Does anyone use Trifexis

There used to be several threads on this topic, but apparently they got cleaned out. Forum member, 57babe (I think it's her), has a lot of info on it so she'll probably share that when she sees the thread title.

My vet recommends Trifexis, but also carries other flea medications. When I became a new pet owner, a little over a year ago, I committed to wanting to do everything in my power to protect my sweet boy from anything that could be harmful so off we went to the vet, got his shots updated and added one for Lyme's Disease. The vet suggested Trifexis and Heartgard and I unwittingly went along with it. Well, she's the doctor, right? I bought a six month supply of the Trifexis and Heartgard and felt I was doing my duty and being a good dog mom. My dog would eagerly take each of them as a treat (honestly, there's nothing he wouldn't eat). He had no adverse reaction other than being kind of sleepy the day the Trifexis was administered. Then I found this forum and read about all the potential adverse reactions to Trifexis and it scared me enough to where I was very reluctant to use any of the remaining doses. I just couldn't take the risk and know I'd be overcome with guilt if anything happened to my furbaby, from something I gave him. I did some research and asked our groomer and the kennel owner where we board our boy what they recommended. The groomer said she really liked K-9 Advantix II because it gave more protection than anything else (kills and repels fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, biting flies, lice). I read up on it and agreed that it seemed better than any others and I felt safer about a topical application than him essentially eating poison. We've been using K-9 Advantix II for almost a year now and it gives him complete protection. We have a wooded area on our property and in the humid hot summer, early mornings and at dusk, when the gnats and fleas seem to be out more, you can see them swarm nearby, but they will never land on him. It's like he has a protective shield around him, as you see on the "Off" commercials.

The K-9 Advantix II really works. It's a topical application once a month between the shoulder blades. It doesn't seem to bother him at all.

The only cautions I would mention are:
1. If you have any cats in the house, keep them away from the dog on the day of application. They don't necessarily have to be kept at opposite ends of the house, but you don't want them laying together, playing together, sharing a water bowl at the same time. There is an ingredient in the medication that is toxic to cats. After 24 hrs., they can be together again.

2. When you apply the medication, it has to go down through the coat and be applied to the skin, a few inches along the spine, between the shoulder blades. The fur in that area will get a little oily, but it goes away after a couple of days. If your dog likes to lay on her back, and if she owns your couch, you'll want to put something on it to protect it. Our dog owns ours so I always keep a sheet tucked on it anyway and take it off only when company comes over. On the application days, I'll put an old towel on there, too, between the cushion and the sheet, just as an extra measure of protection from any bleed through. Normally, I change his sheet weekly, but will wash them sooner if they get that oil stain.

All this said....you ultimately have to make up your own mind. Yes, there can be horror stories on anything, both for pets and humans. When I asked at my vet's office about the dangers of Trifexis, they only answer they could give was that they hadn't had any bad reports from any of their clients. Well, it's a small town vet so you can take that for what it's worth. I trust the vet's ability, she went to a very well respected school, but in the end, I just couldn't do it. To me, it seems safer to do the topical and follow up with a little Benedryl for a day or two, if needs be for your girl, rather than take the risk of feeding a potential poison. I don't know if it would work, but what about premedicating with Benadryl the day before applying the topical? That might minimize any skin sensitivities. I don't know if it would affect the absorption of the flea & tick medicine, though. You'd have to check with your vet about that. Good luck.

Thanks for the information. I'm surprise your vet gave both heartguard and trifexis together since trifexis includes heartworm treatment. That's kind of scary! I still haven't given the Trifexis to my doggie yet. Going to wait a few more days to decide.

My real problem here is that I can't use Frontline or Advantage/advantix on her. She had severe allergic skin reactions to them. I don't think premedicating would help unless It included prednisone. Her reaction was more than irritation. Cherry red welts, hives all over, etc. She had to go on Prednisone and Benadryl to get it under control. She's a very allergic doggie (this extends to the food she eats too!).

The end of last season, I tried a couple of natural sprays to try to keep the fleas off of her, but they really didn't work. she smelled nice like cloves and eucalyptus, though. lol. I treat my yard and house, etc so the problem isn't there. My last dog never got fleas, but she was indoors most of the time and only in my yard.

This bundle of energy HAS to go for walks. I wonder if they sell hazmat suits for dogs? That might be her only option.

