Q. What will Bravecto protect my pet against?

A.  Bravecto is available in a range of products that provide protection against common parasites in dogs and cats with just one dose^#:

Product	Fleas	Ticks	Ear Mites	Sarcoptes Mites	Demodex Mites	Worm treatment
Bravecto chew for dogs	✓ 3 months	✓ 3 months	✓	✓	✓
Bravecto spot-on for dogs	✓ 6 months	✓ 4 months	✓	✓	✓
Bravecto spot-on for cats	✓ 3 months	✓ 3 months	✓
Bravecto Plus spot-on for cats	✓ 3 months	✓ 3 months	✓			✓ Roundworm and lungworm

^#Please refer to the relevant Bravecto product label for full details.

Q. Where can I buy Bravecto?

A. Bravecto is available from your veterinarian and leading pet retail outlets. Veterinarians are experts in pet health and can advise on the best and most appropriate treatments for your pet.

Q. How do I open the Bravecto spot-on and Bravecto Plus product, it seems different to my other treatments?

A. THE CAP DOES NOT COME OFF. Bravecto spot-on and Bravecto Plus packaging is designed to be child safe. The tube has a twist-n-use cap and is enclosed in a child resistant sachet. The cap is twisted to break the seal and open the tube. The tube can then be squeezed and product will come out from the centre of the cap. The cap does not come off.

Q. My cat is quite wriggly, where exactly should I apply Bravecto?

A. Part the hair and apply to the skin on the back of the head, as per the diagram. Do not use directly on any skin lesions. As cats are fastidious groomers, applying to this location is important to prevent your cat from licking the wet application site. To make application easier, have your cat standing during application. It may be helpful to have someone else gently hold your cat or have your cat lying on its stomach while you apply Bravecto spot-on or Bravecto Plus. If your cat is larger than 6.25 kg we recommend applying the product in two spots. If multiple cats are treated and may mutually groom, it is recommended that cats are separated while product dries.

Q. How and where do I apply Bravecto spot-on to my dog?

A. The dog should be standing or lying on its stomach during application. Part the hair and place the pipette tip vertically against the skin. Do not use directly on any skin lesions. After twisting the cap, squeeze the tube gently and apply the entire contents directly to the dog’s skin in 1 to 4 spots depending on the size of the dog, the dog’s spine from the shoulder to the base of the tail. Avoid applying an excessive amount of product to any one spot as it may drip off the dog. See images below for further guidance.

Q. When should dogs start treatment with Bravecto?

A. Bravecto can be administered to dogs as early as 8 weeks of age. Dogs should weigh at least 2 kg.

Q. When should cats start treatment with Bravecto?

A. Bravecto Plus and Bravecto spot-on for cat can be administered to cats from 9 weeks of age. Cats should be at least 1.2 kg.

Q. My dog weighs over 56 kgs – how do I treat him?

A. For larger dogs use the appropriate combination of Bravecto Chews or spot-on tubes that most closely matches the weight of your dog.

Q. What time of day should I give my pet Bravecto?

A. Bravecto can be given at any time of the day. It is recommended that Bravecto chew is administered to dogs at or around the time of feeding.

Q. How soon after using Bravecto spot-on can my dog swim or be bathed?

A. It is not recommended to wash or allow the dog to swim within 3 days after treatment.

Q. My pet is on medication for another condition right now. Is it safe to give Bravecto?

A. It is always best to discuss all of your pet’s treatments with your veterinarian as they are your pet’s health care expert. Studies with Bravecto have shown no interactions with routinely used veterinary medicinal products.

Q. My dog is allergic to some food, what protein is in the Bravecto chew?

A. Bravecto chews are flavoured with a hydrolysed pork protein so they are suitable for most dogs. Check with your veterinarian before use if your dog has a food allergy.

Q. How does Bravecto kill fleas and ticks?

A. After you treat your pet with Bravecto chew or Bravecto spot-on, the active ingredient fluralaner is absorbed into the bloodstream and quickly reaches tissue fluids just under your pet’s skin. When fleas and ticks feed, they take in fluralaner and die rapidly.

