How does Nexgard work?

With zero hassle, each beef-flavored tasty Nexgard chew provides a full month of protection from biting pests.

Made by the same company that created Frontline, Nexgard marks an innovation in flea and tick relief. Each beef-flavored, chewable treat packs a full month of protection from biting parasites, arming your do against harmful diseases, allergic reactions, and the notoriously difficult to destroy paralysis tick.

Nexgard is effective in the fight against fleas and ticks thanks to its active ingredient, Afoxolaner. An insecticide and acaricide that attacks the central nervous system of invertebrates, Afoxolanerstarts to work fast to kill fleas within four hours of ingestion and continues working to provide a full month of relief from fleas and ticks. It works by targeting invertebrates’ nervous systems, rather than mammals’, making Nexgarddeadly to parasites, but safe for use on pets. Unlike other flea and tick medications, which work by entering the tissue under your dog’s skin, Nexgard enters the bloodstream directly to target pests as they bite.

Afoxolaner works by selectively binding to certain pathways in invertebrates’ nervous systems. The first, known as GABA-gated (gamma-aminobutyric acid) channels, play a role in calming nerve transmissions and create an overall relaxation effect in the body. Afoxolaner disrupts these channels, causing spikes in nerve transmissions in fleas and ticks. At the same time, Afoxolaner bonds to glutamate-gated chloride channels, which help send nerve signals to other cells. By bonding with these channels, it increases nerve impulse transmissions. Together, these contribute to hyperexcitation of parasites’ nervous systems, creating an uncontrollable activity that is fatal to fleas and ticks. Because invertebrates’ nervous systems are not the same as mammals, clinical trials have found Nexgard to be safe for use in pets. Side effects observed in less than five percent of dogs tested included including vomiting, diarrhea, and dry skin—all symptoms of unrelated to Fido’s nervous system. However, if your pet has a history of epilepsy or a similar seizure disorder, talk to your veterinarian before giving him Nexgard.

Nexgard has been tested and approved for use in puppies as young as eight weeks old and dogs over 4 pounds. The chews are also safe to give dogs currently taking other medications and are available in multiple doses for dogs of every size. Because it is delivered internally, Nexgard is effective for use on pets that swim and are washed regularly, saving you the hassle of messy topical treatments. Nexgard has not been evaluated for use in breeding pets, however, and should not be given to pregnant, nursing or breeding dogs. Discuss Nexgard for dogs with your veterinarian to provide your pet with powerful relief from fleas and ticks in one tasty, monthly chew.