thrives.
