Credelio vs NexGard: Which One is Best?

Credelio vs NexGard: Choosing Pest Protection for Your Pup

Particularly in the warmer months of the year, we all want to spend more time outside. When you’re a dog owner, that desire to get out and explore with your furry friend can be even stronger, since they tend to be just as adventurous as we are! 

However, whether you’re bringing your dog out for a casual stroll in the park or bringing them with you on a wilderness hike, you must be sure to protect them against nature’s unfortunate pests, especially fleas and ticks.

When caring for your beloved dog, making sure that they can be protected from pests like fleas and ticks is one of the most important things you can do. But, choosing the right pest prevention and treatment for your dog can sometimes feel a little overwhelming. 

How do you know which of the many choices on the market will be the best for your dog? How can you possibly reason through all of the information available to you? 

Two of the most recognizable brands on the market are Credelio and NexGard, both of which are effective at getting rid of both fleas and ticks. However, products by these two reputable brands have slightly different features, benefits, and effects. 

Choosing the right product, whether it’s Credelio or NexGard, depends on what you know will work best for your pet and its lifestyle.  

Breaking it down

Below, we’ll compare two flea and tick removal products, one from Credelio and one from NexGard. We’ll be sure to include the details on what it does, how it works, and we’ll also include a concise list of pros and cons. 

Also included below are notes on how effective each product is, as well as any special features that might make one a little bit more special than the other.

Also, we’ll mention any side effects that you should be aware of when using either Credelio or NexGard to protect your dog against fleas and ticks. Hopefully, our analysis can help you make a great decision for keeping your furry friend free of pests!

Credelio Chewable Tablet for Dogs 

Credelio is a prescribed chewable tablet for your dog that should be given on a monthly basis. When taken as prescribed, it provides monthly protection against ticks and fleas. It can also be used as a medication for treating a flea infestation that your dog already has. 

The tablet starts working in as little as four hours and has shown to be 100% effective against fleas and 97% effective against ticks. 

This chewable tablet is also great because it is easy to disguise in your dog’s food, so there’s no hassle in trying to get your dog to ingest another form of medication. We recommend hiding the tablet in wet food so that it is less easily discernable (your dog can sometimes be much more clever than you think, especially when they’re a picky eater!). 

The chewable tablet form is also great because it means you don’t have to go through the trouble of dealing with a traditional topical treatment that could get all over your dog’s fur or possibly on any curious human child’s hands. 

Credelio comes in a variety of doses for dogs of all sizes, but it should only be used for puppies and dogs that weigh over 4.4 pounds and are at least 8 weeks of age. Your veterinarian will be able to help you out with the details when they write the prescription. 

Common side effects of Credelio include vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, and increased urination. In general, these side effects are usually very mild, but if you notice that your dog is experiencing severe or worsening side effects, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.

NexGard Chewables for Dogs

NexGard also makes a convenient chewable tablet for the treatment of ticks and fleas. This means they boast all of the same chewable-tablet benefits that we mentioned for Credelio above. Furthermore, when given to your pet monthly, NexGard chews can help protect dogs against flea infestations. 

The way NexGard does this is by killing adult fleas before they can lay eggs. It can provide fantastic protection against fleas, and it also has an unbeatable record in protecting your dog against ticks. 

NexGard is FDA-approved and recommended by veterinarians to prevent the kinds of infections that might lead to Lyme disease in your precious pup. It’s also been shown that it can kill some ticks before they’re even able to transmit the Lyme infection. 

NexGard can prevent and treat infestations from black-legged ticks, American dog ticks, Lone Star ticks, and brown dog ticks.

Safe for dogs and puppies older than 8 weeks and weighing more than 4 pounds, NexGard is a proven and popular form of protection against fleas and ticks.  

What’s more, the soft, chewable tablet is also beef-flavored, so it can be slipped into your dog’s food without them even realizing they’re taking medicine, or even given to them as a tasty treat.  

The negative side effects of NexGard are similar to Credelio but have been known to be milder and less common. This is partly because NexGard has been on the market for a while longer and veterinarians are more familiar with this medicine

Winner 

We have to admit, it’s hard to choose! Both Credelio and NexGard offer flea and tick prevention medication for your dog in the form of a chewable tablet prescribed by your veterinarian. Both can be used for dogs weighing as little as four pounds, as well as for puppies that are only 8 weeks old. 

Furthermore, they’re also effective treatments of flea infestations if you weren’t quite able to prevent the pests in time.

Credelio and NexGard can kill fleas and ticks, and can also be given to your pet only once a month – which is super convenient. However, it’s also important to mention that neither Credelio nor NexGard can repel fleas or ticks, nor can they repel other potentially harmful critters like mosquitoes or other parasites. 

Despite all of their similarities, one of these competitors really stands out as the clear winner: NexGard!

Final Verdict 

While Credelio is a reputable and effective flea and tick treatment, we truly believe that NexGard takes the cake. 

Not only is NexGard FDA-approved as an effective way to prevent tick infections in your dog that might lead to Lyme disease, but it’s also avidly recommended by countless veterinarians as one of the best ways to both protect against and treat flea infestations.

One of the best things about NexGard is the fact that it comes in the form of a chewable tablet. While Credelio is also made in the same way, NexGard takes it one step further and has made their medicine beef-flavored. 

Thanks to NexGard, it’s easier than ever to give your dog flea and tick protection, even for pups that are particularly picky eaters. 

Another way that NexGard stands out as the clear winner is the fact that, unlike Credelio, it can kill flea larvae and eggs, as well as adult fleas. This makes it just a little bit more effective than its competitor and is one of the reasons why we chose NexGard or Credelio.  

Lastly, while Credelio can take up to 12 hours to totally kill all fleas, NexGard takes only 4 hours to do the same. This might not be a big deal, especially since Credelio at least starts working its magic after the first 4 hours of ingestion, but for those pet owners who want some both effective and fast, we think NexGard will be the better option. 

Overall, Credelio and NexGard offer great protection and prevention from flea and tick infestations in your dog. The efficacy of either brand is not up for debate, but we firmly believe that NexGard is the stronger competitor! 

With its FDA approval and fast-acting medicine, NexGard is the winner in our contest for the best pest protection for your four-legged friend.

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