Do we have a veterinarian in the house? Yes sir.
Just my opinion and thoughts here...
It's one thing to put these 'toxic' tick and bug repellents/killers on our dogs without really knowing what, if any, long-term side effects they may cause, but having our dogs actually ingest the stuff just doesn't seem right... it can't be good for them, can it?
IMHO: Companies spend millions of dollars researching products that are both safe and effective for use in our beloved pets. While we all know that companies are always looking at the bottom line and trying to come up with the newest and most efficient mouse trap, the last thing the company wants is the bad PR that would come with a truly unsafe product. Additionally these products undergo extensive FDA review and evaluation before being brought to market.
As a dog owner (I have 4 bird dogs myself) and a veterinarian, I only recommend things that I would use in my own dogs. I think that the oral products (Bravecto, Simparica and Nexgard) have been out long enough to show that they are safe and effective.
We always have to look at risk vs benefit...If you are in the NE or upper Midwest the risk of getting Lyme Disease is very high in certain areas. I wouldn't let my dogs out of the truck without one of the oral products and likely a good tick collar too.
Tick borne diseases, such as Lyme Disease, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Ehrlichiosis are widespread and serious diseases in tick country. We know these diseases are potentially deadly. All indications that we have at this time are that the medications are safe.
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