Nexgard for Dogs
Beef-flavored chewable that kills fleas and ticks for 30 days. No messy application, no waiting to swim or bathe.
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Shop BestVetCare →What Is Nexgard?
Nexgard is a monthly oral flea and tick preventative. The active ingredient is afoxolaner, an isoxazoline compound that attacks the parasite nervous system without affecting mammals. Fleas and ticks bite your dog, ingest the drug through the blood, and die within hours. Because it works systemically, there is no residue on the coat and no waiting period before swimming or bathing.
It is made by Boehringer Ingelheim (formerly Merial), the same company behind Frontline. Approved for dogs 8 weeks and older, weighing at least 4 lbs.
Dosage by Weight
| Dog Weight | NexGard Strength | Doses/Pack |
|---|---|---|
| 4 - 10 lbs | 11.3 mg | 3 or 6 |
| 10.1 - 24 lbs | 28.3 mg | 3 or 6 |
| 24.1 - 60 lbs | 68 mg | 3 or 6 |
| 60.1 - 121 lbs | 136 mg | 3 or 6 |
For dogs over 121 lbs, combine two doses. Give one chewable per month with food to reduce the small risk of stomach upset.
Safety and Side Effects
Most dogs handle Nexgard without issue. In clinical trials, 4-6% of dogs had mild vomiting or diarrhea after the first dose, which usually resolved within a day. A smaller number had temporary lethargy or reduced appetite. These reactions tend to be one-time and do not repeat with subsequent doses.
Isoxazoline drugs have a boxed warning for dogs with pre-existing seizure disorders. If your dog has a history of seizures, talk to your vet before using any oral flea preventative. This is not unique to Nexgard — it applies to the entire class including Bravecto and Simparica.
Who Should Pick Nexgard
Nexgard makes the most sense for:
- Dogs that swim often or get bathed frequently — no waiting after application
- Households with young children — no residue on the coat to worry about
- Dogs that hate topical application — most dogs eat this like a treat
- Owners who want the convenience of a chewable over a spot-on
If your main concern is ticks and you live in a heavy tick area, the fact that ticks must bite to die bothers some owners. In that case, a repellent topical like K9 Advantix might be a better fit. But for flea-heavy environments, Nexgard works fast and the bite-to-death window is short enough that disease transmission risk is low.
