NexGard vs. Advantix: 2024 Comparison and Key Differences

While at first fleas seem like a simple nuisance, they cause much more damage than many people realize. For your pet, they irritate the skin and can even lead to dermatitis or skin infection. Flea infestations in your home wreak havoc, too, and are a challenge to exterminate.

Fortunately, you can protect your pet from these critters with the right flea prevention product. Maybe a great tasting chewable is the way to go. Or perhaps a long-lasting flea collar if your pet is sensitive to oral medications. Topical treatments applied directly to your pet’s skin are another great option.

The variety of flea treatments available makes it both complicated and easy to find the best product for your pup. Even if it may seem overwhelming at first, once you begin researching products, you will discover that finding the right one boils down to what works best for your pet’s health and individual needs.

What to Look for in a Good Flea Treatment

The best flea treatments will perform two essential duties: prevent and kill pests and keep your furry friend healthy. A flea treatment that is effective for one dog might not work as well for another. Since every dog is an individual, some might have allergies or reactions to specific treatments that another will not.

Search for a product that protects against the pests most likely to affect your pet. Almost every flea treatment also provides defense against ticks. If you live in a heavily wooded area, tick prevention is crucial. Because ticks transmit Lyme disease, guarding your pet against them is a priority.

Another factor to consider is how often the product must be administered. Some flea treatments only last for 30 days, whereas others are effective for eight months.

The three most popular types of flea prevention are oral medications, liquid topicals, and flea collars. Chewables are incredibly convenient to administer, topicals protect against a vast array of pests, and flea collars last the longest and are not messy like topicals. Choosing the best product is a matter of your dog’s environment, personality, and safety.

NexGard and Advantix Similarities

Although they seem like extremely different products, NexGard, an oral chewable, and Advantix, a topical product, share some essential characteristics. Both are effective products that prevent and kill fleas and ticks, and both come highly recommended by veterinarians.

Most importantly, NexGard and Advantix prevent and kill ticks, as well as fleas. Protection from ticks is vital to your pet’s health as they carry and transmit Lyme disease, a serious illness that can make your pup very sick if not treated.

Another fundamental similarity between these two products is how often they are administered and, likewise, how long they last. Both products should be administered every 30 days, as each one is effective for one full month of treatment. Each one offers email reminders if you are prone to forgetting when your pup’s next dose is due.

Also, NexGard and Advantix begin working just hours after application. If you have a flea infestation, both products would be an excellent choice since they have such quick reaction times.

These two products work against the same kinds of ticks, too. Both prevent and kill Lone Star ticks, American dog ticks, brown dog ticks, and deer or black-legged ticks, the ones that carry Lyme disease.

NexGard and Advantix have many of the same side effects. These include itching, vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. Although with Advantix, you should also watch for other signs of skin irritation like redness and with NexGard, check for neurologic symptoms. The FDA recently reported that the medication used in NexGard might cause tremors or seizures.

Side effects sound terrifying, but try to remember that most pets do not experience any of them. They are unusual reactions that occur infrequently. Nevertheless, you should always talk to your veterinarian about what product will be the safest and most effective for your pup.

NexGard and Advantix Differences

Even though they share a common purpose, NexGard and Advantix are different in many ways. The most obvious distinction is how these products are delivered. NexGard is a flavored chewable tablet that your pet ingests like a treat, whereas Advantix is a liquid topical treatment that is applied directly to your pet’s skin.

Another difference between these two products has to do with bathing or swimming your dog. Because it is a chewable, NexGard is unaffected by your dog getting wet. You can bathe her or take her swimming immediately after giving NexGard.

Advantix, unfortunately, is not as flexible. Your pet needs to be completely dry when you apply Advantix for it to work properly. After applying, you have to wait 24 hours before allowing your pup to get wet. But, once the 24 hours have passed, Advantix is waterproof, and you do not have to reapply it after swimming or bathing.

Although NexGard and Advantix both work well against fleas and ticks, Advantix covers several other pests, as well. It has proven to repel and kill mosquitoes in addition to fleas and ticks and repels biting flies and kills lice. Advantix kills fleas in all stages of life, including eggs, larvae, and pupae, making it an expert in preventing infestations.

NexGard, however, prevents and kills only fleas and ticks though it has proven to kill black-legged ticks before they can transmit Lyme disease.

The active ingredients used for pest protection are different in these two products. Afoxolaner is the active ingredient in NexGard and is considered a prescription drug, which means you need a prescription from your veterinarian to purchase it.

Advantix, however, is a triple-action insecticide that contains three active ingredients. These are imidacloprid, permethrin, and pyriproxyfen. Unlike NexGard, Advantix does not require a prescription from a veterinarian and is available to purchase over-the-counter.

NexGard and Advantix Price Comparison

NexGard is available in four sizes based on your dog’s weight. It comes in boxes of either three or six doses. The price remains the same for each weight range, although the smallest size is a few dollars less than the other three sizes.

