Bravecto vs Heartgard Plus

Caring for your beloved furry friend comes with choices from the right toys to food to heartworm medication to flea and tick treatment. With so many options out there, it is no wonder why so many people have questions such as what is the difference between Bravecto and Heartgard and which one is better. In reality, there isn't much of a comparison as they treat different things and can actually be used together to provide protection against fleas, ticks, and heartworm.

Bravecto Chewable Tablets for Dogs

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Heartgard Plus for Dogs and Puppies

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What are the differences between Bravecto and Heartgard Plus

Bravecto treats and prevents fleas and ticks whereas Heartgard Plus prevents heartworm. If you're not using a product that treats all parasites, then combining these two products is a great option.

Bravecto uses Fluralaner to kill fleas and ticks while Heartgard Plus uses Ivermectin and Pyrantel Pamoate to prevent heartworm disease and control roundworms and hookworms. The topical administration kills and prevents fleas whereas the Bravecto chewable tablet only kills fleas once they bite your dog - thus ending the cycle.

Both Bravecto and Heartgard will require a prescription from your veterinarian before they can be purchased. You should consult with your vet about starting your dog on both Bravecto and Heartgard. Remember, Bravecto can't be started until your dog is at least 6 months old so you may need to use a different flea treatment before switching to Bravecto.

Both products are safe for dogs when following directions and have been evaluated for use in breeding, pregnant, or lactating dogs. Before starting a heartworm preventative, it is recommended to perform a heartworm test first.

Final Thoughts on Bravecto vs Heartgard Plus

Vets often prescribe both products to pets to provide internal protection against parasitic diseases and external flea infestations. Bravecto is administered once every 12 weeks whereas you'll need to administer Heartgard plus once per month. As always, please consult with your vet before making any decisions.

If you're starting both at the first time, we do recommend that you start them at different intervals so that you can properly attribute any side effects to the correct medicine.

If you still have questions on which oral flea and tick treatment is best for your furry friend, our pharmacists are standing by to offer pet parent consulting.

Feature Bravecto Heartgard Plus
Kills Fleas Yes No
Repels Fleas No No
Kills Flea Eggs and Larvae Yes No
Kills Ticks Yes No
Repels Ticks No No
Repels Mosquitoes No No
Prevents Heartworm No Yes
Protects Against Other Parasites No Hookworms and roundworms
Waterproof Yes - taken orally Yes
How Long to Work 2 hours to kill fleas and 12 hours to kill ticks N/A
Taste Tasty flavor Beef flavor
Active Ingredient Fluralaner Ivermectin and Pyrantel Pamoate
RX Required Yes Yes
Application Type Chewable Tablet Chewable Tablet
Dosing 1 tablet lasts up to 12 weeks 1 tablet per month
Age Dogs ages 6 months and up Dogs 6 weeks and older
Manufacturer Merck Animal Health Boehringer Ingelheim
Safety Breeding, pregnant, and lactating dogs may use Safe for pregnant or breeding females

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