[llamabucket]

Hi all, new to the board here, but browse from time-to-time whenever my pup isn't feeling well. Bailey is my 6 year old golden retriever with a slight chow chow mix. I adopted her 3 years ago and she is extremely healthy - no history of heartworm, go on ~2 mile walks every night, on the Blue Buffalo diet for the past couple of years.

I give Bailey Sentinel for heartworms/fleas every month and during the summer flea season (I'm in Texas), she gets K9 Advantix. Due to the Sentinel shortage, my vet recommended Trifexis for the time being until they receive shipments of Sentinel again (they said 4-8 weeks) - my vet stated that Trifexis is a good replacement as it has the same heartworm meds as Sentinel, with the only difference being the flea meds associated.

I gave Bailey her breakfast with Trifexis this morning around 10am. She was her usual self. I gave her a rawhide strip at 2pm for a treat, her first in a couple of months. I left for a movie + dinner at 3pm and returned home around 8:30pm and noticed vomit on my bed (great). Took her for a walk around 9:30pm and she pooped several times - first was solid, but ensuing ones were liquid/diarrhea. She seemed a little tired, so we cut the walk short and headed home. Fed her dinner at 10pm - she didn't gobble it down like usual, but ate it all. She drank a normal amount of water after. Now at 11pm, she's tired and lethargic. Considering she didn't have much exercise, this is a little out of the ordinary for her.

After reading reviews online, I'm now weary of having given Bailey Trifexis. The medicine seems to cause side effects in a decent number of dogs. I wanted to get your opinion - should I be worried about my dog due to the Trifexis? I understand it might have caused her an upset stomach since the medicine is new and she's not used to it, but want to know your opinion. I'll be keeping a close eye on her the next couple of days.

Safe to say, I'll be switching over to something like Heartguard or Iverheart next month, until Sentinel gets restocked. I hear good things about Inceptor, but that seems to be manufactured by the same company as Sentinel. Is it bad for Bailey to have been on 3 different heartworm meds in 3 months?

 

[A1Malinois]

I have heard a ton of horrible things about Trifexis. My friends dog got very lethargic, weak, shaky and went into a seizure 3 hours after taking Trifexis. Vet said it had nothing to do with the meds. Gave the next dose when due...happened again. Dog has been fine since she stopped the Trifexis.

I use Revolution. I dont like Sentinal because it doesnt kill fleas. Interceptor is only for Heart worm (my little dog is on that). The only all in one that will go near my dogs is Revolution.

 

[cgriffin]

First off, don't go the Revolution route. A topical that prevents heartworms in dogs, is not safe in my opinion.
I have not heard of side effects with using Trifexis, but of course every dog is different and has different sensitivities.
This past winter I used Interceptor along with Comfortis and had no issues with my dogs. Trifexis is basically Interceptor and Comfortis in one pill.
I had more bad experiences using Sentinel years ago, where my dog would not feel well for a couple of days and I stopped Sentinel then. I also cannot use Advantix on my dogs, they get sick from it.
I would suggest trying only Interceptor next month and using the Advantix already for fleas/ticks. I am sure it is already flea season in Texas.
If you are concerned enough not to give Trifexis, you will be able to exchange it at your vet's office for Interceptor or anything else you chose. Maybe just try and buy one pill of something for the next month dose and see if it works for your dog. That way you don't have to exchange an entire package if it does not work out. At least till you find a good match of heartworm preventative for your dog.
Good luck!

By the way: are you sure that your dog did not get sick from the rawhide? I have had upset tummys in my dogs from rawhide when my sister gave them some to try. I don't buy rawhide, I don't think it is safe, the potential for a choking harzard or blockage is always a possibility. Sometimes the rawhide is also not properly cured and can give a stomach upset.

 

[lkseley]

Just wanted to throw my experience with Trifexis in...we use it for our two dogs (4 month old Golden and 4 year old Corgi) and they both do GREAT on it. I have never seen any side effects in either of them, and it certainly does a fantastic job on fleas (we live in Florida where they are AWFUL during the summer...) As stated above, she may have felt ill from the rawhide. I would almost give Trifexis one more shot just to be sure that it wasn't the cause of her sickness. Usually vets say that the first dose is what would make them feel the worst if there were going to be any side effects, and the second time there are no problems. Of course do what you feel comfortable with, but I am definitely a lifelong Trifexis fan!

 

[Cocker+GoldenR]

I give Trifexis to my 2 dogs, Amaya, the lil cocker, has never had any secondary effects, Lady , GR, came to us in Heartguard but i changed her to Trifexis for convenience, she did vomit the first time I gave it to her and was more tired than usual that day, no diarrhea though, after that she has never had any problems, I asked our vet and she said that usually it is likely to happen the first time you use it and then they will be fine.

 

[CAROLINA MOM]

Both of my Goldens have been on Trifexis since Jan. of this year-previously they were on HG+ and Comfortis. So far they have had no reactions or side effects.

