Are tick and flea pills safe for dog's liver, or should I just check?

Yes, I would recommend putting her on a flea prevention at the very least - you may not need tick coverage if she doesn't go into wooded areas or tall grass, but almost all pets are exposed to fleas simply be going for a daily walk. The best products currently available are oral medications such as Comfortis/Trifexis, Nexgard, and Bravecto - you can get these from your vet.

The oral medications for heartworms and ticks have actually been developed to be much safer and less toxic than the sprays. The heartworm pills are very safe and the medication only stays in the body for one day (but it still works for a month). There are a number of different oral tick medications on the market, but they all appear to be quite safe even when used at the same time as heartworm medications. I know Joshie is small and it seems like it would be a lot for her, but the amount of medications in the pills is quite small and I would not expect Joshie to have any problems with the medications. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Yes, bravecto tablets which cover for three months or nexguard tablets which cover for one month are both effective against fleas and ticks. Bravecto has a more rapid onset of action and is highly palatable but must be given with food. Remember also to keep up to date with deworming medications also

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! She is adorable! Bravecto is an excellent product and is currently one of the most recommended flea and tick products by veterinary dermatologists. This is what I use for my own dogs and I think would be a great option for Willow. Best of luck!

Use caution when combining flea and tick preventatives. You can inadvertently cause an overdose in your pet. Bravecto is one of the many new preventatives on the market. It should be sufficient on its own. Discuss your concerns with your veterinarian before using an additional method of tick control on Finn. Check him daily for ticks when he comes inside.

None of the flea and tick medicines are excreted by the kidneys, so the kidneys should not be negatively influenced by the tick and flea medicines. Nexgard is a very good flea and tick medicine and I suggest you stick with it.

I occasionally see toxicity issues with some of the over-the-counter topical flea products like Hartz, Sergeant's, etc. - this is more commonly a problem in cats, but can sometimes be an issue with small dogs as well, especially if they've been dosed above their weight range. All of the prescription flea/tick medications currently on the market (Bravecto, Nexgard, Simparica, etc.) are quite safe and effective.