The weight ranges and prices for NexGard are as follows:

• NexGard 4-10 lbs. $55.99 (3 doses) or $107.99 (6 doses)
• NexGard 10.1-24 lbs. $56.99 (3 doses) or $109.99 (6 doses)
• NexGard 24.1-60 lbs. $56.99 (3 doses) or $109.99 (6 doses)
• NexGard 60.1-121 lbs. $56.99 (3 doses) or $109.99 (6 doses)

Advantix comes in four sizes based on your pup’s weight and sold in quantities of one, two, four, or six treatments. However, most veterinarians and stores will only carry one or two of these quantities. The price is the same for all weight ranges.

Here are the weight ranges and prices for Advantix:

• Advantix 4-10 lbs. $15.98 (1); $28.98 (2); $48.98 (4); $67.98 (6)
• Advantix 11-20 lbs. $15.98 (1); $28.98 (2); $48.98 (4); $67.98 (6)
• Advantix 21-55 lbs. $15.98 (1); $28.98 (2); $48.98 (4); $67.98 (6)
• Advantix over 55 lbs. $15.98 (1); $28.98 (2); $48.98 (4); $67.98 (6)

For both of these products, the larger quantity boxes are more cost-effective as you pay less per dose. Overall, though, Advantix is more economical than NexGard. On average, NexGard costs about $19 per dose, while Advantix averages approximately $14 per dose.

Our Review of NexGard and Advantix

NexGard is a highly effective product that prevents and kills fleas and ticks and kills black-legged ticks so quickly that it prevents the transmission of Lyme disease. As a flavored oral chewable, NexGard is convenient to administer every 30 days and recommended by veterinarians everywhere.

Advantix is a broad-spectrum pest prevention product, protecting your pet from fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, biting flies, and lice. It is a topical product that is applied directly to your pet’s skin and must be administered every 30 days. Advantix is very effective in both repelling and killing pests and is more economical than NexGard.

Choosing a product to recommend between these two is extremely difficult. Both are excellent products that are exceptionally effective in prevention. Either one is a great choice to protect your pet and really depends upon the type of product you and your pet prefer. However, NexGard does have a slight advantage over Advantix.

NexGard offers convenience of use along with outstanding recommendations from veterinarians. NexGard has an almost perfect 5-star rating, with 95% of consumers recommending it to a friend, whereas Advantix averages a 4.5-star rating, with 91% of users recommending it to a friend.

More and more frequently, veterinarians are recommending NexGard for the high standard of efficacy it maintains. At the same time, consumers are responding to its ease of use and success in keeping their dogs protected from pests.

Flea Treatment FAQs

What Should You Do If Your Dog Has Fleas?

Don’t panic if you spot fleas on your pup! They are prevalent pests that many pet owners will have to deal with at one point or another. There are two essential steps to take as soon as you find fleas. First, if your pet is not already on a flea prevention product, you will want to start one. Second, you will need to treat your home.

To treat your home, wash all bedding in hot, soapy water and vacuum all surfaces. Make sure to empty the vacuum canister or bag outside of your house, so the fleas cannot hop right back onto your carpet or pet.

Unfortunately, fleas are persistent. You must treat your pet, as well as the house, so the fleas will not be able to live on your pet and continue infesting your home. Eradicating fleas can be a lengthy process, and in some cases, you may need professional help from an exterminator.

What Safety Issues Should You Be Aware of When Choosing a Flea Treatment?

Remember to consider your dog’s health issues when selecting flea prevention. If your pet is on medication, check with your veterinarian before starting any flea treatments to ensure there are no contraindications between the medication and the flea product.

Safety is especially important if your pet has neurological problems, like seizures. If you need to start a flea prevention product and your dog has a history of seizures, it is vital that you consult your veterinarian. Many flea products are not safe for pets with neurologic disorders.

What Age is Safe to Start Flea Prevention?

While this answer depends on the product used, most of them are safe to begin around eight weeks old. For example, you may start NexGard at eight weeks old, but Advantix is safe to use at just seven weeks old. Always check with your veterinarian to make sure you are starting the product at an appropriate age.

Conclusion

NexGard and Advantix are two distinct yet similar products that are both extremely effective in preventing and killing fleas and ticks.

NexGard, a tasty chewable product, offers easy administration and excellence in killing fleas and ticks. It is so good at its job that it can kill black-legged ticks before they can transmit Lyme disease, keeping your dog safe from a potentially serious illness. NexGard is an expensive product, but this is due to its outstanding effectiveness and ease of use.

Advantix protects against more pests than any other flea treatment. Fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, biting flies, and lice are no match for its potent triple action formula. As a topical product applied directly to your dog’s skin, Advantix does have limitations when it comes to swimming and bathing though it is more economical than NexGard.

The competition between NexGard and Advantix is extremely close; you really cannot go wrong with either one. Much depends on your preference between a chewable or a topical and on your pup’s individual needs, like allergies or reactions to treatments.

However, by a small margin, NexGard stands out as the first choice of veterinarians for their own dogs and for yours. While it is more expensive than Advantix, giving it to your pet every 30 days is a breeze compared to applying a greasy topical to his skin. Its efficacy against black-legged ticks that transmit Lyme disease also sends it to the front of the pack.

Remember that you should always consult with your veterinarian before applying or administering a treatment. Your vet will be able to help you find the best, safest, and most effective product for your pet.