Q. Will Bravecto kill ticks and fleas that are already on my pet?

A. Yes.

Q. Does Bravecto kill fleas before they can lay eggs?

A. Yes. Bravecto kills newly emerged fleas before they lay viable eggs and breaks the flea life cycle.

Q. Do I really need to treat for fleas all year round?

A. There are very few places in the world where there are no fleas. In warmer climates, fleas are present all year round while in more temperate climates fleas are present mainly from late spring through to late autumn, and even longer thanks to central heating. To be on the safe side Bravecto chew for dogs or, Bravecto Plus or Bravecto spot-on for cats should be administered every 3 months and Bravecto spot-on for dogs every 6 months, all year round to avoid giving flea populations a chance to build up in your home.

Q. Is it necessary to use additional insecticides to control flea stages in the environment?

A. In most situations, no. Bravecto products kill fleas and prevent new flea infestations for 3 or 6 months depending on the Bravecto product. As the majority of a flea population developing in the environment will emerge as adult fleas over this time, Bravecto will effectively control the entire flea population in areas to which treated pets have access. As adult fleas emerge and contact treated animals they will be killed. Therefore it is not necessary to use additional insecticides to control environmental flea stages unless the environmental flea population is in an area to which the treated pets do not have access.

Comment: for example if the pets are not allowed in the garage and the garage is full of fleas, treating the pets with Bravecto will not eliminate the garage flea population.

Q. Can Bravecto be used in breeding/pregnant/lactating dogs?

A. Yes. Bravecto chew and spot-on for dogs are approved for use in breeding, pregnant and lactating dogs. (The safety of Bravecto Plus or spot-on for cats has not been established during pregnancy and lactation).

Q. Is there any difference in efficacy if a dog chews the tablet, or swallows without chewing?

A. No. Dogs may chew the tablet or be pilled. If a tablet is broken it should be ensured that the dog receives the whole dose.

Q. Why does my pet scratch even more on the first day of Bravecto treatment?

A. When fleas are in the process of dying their movements become uncoordinated, which can result in increased scratching of the dog or cat. However, this phenomenon is quickly resolved once the fleas are dead, which occurs within a matter of hours after treatment.

Q. Why do I see more fleas after I have administered Bravecto?

A. Fleas can continually re-infest treated dogs and cats – either from juvenile flea life stages that have just matured to adults in the household or from fleas that jump onto the pet when outside or visiting other homes or coming into contact with other pets that are untreated. Bravecto will quickly kill these fleas. Also, as fleas die, they can move from the skin surface where they feed, to the tips of the hairs in the coat, making them more visible to the human eye.

Q. Why can I still see fleas after I have treated my pet with Bravecto?

A. The fleas present on your pet at the time of treatment represent approximately 5% of the flea population in your household. The other 95% are present as immature flea stages – eggs, larvae and pupae (cocoons) in your pet’s surroundings e.g. bedding, carpet, soft furniture, crevices between floorboards. These immature fleas develop into adults and provide a constant source of new fleas that jump onto your pet. If your pet is treated with Bravecto, these new fleas will contact Bravecto and die. Remember, if there are new fleas hatching daily, you may see live fleas on your pet seemingly constantly.

As Bravecto will kill fleas before they can lay eggs, over time the immature flea population will diminish in your household. In most New Zealand conditions this takes approximately 3 months. To help speed up this process, you can wash pet’s bedding in hot water and vacuum areas that pets frequent to remove some of the eggs and larvae. It is very important that all pets in the household are treated consistently – to prevent the flea life cycle from continuing.

Q. How often should I worm my cat?

A. Your cat’s veterinarian is the best person to provide advice on the most appropriate worming protocol to provide effective protection for your cat.

Q. Which product should I use on my cat, Bravecto spot-on or Bravecto Plus?

A. Bravecto spot-on treats and protects cats from flea and tick infestations for three months.

Bravecto Plus, in addition to providing 3 months flea and tick protection, treats roundworm, lungworm and hookworm infections and ear mites. (Hookworm is not clinically significant in New Zealand).

Please contact your cat’s veterinarian for further advice as to which product is most appropriate for your cat.

Q. Can I use Bravecto Plus on my dog?

A. Bravecto Plus is registered for use in cats only.