Worms and Fleas and Ticks, Oh My!
Our clinic is switching from Sentinel Spectrum to Interceptor Plus. So what does that mean for your pups?
To say that it can be confusing when it comes to knowing what preventative products your dog needs is a bit of an understatement. Does your pet really need this stuff? Is it just marketing? Is this a Coke vs Pepsi thing, or are there actual differences in these products?
It can be confusing even for us in the field trying to keep up with all the new options. That’s why we at Medical District Veterinary Clinic have curated a few products we believe in, so you don’t have to do all the research.
Here is what we have and why.
| Product Name | Parasites Covered | Pros | Cons |
| Heartworm/Intestinal Parasites | |||
| Heartgard | Heartworm, hookworms, roundworms, whipworms | + Less expensive + Beef flavored soft chew + More palatable | – Does not cover tapeworms |
| Interceptor Plus | Heartworm, hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, tapeworms | + More expansive coverage of intestinal parasites | – Less economical than Heartgard |
| ProHeart 12 | Heartworm (for 1 year), hookworms, roundworms, whipworms | + One-time injection + About the same price as 12 months of Heartgard | – Hookworm, roundworm, and whipworm preventative only lasts for 1 month |
| Simparica Trio | Heartworm, hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, fleas, ticks | + Product closest to being an “all-in-one” + Less expensive than purchasing Heartgard and NexGard together | – Does not cover tapeworms |
| Fleas/Ticks | |||
| Frontline Gold | Fleas, ticks | + More economical than oral products + Topical (no concern with food sensitivities) | – Less effective against ticks than oral preventatives – Topical (can be messy; need to keep pet away from children for a few hours after application) |
| NexGard | Fleas and ticks | + Works within hours + Soft chew | – More expensive than topicals |
| Simparica Trio | See above | See above | See above |
So which products should you use for your dog? We recommend that all dogs are covered for heartworm, fleas, and ticks year-round, so here are a few combinations to consider:
- Want the simplest way to have your pet covered? Simparica Trio
- Want the most comprehensive coverage? NexGard and Interceptor Plus
- Want to avoid any oral medications? Proheart 12 and Frontline Gold
- Want the most economical year-round coverage? Heartgard and Frontline Gold
So why did we make the decision to transition away from Sentinel Spectrum and move to Interceptor Plus? Mostly to help keep costs down for you. Interceptor Plus is less expensive, and there is just a slight difference in that Interceptor Plus does not have Lufenuron, which stops the development of flea eggs. Lufenuron doesn’t kill adult fleas, so we recommend an additional flea preventative anyway.
If you are dead set on keeping your pup on Sentinel Spectrum, not a problem! We are happy to approve a prescription for you, as long as your pet is a current patient of ours and has an up-to-date heartworm test.
– Dr. Alyssa Kritzman
Illustration from AdobeStock by Double Brain