Choosing a Flea Product for Epileptic Dogs
Interestingly, there’s not much information about controlling fleas on epileptic dogs online. The little information there is about flea treatments points to a few topical flea control products, such as Frontline Plus, that no longer works.
I have a dog with seizures, and I’ve done a ton of research on safe flea products for my epileptic dog. Honestly, I agonized over the decision to use a flea product given my dog’s health. I most certainly consulted with my dog’s veterinarian, several veterinarian friends of mine and then a few more vets who all had different suggestions. Here’s what I discovered, but it’s up to you to choose the best product for your dog.
Always consult with your veterinarian first.
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Topical Flea Products
These products are applied to your dog’s skin usually for 30 days. If your flea and tick population is under control, then these products may work well for you. Personally, I haven’t had good luck with Frontline Plus, Advantage or Advantix living in the deep South. Also, there are some dogs that have experienced seizures within a couple of days after use, so always ask your veterinarian first.
Several friends of mine with seizure-prone dogs have used Vector 3D topical flea control without incidents. The effectiveness of Vector 3D is a bit questionable though, according to Amazon reviews. It takes six hours to kill fleas that hitch a ride on your dog, but it’s definitely worth a try!
Natural Pest Control
I’ve had great results using cedar oil to control fleas. With several dilutions available, you can most certainly treat your yard and house successfully. Plus, there’s a diluted version that you can apply directly on your dog’s coat. If you don’t like the smell, there’s cedar flea spray with lemongrass as well. Check out more tips on using cedar oil to kill fleas.
Flea Collar
We think of flea collars as outdated and ineffective, but there’s a really good one out there now. We bought the Seresto Flea and Tick collar, and have been quite pleased with the results. This flea control product has been very effective in killing and repelling fleas quickly. In addition, Sobek (a Rottweiler) has been seizure-free (knock on wood!) since putting the collar on. If my dog does experience an adverse reaction later on, I can simply take the collar off.
Oral Flea Products
There are so many oral medications that kill fleas and ticks quickly once they bite your dog. However, several brands should be used cautiously with epileptic dogs. NexGard, Comfortis and Trifexis have been known to cause seizures in dogs shortly after dosing, so use cautiously.
There’s a new oral flea product in town. It’s only been on the market for a year, but it has fast-acting results. Bravecto works for three months and has by far the fastest flea-killing time compared to other oral flea products. I know several seizure-prone dogs that have safely taken Bravecto with no side effects.
Choose a flea control product you and your veterinarian feel is safe for your dog’s needs. Hopefully, these tips and research help in your decision.
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Please see the FDA reports of adverse events for Bravecto on http://www.yourpetsneedthis.com and the Facebook group called Does Bravecto Kill Dogs. Many reports of seizures after Bravecto. I don’t know if it should be risked on a dog with a history of seizures
Thanks for the response! I called Merck, and they said seizures were not reported. Interesting post, thanks for bringing to our attention. That’s why I use a Seresto collar. 🙂
Seresto was the cause of my dogs seizures
My dog had been seizure free for 4 months after stopping Trifexis. When I thought it was out of his system I tried a Seresto collar. Within a few days he had 4 seizures in 11 hours. I know every dog is different, but my dog’s seizure threshold seems particularly sensitive to any systemic flea medicine. I have heard about Bravecto but have been afraid to try it. Experiencing a 100 lb. Lab’s seizures is heartbreaking.
Oh Diana, bless your heart….. it is truly heartbreaking. I fretted and researched for weeks, trying to find a product that would kills fleas on my seizure prone dog. While researching, twice a day I would sit on the floor and comb out fleas. I was lucky with the Seresto collar, and I liked the option of removing it if seizures appeared. Since this article, we’ve moved to an area where fleas do not exist….. the desert, lol. While 110 degrees feels like leaving on the hinges of hell, it’s too hot for fleas. 🙂 Kiss your Lab or me!
I have a 15 pound dog who has seizures. When I first got her I used Advantix on her and she had seizures within 2 days of applying Advantix, 2 months in a row. I switched her to Bravecto (she has been on it for a year) and she still has occasional seizures, but only a few a year and not related to the days she took Bravecto.