Why do dogs on Nexgard still get tapeworms? Is it the fleas?

Question

My two young dogs take Nexgard. They pee in a grassy area here in Florida. They have twice gotten tapeworms in spite of Nexgard. Why? Did the flea(s) bite before the product was effective? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | unneutered | 6 months and 17 days old | 10 lbs

Lauren Jones VMD · Accepted Answer

I'm sorry to hear that you've had to deal with tapeworms twice - that sounds quite frustrating! Like most flea preventives, with Nexgard, fleas must first bite a dog before the medication works to kill them. It's possible that your dogs are getting infected if they eat either live or dead fleas that have been infected with tapeworms, either before or after the Nexgard has killed them. The other thing to consider with tapeworms is that most require at least two doses of deworming medication about 3 weeks apart in order to effectively treat the infection. While I don't know how close together your two tapeworm infections were, another possibility to consider is that the first infection might not have been fully treated. I find Nexgard to be one of the most effective flea and tick preventives on the market. I would consider asking your vet about intermittently deworming Leo and his buddy since tapeworms seem to be a recurrent issue. I hope this helps and that everything goes well!

Why do dogs on Nexgard still get tapeworms? Is it the fleas?

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