Boehringer Ingelheim, a global leader in animal health, has launched NexGard SPECTRA® (afoxolaner and milbemycin oxime) in India after approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation. This represents an expansion of their successful NexGard® product line for dogs aged two months and above, weighing at least one pound.
NexGard SPECTRA® is a monthly, flavored soft chew that provides broad-spectrum internal and external parasite protection for dogs. As a prescription product in India, it contains afoxolaner to target fleas and ticks, and milbemycin oxime to protect against heartworm and control intestinal worms.
Parasites can lead to various health issues in dogs, from skin irritations and allergic reactions to life-threatening conditions such as heart failure and respiratory problems. Intestinal worms can also cause gastrointestinal issues, anemia, weight loss, and potential fatalities, especially in puppies.
The company claims that studies have shown NexGard SPECTRA® kills fleas within 4 hours and exhibits over 99% effectiveness at 8 hours. It provided over 97.5% reduction against Demodex mites after 3 monthly treatments and 99% efficacy against sarcoptes mites with just one dose. It also demonstrated high efficacy against roundworms, whipworms, heartworms, hookworms, and eyeworms.
With over 27 million pet dogs in India, there is a significant need for comprehensive parasite control measures.
Veterinary experts concur on the importance of effective tick and flea control given their disease transmission risks. They emphasized the need for reliable broad-spectrum anti-parasitic drugs to prevent and treat potentially fatal parasitic infections, which also pose human health risks from zoonotic diseases.
This drug’s unique combination targets multiple parasites, simplifying treatment protocols. It will be available in five sizes to accommodate dogs of various weights.
