Trifexis for Dogs

A beef-flavored munching tablet, Trifexis helps get rid of roundworms, whipworms, and hookworms, and also helps kill fleas and prevent heartworm infestation in canines. Additionally, Trifexis aids in the management of numerous parasitic contagions in dogs including Trichuris Vulpis, Toxocara Canis, and Angiostrongylus vasorum. Vets highly recommend Trifexis for adult dogs and whelps aged 8 weeks or older, weighing at least 5 pounds.

Your dog will surely like to chew on Trifexis tablets as these are quite safe for the pet. You can offer these chewable tablets to your dog from time to time to keep the animal free of parasites.

Information about Trifexis at a Glance

Is the Medication Safe for Your Dog?

You can give Trifexis to your pet dog after getting a prescription from a certified vet. Since FDA has approved the drug for dogs, you can give Trifexis to your Fido, based on your vet’s recommendation.  This medication has proven to be extremely effective in the treatment of flea infestation and in managing gastrointestinal nematode infection.  

However, discuss in detail with your vet the drug’s benefits and potential risk factors before deciding to administer Trifexis.

Trifexis: Action Mechanism

Trifexis starts acting within 3-4 hours following the tablet’s ingestion by your dog, killing roundworms, whipworms, hookworms, heartworms, and fleas. The action of this medication is so effective that fleas and roundworms don’t even get the time to lay eggs before dying. The drug essentially contains two active ingredients, Spinosad and Milbemycin oxime that play a key role in killing the worms.

Spinosad obstructs the proper functioning of the receptors in the fleas’ nervous system. Once Spinosad enters the louse’s nervous system, it stimulates the motor neurons, causing muscular contractions, ultimately leading to its death. Alternatively, Milbemycin oxime attaches to glutamate-gated chloride ion channels (GluCls) found naturally in fleas’ nerve and muscle cells.

After this ingredient binds firmly to GluCls, it expedites chloride ions’ flow via the cell membrane, leading to cellular hyperpolarization. The hyperpolarization of muscle and nerve cells of fleas eventually causes paralysis of the worms which in turn kills them. It is believed that Milbemycin oxime’s action mechanism disrupts how neurotransmitters proceed along with the nerve cells inside the fleas.            

Trifexis Dosage and Administration

You can offer Trifexis tablets as a treat that your dog can munch along with his meal. See to it that you offer one and only one tablet each month which suffices for offering protection from fleas year-round. Ensure to give the tablet together with food for guaranteeing defence from worms and fleas throughout the month.

Watch over your pet carefully for at least an hour following administration, and give the tablet again if he vomits. Always stick to your vet’s dosage recommendations to keep your dog out of harm’s way. The monthly dosage (administered once a month) of Trifexis comprises 13.5mg/lb of Spinosad and 0.2mg/lb of Milbemycin oxime.

If you miss on a dose, offer the medication immediately upon remembering, and thereafter continue with the routine monthly regimen.

Potential Side Effects

There’s a high possibility of your pet vomiting moderately within a day or two of offering the medication. Studies and surveys indicate that most dogs throw up within 48 hours of dosing but the episode is usually mild. Some other potential adverse effects of chewing Trifexis include:-

• Odd stepping, shaking or tremor
• Skin irritation
• Diarrhea
• Reduced appetite
• Lethargy

Drug overdose may cause coughing, excess barking, listlessness, drooling, and so on. Get in touch with your vet as soon as possible the moment you observe any of the above side effects. 

Trifexis Contraindications

Offer Trifexis with due caution in case your dog is pregnant, lactating or suffers from MDR-1 gene mutation or epilepsy. Your vet will advise you against providing the medication if the dog weighs less than 3.9 kgs (8.6lbs), is allergic or is less than 14 weeks old.