When travelling with a dog, it’s important to keep them safe from vector-borne diseases. Bravecto® is one of the many treatments available to protect dogs from ticks and fleas. But, what sets Bravecto apart from other tick and flea medication, is the fact that it lasts for 12 weeks. That’s one treatment every 3 months, rather than wrestling with your pooch on a monthly basis! So, when you use Bravecto for your dog, you can rest easy for three months knowing that your beloved pet is protected from ticks and fleas, and the dangerous diseases that they can transmit. If you’re relocating to a foreign country with your dog, you may find that your usual treatment from home isn’t available. Or, you might just prefer to use a treatment that’s only needed on a quarterly basis, as opposed to monthly. In this case, Bravecto is a great choice, as its the only tick and flea treatment for cats and dogs that lasts for a full three months. If you have a fussy pet, you’ll be happy to hear that it’s available in either topical or chew form. Of course, always speak to your vet about the most appropriate pet travel medication for your dog. They will be able to advise the best medication and treatments for your destination of choice.
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Tick & Flea Protection for Dogs
No matter where you live, your vet will always recommend that you use a worming treatment for your dog, as well as a tick and flea repellent. But, when you travel to a warm, international destination with your pet, the diseases carried by ticks and fleas tend to be more serious.
For example, Tapeworms are transmitted by fleas, but locations such as the UK, Ireland, Finland, Malta and Norway are Tapeworm free. Of course, fleas are still present in these places, they just don’t carry the Tapeworm parasite. So, to protect their Tapeworm free status, these countries require all dogs to have a Tapeworm Treatment prior to entry.
In addition, ticks carry other bacteria, such as those that cause Lyme Disease in dogs.
Therefore, when you travel to many countries in Europe, such as Spain, Portugal, France and Italy, your dog must be effectively protected against fleas and ticks.
In addition, you have to consider the threats posed by mosquitoes and sandflies, particularly in warm, sunny climates.
How does Bravecto for Dogs work?
The consistent and effective protection provided by Bravecto is all thanks to the active ingredient Fluralaner.
Fluralaner is one of the unique members of the isoxazoline family, which is the first new insecticide class in over a decade. It has no known insect or tick resistance. Once Bravecto is administered to your dog, Fluralaner is readily absorbed into their bloodstream. The effect then lasts for 12 weeks.
Bravecto Side Effects in Dogs
As with all treatments and medicine, there are possible side effects in using Bravecto. Reported side effects for both the dog spot-on treatment and chew forms of Bravecto include:
- decreased appetite,
- diarrhea
- hair loss
- lethargy
- moist dermatitis or rash
- vomiting
While we’ve used Bravecto to repel ticks and fleas for several years without incident, your dog may be different. So, always speak to your vet first and foremost.
Which Tick Species is Bravecto Effective Against?
Of the many different species of ticks found across the globe, you may be surprised to know that there’s only a few that bite and transmit diseases to humans and animals.
There’s no doubt differences in the species of ticks that your pet encounters when travelling from a cold climate to warmer weather.
It can be helpful to know the dormant tick species in your holiday destination. But, if you use the Bravecto treatment, you can rest assured that your dog is protected from the following tick species when you travel.
| Tick Species | Other Names | Latin Name | Protection Period | Diseases | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Dog Tick | Wood Tick | Dermacentor Variabilis | 12 weeks | Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever & Tularemia | Rocky Mountains Pacific Coast |
| Black Legged Tick | The Bear Tick The Deer Tick | Lxodes Scapularis | 12 weeks | Babesiosis Ehrlichiosis Lyme Disease Powassan Virus | Eastern & North Midwest USA South Eastern Canada |
| Brown Dog Tick | Kennel Tick Pantropical Tick | Rhipicephalus Sanguineus | 12 weeks | Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (in Southwestern USA & along the Mexico/US border) | Worldwide |
| Castor Bean Tick | Lxodes Ricinus | 12 weeks | Lyme Disease Tick Borne Encephalitis | Europe North Africa | |
| Lone Star Tick | Cricket Tick North Eastern Water Tick Turkey Tick | Amblyomma Americanum | 8 weeks | Ehrlichiosis Heartland Virusi Tularemia STARI | South Eastern & Eastern USA Mexico |
| Ornate Cow Tick | Marsh Tick Meadow Tick Ornate Dog Tick | Dermacentor reticulatus | 12 weeks | Babesiosis Coxiella Burneti Francisella Tularensis Rickettsia Theileria | Eastern and Western Europe (especially Poland and Belarus, and coastal areas of the UK & Western France) |
Cats using Bravecto Plus, are protected against two of the above – the American Dog Tick for 12 weeks, and the Black Legged Tick for 8 weeks.
Bravecto is approved for safe use on dogs in Europe, as well as the USA & Canada. However, Bravecto has not been shown to be effective when administered to puppies less than 6 months old.
Due to the protection against ticks and fleas offered by Bravecto, and the convenience of a 3 month treatment, it’s a good option when you travel with your dog.
Do I need to use any other Pet Safety Products?
Your vet will recommend the best course of action to protect your dog when you take a pet vacation. Here in Portugal, we use Bravecto for dogs every 3 months, together with a Scalibor Dog Protection Band. The Scalibor Collar also protects dogs from ticks, fleas, sandflies and mosquitoes, so it’s a great all-rounder.
Where can I buy Bravecto for Dogs?
You can only purchase the Bravecto Tick & Flea Treatment for dogs at licensed veterinarians.
Look out for other ways to keep your cat or dog safe when you travel, and remember to leave a review for your chosen pet friendly destination!
