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Simparica vs. Simparica Trio: Which Monthly Preventative For Dogs Is Better?

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Published on 04/25/23

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Commerce Photo Composite — The Spruce Pets / Zackary Angeline

Keeping fleas and ticks away from your dog not only keeps them comfortable but also protects them from potentially life-threatening infections and diseases. Simpariaca and Simparica Trio are FDA-approved preventatives for dogs given once a month in the form of a liver-flavored chewable. Both products are made by the same pharmaceutical company, Zonetis, and have been proven to kill fleas and ticks in a matter of hours, fully preventing Lyme disease, and sustaining their effectiveness beyond a 30-day window.

We compared these two highly rated preventatives to select a victor that we feel is a better selection for most. In a side-by-side analysis, we spotlight the strengths, points of differentiation, and advantages of each.

Each formula contains the active ingredient Sarolaner for protection from fleas, at all stages, along with five types of ticks commonly encountered in the United States: the lone star tick, the Gulf Coast tick, the American dog tick, the brown dog tick, and the black-legged tick which is also commonly referred to as the deer tick and is a prevalent carrier of Lyme disease.

Our Winner

Simparica Trio

With the addition of two active ingredients, Moxidectin and Pyrante, in the same once-a-month chewable, Simparica Trio provides protection from fleas and ticks while also preventing heartworm disease and blocking intestinal parasites—roundworms and hookworms—from developing.

Versus Highlights

Simparica	Simparica Trio
Active ingredient: sarolaner	Active ingredients: sarolaner, moxidectin, and pyrante
Does not protect against heartworm disease	Prevents heartworm disease
Does not protect against roundworms and hookworms	Treats and controls roundworms and hookworms
Once a month chewable	Once a month chewable
Liver flavor	Liver flavor
Suitable for puppies and dogs eight weeks of age and older	Suitable for puppies and dogs eight weeks of age and older
Dosage aligns with a dog’s weight with six options to choose from: 2.8 to 5.5 pounds, 5.1 to 11 pounds, 11.1 to 22 pounds, 22.1 to 44 pounds, 44.1 to 88 pounds, or 88.1 to 132 pounds	Dosage aligns with a dog’s weight with six options to choose from: 2.8 to 5.5 pounds, 5.1 to 11 pounds, 11.1 to 22 pounds, 22.1 to 44 pounds, 44.1 to 88 pounds, or 88.1 to 132 pounds
Can be taken all year long	Can be taken all year long
Protects against five types of ticks	Protects against five types of ticks
Kills fleas at all life stages	Kills fleas at all stages
FDA-approved for the prevention of Lyme disease	FDA-approved for the prevention of Lyme disease
Prescription required for purchase	Prescription required for purchase
Does not protect against whipworms or tapeworms	Does not protect against whipworms or tapeworms

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Simparica Trio Chewable Tablet for Dogs at Chewy

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Simparica Chewables for Dogs at Chewy

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Chewy

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Who It’s For: Dog parents who find it easier to remember and keep track of a once-a-month chewable for all of their dog’s preventative needs. Consistently giving your dog the chewable on the same day each month is recommended to avoid any lapse in protection.

Price at time of publish: $181 (44.1 to 88 pounds, six doses)

_{Prescription Required: Yes | Dosage: One chewable a month within dog’s weight bracket | Flavor: Liver | Weight Brackets: 2.8 to 5.5 pounds, 5.1 to 11 pounds, 11.1 to 22 pounds, 22.1 to 44 pounds, 44.1 to 88 pound, or 88.1 to 132 pounds}

Chewy

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Who It’s For: Dog parents who have already purchased a separate preventative for heartworm and intestinal parasites, or for those who prefer to limit the amount of preventative medicine given to their dog all at once.

For example, Simparica can be given on the first of the month for flea and tick prevention, and on the 15th day of the same month, a heartworm and intestinal parasite preventative medicine, such as Heartguard, can be given. By allowing two weeks to pass between each preventative, dog parents can more easily determine the culprit if their dog is having any adverse reaction.

Price at time of publish: $119 (44.1 to 88 pounds, six doses)

_{Prescription Required: Yes | Frequency: One chewable a month | Flavor: Liver | Weight Brackets: 2.8 to 5.5 pounds, 5.1 to 11 pounds, 11.1 to 22 pounds, 22.1 to 44 pounds, 44.1 to 88 pound, or 88.1 to 132 pounds}

Value: Simparica Trio

Both preventatives are have six weight brackets to choose from: 2.8 to 5.5 pounds, 5.1 to 11 pounds, 11.1 to 22 pounds, 22.1 to 44 pounds, 44.1 to 88 pounds, or 88.1 to 132 pounds, along with three options for the number of chewables to purchase at one time: three, six, or twelve.

When you select the same size and monthly package (e.g. 22.1 to 44 pounds, six months), Simparica is less expensive. However, most dog parents will need to purchase a separate monthly preventative for heartworm and intestinal parasites. Simparica Trio might be more expensive when the two are side by side, but ultimately it is the better value.

Killing Fleas: Simparica

From the moment your dog ingests Simparica Trio, any fleas they may unknowingly be harboring will be killed in four hours. As for Simparica, any adult fleas who thought they had more time to tie up loose ends will be killed in three hours.

Eradicating Ticks: Tied

Both Simparica Trio and Simparica achieve a Mortal Kombat “Finish Him” move on ticks within eight hours of initial treatment. Both Simparica and the more comprehensive Trio version are effective against the same breadth of tick species. And with a regular monthly chewable, your dog will be protected from five types of ticks moving forward.

This story was written by Anna Mejorada, a writer for The Spruce Pets, who shares her home with a happy Pomeranian named Gidget. Before researching and writing about pet products for a living, Mejorada embarked on a self-mandated, ongoing quest to find the optimal items for her dog. She is now delightfully devoted to helping humans discover and select the most favorable products for their pets.

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