Medicines for dogs – Our FAQ on Simparica, Metacam, Surolan & Bravecto

You are at the reception of your vet’s practice, holding a bag with a medicine in your hand – and honestly asking yourself what this stuff actually does. Simparica, Metacam, Surolan, Bravecto: The names sound like magic words. Why does the vet recommend this particular preparation and not another one?

Simparica vs. Bravecto: What is the difference in flea and tick protection?

Both work against fleas and ticks – so far, so similar. The decisive difference lies in the duration of action. You give Simparica monthly; Bravecto lasts for three months. At first glance, this sounds like a clear point in favour of Bravecto.

However: In practice, many vets actually recommend Simparica to first-time users. The reasoning behind this is simple – if a dog does not tolerate the medication, the ordeal is over after four weeks. With Bravecto, you are stuck with it for three months. This is not a theoretical argument; there are dogs that do not get on with isoxazolines, and in those cases, every day counts.

Regarding the price: Bravecto is more expensive per dose, but it pays off over the year. Three doses of Bravecto come to roughly the same as nine Simparica tablets – so if you protect consistently throughout the year, you pay about the same amount.

When does the vet prescribe Metacam instead of other painkillers?

Metacam – active ingredient meloxicam – is the most commonly used NSAID in small animal practice when it comes to chronic pain. For arthritis, after operations, for persistent joint problems. The reason for its popularity lies in the flexibility of the suspension: You can adjust the dose precisely in millilitres, which is hardly possible with tablets.

Typical procedure: Vets start higher and reduce to the lowest still effective amount. A dog weighing 25 kilograms receives around 2.5 ml daily. Most dogs take the suspension without discussion – it tastes noticeably sweet, almost honey-like.

Surolan for ear inflammation: Why not just use a pure antibiotic?

Surolan contains three active ingredients at once: Polymyxin B (antibiotic), Miconazole (against yeast fungi) and Prednisolone (corticosteroid against the inflammatory reaction). This exact combination is the key point.

Ear inflammation in dogs rarely arises from a single pathogen. Usually, bacteria, yeast fungi and pronounced inflammation mix – a pure antibiotic would target the bacteria but leave the yeast fungi undisturbed. In the worst case, they could even spread because the bacterial competition is removed.

The application is straightforward: 5 to 10 drops into the affected ear, then massage the ear from the outside so that the medication distributes. If you remain calm and reward the dog afterwards, you will usually have little stress.

Which medication has the most side effects?

For Bravecto and Simparica, the following applies: Neurological symptoms are possible – not frequent, but they do occur. Dogs with known epilepsy or a corresponding history should therefore be observed particularly carefully. The product information explicitly points this out.

Metacam has a different weak point with long-term use: the stomach and kidneys. Vets therefore regularly request blood tests for long-term patients. If you give Metacam for longer than three months, you should have blood tests every six months – this is not optional, but advisable.

Surolan is considered well-tolerated. Local skin irritation around the ear is the most common issue reported. The corticosteroid in the composition is the most critical component – however, at the low dosage in ear drops, it is generally unproblematic, provided the treatment duration remains limited.

FAQ: The most common questions about dog medications

Can I buy the medication online more cheaply?

All four preparations are prescription-only – nothing works without a prescription from the vet. Online pharmacies are often cheaper than dispensing at the practice, but shipping costs and potential waiting times should be factored in. For acute treatments such as Surolan, going to the practice is usually faster anyway.

What happens if I miss a dose?

This depends on the preparation and the time elapsed; the protective effect of these medications is tied to fixed intervals. Ask at the vet practice how to resume the rhythm, rather than self-administering an extra dose. For Metacam, the opposite applies – do not double the dose, simply continue with the next regular administration. For Surolan: Extending the treatment by one day is sufficient.

Why does the medication not work on my dog?

For parasite protection, incorrect dosing for body weight is the most common reason – this sounds trivial, but it happens more often than one thinks. With Metacam, some dogs simply respond worse to meloxicam and need a different NSAID. With Surolan, there is often bacterial resistance behind it or an allergy that remains the underlying problem and repeatedly causes ear inflammation.

Am I allowed to give several medications at the same time?

Simparica or Bravecto together with Metacam is usually not a problem. Surolan should not be used simultaneously with other ear medications. For every combination, the following applies: in case of doubt, ask the vet briefly – interactions can become seriously dangerous, even if they are rare.

Are there cheaper alternatives to the brand-name medications?

For Metacam, yes – generics with the identical active ingredient meloxicam often cost around half as much. For parasite protection, there are other preparations, but the active ingredient classes cost about the same, so there is no way around that. Surolan has practically no cheaper equivalent on the market in its triple combination.