Flea treatment dosing for a lean Borzoi

Borzois are one of those breeds where flea treatment dosing genuinely needs a second look. Because they're so lean relative to their frame, their actual body weight can sit awkwardly at the boundary between dosing bands — and some owners get caught out either underdosing by going on appearance or overdosing by guessing high. The most effective prevention depends on your dog's real weighed weight, your local tick risk, and the treatment type you're comfortable with. A few widely sold products are also notably less effective than others. Can you tell me what your Borzoi actually weighs on the scales, whether ticks are a concern where you walk, and whether you'd prefer oral, spot-on, or collar?

34kg is a really useful number — that's what matters, not how he looks. Surrey woodland is moderate-to-high tick country, so you want something that covers both fleas and ticks reliably. Given that he's oral-preferred and 34kg, I'd go with NexGard Spectra in the large dog box (15–30kg band covers up to 30kg, so at 34kg you need the extra-large band, which covers 30–60kg). One chewable tablet monthly, covers fleas, ticks including Ixodes species common in UK woodland, and also lungworm and roundworm. The fact that it's dosed by real weight rather than a spot-on that absorbs through skin makes it a particularly clean choice for lean-bodied breeds where dermal absorption can be variable.

Good question, and worth being clear on. The ivermectin sensitivity issue is tied to the MDR1 (ABCB1) gene mutation, which is found in herding breeds like Collies, Shelties, and Australian Shepherds — not in sighthounds. Borzois don't carry that mutation as a breed, so standard flea and tick treatments including NexGard Spectra are fine. The sensitivity sighthound owners do legitimately need to think about is anaesthesia and certain sedatives, but that's unrelated to flea prevention. The main dosing caution for your dog is simply the one we've already addressed — using his actual weight rather than estimating low because he looks slight.

Yes, it's a POM-V (prescription-only veterinary medicine) in the UK, so you need a vet prescription. Most vets will issue one at an annual check or on request if your dog is already a patient — it's routine. Once you have the prescription, you can buy NexGard Spectra extra-large (30–60kg) from online vet pharmacies or Amazon UK at noticeably lower cost than buying it over the counter at the clinic. The prescription itself is usually valid for six or twelve months, so you can buy a few months' supply at once. Worth confirming the 30–60kg pack specifically — that's the one that covers his 34kg.