This is a specific conversation about Flea and tick prevention — what works — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
Switching away from Frontline is a smart move — resistance has built up significantly over the years and many dogs on long-term Frontline are simply not getting adequate protection anymore. The newer isoxazoline-based products are a real step up. Before I point you to the right one, a couple of quick questions: how much does your Golden weigh, and does he or she spend a lot of time in woodland or long grass where tick exposure is high?
She's about 32kg, and yes, we walk in the countryside most days — lots of long grass and woodland. She's been on Frontline for years and I've started finding ticks on her despite using it regularly.
inparticular.ai
That tracks completely — finding ticks through Frontline is very common now, especially in dogs with heavy countryside exposure. At 32kg with daily rural walks, she needs something with strong tick-kill speed as well as flea cover. One thing worth mentioning given her age: is she on any other medications, and has she had any history of seizures or neurological issues? I ask because the newer oral treatments are excellent but carry a precaution for dogs with that history.
No seizure history at all. She's on a joint supplement and that's it. Generally in good health for her age.
inparticular.ai
Perfect — she's a great candidate then. My recommendation is Bravecto spot-on for large dogs. It's a single pipette applied to the back of the neck, lasts 12 weeks for fleas and 12 weeks for most tick species including Deer ticks, and works by a completely different mechanism to Frontline so there's no resistance issue. The active ingredient is fluralaner, one of the isoxazolines, and it kills ticks fast — typically within 12 hours of attachment, which is well inside the window needed to prevent transmission of disease. For a 32kg Golden you'd use the large dog pipette (250–500mg). It's available on Amazon UK and straightforward to apply. One pipette every 12 weeks rather than monthly treatments is also genuinely easier to keep on top of.
Is it safe for an older dog? I want to be sure there's nothing about her age that changes things.
inparticular.ai
Age itself isn't a contraindication — Bravecto is used routinely in senior dogs without issue. The main precautions are the neurological history I already asked about, and making sure the weight band is correct, both of which you're fine on. If she's ever going under general anaesthetic for anything in the next few months it's worth mentioning to your vet that she's on it, but that's just good general practice with any parasite treatment. Given she's otherwise healthy and active, there's no reason to choose a less effective product just because of her age.
That's really helpful. I'll order the Bravecto spot-on. Is there anything to watch for after the first application?
inparticular.ai
Keep the application site dry for 48 hours and avoid stroking that area until it's absorbed — usually a day or so. A small number of dogs get mild, temporary digestive upset or lethargy after the first dose, but it's uncommon with the spot-on form compared to the oral chew. If you see anything that concerns you beyond 48 hours, check with your vet, but the vast majority of dogs tolerate it without any reaction at all. You should notice a real difference quickly — if you were finding ticks through Frontline, the improvement with Bravecto tends to be obvious within the first treatment cycle.