My dogs use to eat BB, started having problems with lose stools and my girl's coat started drying out and became brittle. I changed them to PPP SS almost a year ago, saw a huge improvement with them both. They also get a daily Fish Oil tablet.

I'm not suggesting you switch your dog from BB, if it's working great for her, no need, but wanted to let you know BB has been known to cause problems for some dogs. It certainly did not work for mine.

I'd ask your Vet if it's OK to switch different HW meds.

 

[Megora]

I would discuss her symptoms with your vet.

Jacks has been on Trifexis for 3 months now. The first month he had diarrhea for a couple days, but that cleared up quickly. He has had no issues whatsoever the last couple months. He did not have vomitting or any change in behavior though.

 

[Dallas Gold]

Hi, welcome from a fellow Texan. I'm sorry your pup experienced side effects with Trifexis. Yes, any HW medication can have side effects and lately I've heard a lot of dogs starting on it with major side effects, including seizures, lethargy and vomiting. In fact, last week I got this on one of my FB groups--take it for what it is worth (I didn't verify the accuracy of it and don't know the OP since it was sent to someone else in the group):

**WARNING**WARNING**
Received information from a friend today to never EVER use Trifexis... This is a conversation that was posted about it..

hey...whatever u do...DONT GIVE YOUR DOGS TRIFEXIS. HEARTWORM MED...jack is in the hospital..we tried trifexis for the first time yesterday (his interceptor has been off the market). and by 8pm symptoms syarted...i had to take him in at 7 am..letharhy..confusion..tremors with a twitch every 15 seconds..no appetitie..he looks like hes on an acid trip..his gut is drawn up...all symptomatic of poisoning..vet called company ...they admit some problems..will pay for blood panels on internal orgzns for toxity reports but wont pay for rest of treatment...so many people will b trying this drug due to not being able to get the discontinued intetceptor or sentinel...tell all your dog friends... NO TRIFEXIS...EVER !

Again, I cannot vouch for the accuracy of this--just posting the info I got.

First--rule out the rawhide as causing the issue.

Second--contact your vet immediately. The fact she threw up shortly after ingesting the medication "may" mean she's not protected from Heartworms this month--and that is very dangerous here in Texas right now. She will probably need yet another HW pill so she is protected, but check with your vet first.

I bought a years' supply of Interceptor, and I use Frontline Plus because it still works for us. If Novartis isn't producing Interceptor when I need a refill I am staying away from Trifexis (also recommended by our vet) and going back to Heartgard Plus with Frontline Plus.

 

[Ljilly28]

We just went through a scary few days with Lush over ParaStar Plus. She got wobbly, threw up, then was comatose even with the vet shining a flashlight in her pupils. Her lab tests showed elevated liver levels and neutrophils(?). It was very scry. She couldnt even keep water down and had to have a bolas of fluids to even come home. she is fine now, but no more of that stuff.

 

[Dallas Gold]

We just went through a scary few days with Lush over ParaStar Plus. She got wobbly, threw up, then was comatose even with the vet shining a flashlight in her pupils. Her lab tests showed elevated liver levels and neutrophils(?). It was very scry. She couldnt even keep water down and had to have a bolas of fluids to even come home. she is fine now, but no more of that stuff.

That's scary--never heard of ParaStar Plus--is it a HW med?

 

[CAROLINA MOM]

I live in area where we are surrounded by water-Sound on one side and the InterCoastal Waterway on the other. Fleas are a HUGE problem here-I have tried every topical treatment currently available on the market over the years with No success. I was basically throwing money out the window.

When Comfortis became available, I started giving my Goldens Comfortis and Heartgard Plus each month. In Jan of this year, I switched them both to Trifexis. My guys have never had any reactions to Comfortis or Trifexis so far.

I'm sure some dogs may have a reaction on Trifexis, but many that are having topicals put on them are having reactions too. I would talk to your Vet about the risks and any concerns you might have using Trifexis, ask about reactions of any patients in the Clinic, which BTW I have done.

It's just like people- some folks can take a drug without any complications or reactions while others can't take a particular drug at all. I am allergic to some medications. Seems like all drugs come with some type of risks.

 

[A1Malinois]

IMO i would rather put a topical hw prevention on my dog then give it orally. Dogs can easily go puke up a pill behind your back. They cannot puke up a topical I have yet had a problem with revolution. I have heard and read waaay to many stories about trifexis to even want to risk it with any of my dogs. Thats just the opinion im entitled to

 

[llamabucket]

Thank you all for your kind responses. It sounds like there's a period of "getting used" to Trifexis. Bailey is doing better this morning. She ate all of her breakfast and drank a TON of water, way more than she usually does. So the good thing is that her appetite is still normal.

She's still a bit mopey/lethargic, but I had no problem getting to go outside to potty and getting her to obey my commands, etc. My only concern is her belly was a bit warm this morning. I'm hoping this might be a result from being dehydrated from vomiting and diarrhea the night before.

