Bravecto Plus, a spot-on medication formulated to fight a variety of feline parasites for up to two months, has earned U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval.
The product is expected to ship to veterinarians “in the coming months,” manufacturer Merck Animal Health reported.
Bravecto Plus has been available on the European market for over a year after receiving European Medicines Agency authorization.
“Bravecto Plus addresses five of the top parasite concerns among veterinarians and cat owners, including ticks, fleas, heartworms, roundworms and hookworms,” said Christine Royal, DVM, director of professional services at Merck Animal Health.
The Bravecto brand was launched in 2014 with the release of Bravecto (fluralaner), a flea and tick solution for dogs and cats. More than 100 million doses have been distributed worldwide since the introduction, Merck stated.
Bravecto Plus contains fluralaner, an ectoparasiticide that kills fleas and ticks, and moxidectin, an endectocide formulated to prevent heartworm disease and treat intestinal roundworm and hookworm. The drug is indicated to kill black-legged ticks and American dog ticks.
The topical medication may be used on cats starting at 6 months old and weighing at least 2.6 pounds.
The most commonly reported adverse reactions, Merck stated, are vomiting, hair loss, itching, diarrhea, lethargy, dry skin, elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and hypersalivation. The safety of Bravecto Plus has not been established in breeding, pregnant and lactating cats, the company added.