On 4/4/2014 iam4truth said:

Thanks for the information. I'm surprise your vet gave both heartguard and trifexis together since trifexis includes heartworm treatment. That's kind of scary! I still haven't given the Trifexis to my doggie yet. Going to wait a few more days to decide.

My real problem here is that I can't use Frontline or Advantage/advantix on her. She had severe allergic skin reactions to them. I don't think premedicating would help unless It included prednisone. Her reaction was more than irritation. Cherry red welts, hives all over, etc. She had to go on Prednisone and Benadryl to get it under control. She's a very allergic doggie (this extends to the food she eats too!).

The end of last season, I tried a couple of natural sprays to try to keep the fleas off of her, but they really didn't work. she smelled nice like cloves and eucalyptus, though. lol. I treat my yard and house, etc so the problem isn't there. My last dog never got fleas, but she was indoors most of the time and only in my yard.

This bundle of energy HAS to go for walks. I wonder if they sell hazmat suits for dogs? That might be her only option.

You know what, you're right....I had to think and the Trifexis was an all-in-one. The Heartgard was added when I switched to the K-9 Advantix II. Anyway, I hope you find a suitable solution.

I feel just as others on this thread do, very suspicious of the chemicals used in Trifexis and other products. While the dog might seem fine, I doubt we really know the long-term effects of them. Probably the best bet is to use products which have been on the market longer rather than new ones.

My Westie has just completed his first month on Trifexis. I gave with food as instructed in the evening meal. That night he had diarrhea. Have no idea if it was the drug or not. Westies tend to be itchy, and he has been extra-itchy this last month, which is a side affect of Trifexis. I've changed shampoos and give fish oil to try to counteract the itchiness. Today is the day the next dose is due; I really don't feel like giving it but I hate to jump around on these products, making him a guinea pig experiment because of my indecision and distress over it all! LOL

The vet's office said I could return the balance of the Trifexis if I wished to discontinue use. I'm thinking about doing that. But use what?

He was previously on Comfortis, but the vet no longer carries it.

I worry about the topicals because my grandkids pet the dog. If it's days after application, is this safe for them to do? I wonder.

EDITED: I made a decision about giving the 2nd month dose of Trifexis: I'm going to delay a week to see if he scratches less, then decide.

Let us know how it goes, happygal. Crossing fingers and paws here for your doggie. I wonder why your vet stopped carrying comfortis? I'd feel more comfortable giving separate products, actually. If there is a reaction, at least i'd know which medicine (the heartworm or the flea part) is the culprit.

I'm still deciding, but if (and only IF) I give it to her, I'm going to do it on a Monday early morning with breakfast so I know the vet will be open if something dreadful happens. I'm wondering if they will take back the one dose if I decide not to give it at all? I only bought one.

I know they have to take a heartworm medicine, so can't get away from that. I didn't have luck with one of the natural sprays last year, but I've been reading that some people have had some success using apple cider vinegar on their dogs. Both internally and as a 50/50 spray (with water). That sounds like something to try that at least wont hurt. Seems to good to be true, though. But maybe it's something that WILL work but takes a lot of diligence?

I gave it to my dogs for a couple of years. Neither of them would eat it though so it was a struggle. I gave up and last year began both of them on Revolution. Someone here said it was discontinued but that's not true.

Put the word, "Trifexis" in the search box located on the top left of this Pet Lovers screen -- there are several excellent threads that will come up which are devoted to the discussion of the side effects & risks associated with Trifexis.

Personally, I wouldn't use Trifexis (for dogs) and/or Comfortis (for cats) on my pets because of the side effects and the number of deaths reported as a result of giving the pet this drug.

Thanks. I'll try to find those threads. I didn't see any recent ones, and the last time I tried to bring up an older thread in another forum, I got blasted for it. I guess some people have an unwritten rule about resurrecting older threads even if you have a current interest in the topic...

I've pretty much made up my mind to not give it to her. Especially given her already sensitive system. If she has allergic reactions to many foods, shampoos, the topical medicines, etc, then everything in me is screaming that OF COURSE she is going to be one who has a reaction to this drug. She can't even handle benign things! I even have to give her foot baths after coming in from walks because her feet get itchy from stuff she contacts on our walks.

Right now we are dealing with an insanely itchy bum because they sprayed her rear with deodorant after expressing her glands. *sigh* All this to say, no Trifexis for her.