Storybook Maltese

Home Rainbow Bridge Our Story Nursery Learning Center Our Dogs

Learn About Revolution For Parasite Control

Tick, Flea, and Heartworm Control: Is Selamectin a Safe Ingredient for Maltese Dogs?

One of the most important responsibilities of a pet parent is to ensure your fluffy pal is not playing host to parasites. Maltese puppies and dogs have thick and long fur, which allows fleas, and ticks to easily hide from view. Now, we all know that these parasites spell bad news as they can not only irritate the affected dog but can also cause life-threatening diseases and conditions. In a bid to a quickly get rid of these parasites, pet owners often rely on over-the-counter pet medications and products, and therein lies the second problem.

 

Influenced by fancy product labels and tall claims, loving pet parents often end up subjecting their dogs to toxic products. There have been countless instances of dogs getting severely sick or worse after being exposed to unsafe tick and flea products. Veteran dog parents know that combating fleas and ticks is much like wielding a double-edged sword. While there is a need to get rid of the dwelling parasites, it needs to be done using a safe product.

 

 

What is Selamectin?

 

Selamectin is an ingredient that prevents the invasion of both external and internal parasites. This means, apart from killing ticks and fleas, it’s also effective against heartworm, hookworm, and roundworms. It’s important to note that selamectin is only effective in preventing heartworm and it’s recommended to get your dog tested for heartworms before administering products containing selamectin.

 

Apart from being highly effective in controlling parasitic infestations, selamectin is also known to be an extremely safe ingredient. In fact, an NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) research about the safety of selamectin shows that both oral and topical administration of this ingredient does not cause any adverse effects in dogs.

 

 

How Does It Work?

Topical selamectin product such as Revolution for dogs needs to be administered once a month. The once-a-month dose is enough to prevent heartworms and kill fleas, ticks, mites, and intestinal parasites. Revolution is available in different strengths for dogs of different weights. The 5.1 to 10 lbs pack is recommended for adult Maltese dogs.

Once administered topically, selamectin is absorbed by the skin and it enters the bloodstream. It then starts killing intestinal parasites and prevents heartworms. The selamectin in the blood gets uniformly secreted back on to the skin surface, which then kills surface parasites such as ticks and fleas.

 

Do Your Research

There are more than a few pet products out there that claim to be “completely safe” but can potentially cause harm to your Maltese dog or puppy. Part of being a responsible pet parent is not giving in to clever marketing tactics. Be it pet food or medication, it’s important to read the product label to ensure all the listed ingredients are known to be safe for dogs.  Buying cheap products that are not FDA approved is also highly discouraged by pet experts and veterinarians.

It’s also recommended to be cautious before subjecting your dog to untested home remedies. Just because something is natural and organic doesn’t mean it’s safe. For example, garlic is toxic to dogs. However, a lot of blogs and home remedy sites recommend feeding garlic to dogs to repel ticks and fleas. The only real way to keep your dog safe is to do the homework necessary to learn more about products and remedies.