I'm at work now and found out my co-worker, who has a mini Australian Shepherd, also gives her dog Trifexis. She told me Stella also vomited the first time she received the medicine as a puppy, which is a bit reassuring to know.

I think the moral of this story is that I won't be going back to Trifexis. Considering it has the same heartworm medication as Sentinel, it must be the Confortis that is throwing her off. If Sentinel and/or Interceptor aren't back in stock next month, I will be putting Bailey on Heartguard Plus + K9 Advantix for fleas. Hopefully Sentinel will be restocked soon! Bailey never showed any side effects with Sentinel.

 

[Dallas Gold]

I'm glad she is doing better. Given my guy has digestive issues and softer stools on a good day, your experience and the other experiences I'm aware of will mean I'll be doing something else if Novartis doesn't resume production when we run out.

 

[A1Malinois]

You use what works for your dog. I dont like Sentinal but if it works for you great! Just like some people dont like Revolution, it works for me and have yet to see a flea!

I dont use Heartguard or anything with ivermectin in it. So I have no experience with it.

 

[John and NOVA]

Trifexis - Skeptical

Hi, new to the site. Adopted a Golden Lab / Shar Pei mix about 1 month ago, NOVA, he's about 7-8 years old, lots of muscle & energy and very sweet. On 5/15 gave him Trifexis - 5/17 he started foaming at mouth, eyes open and fixated and could not move. Scared me to death, thought he was having a stroke. Spoke with a friend who just adopted a German Shepard (2 yrs. old) he was put on Trifexis, seizures started and got worse - he had to be put down. They contacted the rescue group and were told he did have minor history of seizures. Today I looked on back of Trifexis box, common sense mostly, but one sentence stands out "Use with caution in dogs with pre-existing epilepsy"

Afraid to use it again, and not sure what to use: Topical & HW pill is what I'm thinking. Fleas are tough here in FL.

p.s. NOVA has no history of epilepsy or seizures.

Best, John and NOVA

 

[Dallas Gold]

Hi, new to the site. Adopted a Golden Lab / Shar Pei mix about 1 month ago, NOVA, he's about 7-8 years old, lots of muscle & energy and very sweet. On 5/15 gave him Trifexis - 5/17 he started foaming at mouth, eyes open and fixated and could not move. Scared me to death, thought he was having a stroke. Spoke with a friend who just adopted a German Shepard (2 yrs. old) he was put on Trifexis, seizures started and got worse - he had to be put down. They contacted the rescue group and were told he did have minor history of seizures. Today I looked on back of Trifexis box, common sense mostly, but one sentence stands out "Use with caution in dogs with pre-existing epilepsy"

Afraid to use it again, and not sure what to use: Topical & HW pill is what I'm thinking. Fleas are tough here in FL.

p.s. NOVA has no history of epilepsy or seizures.

Best, John and NOVA

This is an old thread and I notice I posted in it a year ago. Since then our vet switched our older dog over to Comfortis because Frontline Plus stopped working for fleas and he experienced major gastric issues resulting in two weeks of sheer worry and over $3000 in veterinary bills. Comfortis is similar to Trifexis but doesn't contain the heartworm component. We had Interceptor at the time. We are now on Heartgard Plus and Parastar Plus, which works for fleas and ticks for us right now.

The problem with Trifexis and Comfortis is they were introduced without a lot of testing behind them and unfortunately some dogs are reacting terribly to them. It seems to be the way new drugs are introduced these days. I'm just sorry my dog ended up being a guinea pig.

We were comped two Trifexis for our puppy and I didn't like the lethargy he experienced both months so we switched him over to Heartgard Plus and Parastar Plus. Puppies aren't supposed to be lethargic. He doesn't have that reaction to the current regimen.

I urge you and your vet to report the adverse reaction to Trifexis to the FDA adverse reaction database.

 

[John and NOVA]

Hi Dallas Gold, Thanks for the information. Saw it was old thread, thought someone would get e-mail about my post. I did not know where else to post and did not want to start a new thread. Thanks for the information on alternatives. I'll contact vet as well, only 14% of clinics are certified by AVA (you probably know that), he runs one and has a great reputation. The vet assistant was really pushing Trifexis before he came in. I was thinking just what you wrote - it's big $, so minimal testing and oversight and these are powerful medications.

Thanks, John & NOVA (the Gold Lab mix)

 

[Willow52]

I also see this is an old thread but wanted to say...my guy has been on year-round Trifexis for abut 2 years with no side effects. I do give it to him right after a meal.

.

 

[Max's Dad]

First, in our area fleas and heart worm are not a widespread problem, and we have not used any of the mentioned medications. However, I will relate the following story.

Last month we stayed a few days at an RV park in Central California. We got to talking to our neighbor who was from Northern California. A couple of months earlier, they gave a single dose of Trifexis to their 18 month old German Shepherd after their vet recommended the product. The dog became very sick, and despite emergency measures, died a few hours later.