Advocate for dogs over 40kg

aroominyork

We have a 45kg German Shepherd. Our vet today pointed out that the largest weight band of Advocate (flea etc. treatment) is 25kg to 40kg, so we should either top-up with a 6-10kg Advocate or switch to NexGard Spectra tablets. NexGard costs nearly twice as much as 25-40kg Advocate so this could get even more expected than it already is. My question is whether the 25-40kg is good enough or would his extra few kg of weight significantly reduce its effectiveness?

Also, how quickly does the effectiveness drop off after a month? I tend to wait closer to 3 months given the cost. How reckless is this?

sheramber

Check out the cost online and how much your vet charges for a prescription to allow you to buy it online.
Maker sate works for up to 4weeks so the effect is probably starting to  wear off before the end of 4 weeks. 
Whether you need to treat your dog every 4 weeks is another matter.

aroominyork

I do buy online. It's a huge cost saving from the vet's prices (which I find quite exploitative) so I pay the vet £10 for a prescription.

Oddjob

Has your dog actually got fleas?  All these spot ons burn the dog's neck and are awful things to use.  Any chemicals you use are going to be harmful, it's like you putting pesticide on your skin and leaving it on.  All the instructions tell you to wash it off immediately.  I love my dog far too much to ever put things like that on.  Please look for natural alternatives such as garlic, Billy Nomates.  Look up companies like Dorwest Herbs, Allnatural pet (they do a good one called flee away).

If your dog hasn't got fleas, why use it anyway?  That's like taking paracetamol everyday in case you get a headache.

TimeTravel

I don’t agree with the previous poster. The whole point of using Advocate is to prevent fleas from occurring! It is not a treatment for fleas. OP, I once had the misfortune years ago of having a flea infestation. They are almost impossible to get rid of. Not only your dog/cat will have them but also your house will be infested. My advice is to use monthly April-October when fleas are most active and less in the colder months but believe me the cost is worth it. You can probably get away with the 40kg dose if you apply it monthly.

sheramber

I have had dogs for  over 30 years and in all that time   I have had to deal with fleas twice.
Once when my dog licked them up from a visit to a friend's house. She asked me  to look at the  rash on her poodle's' tummy and I immediately  suspected flea bites. The vet confirmed it the next day.
The second time one of my dogs licked them up at a holiday house.
One flea treatment on the dog and  a  thorough hoovering of the house, under cushions, down the sides of the couch and chairs, along crevices etc and treatment with a household flea spray  kills fleas  and stops eggs maturing fo r9 months took care of the house.
I have no desire to inflict powerful insecticides on my dogs unless it is necessary.