blacklabrador Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 (edited) I prevent heartworm with a daily tablet. Somebody recently suggested that a monthly oral dose of liquid Ivermectin is a good way to treat it (ie bought from a produce store). Dose would be titrated to suit dogs weight. I would like to know more about this treatment if anyone knows - both it's effectiveness and it's side effects/toxicity to the dog. I am interested in this but I really try to minimise the amount of chemicals I treat my dogs with. Unfortunately there is no way around giving medication for heartworm prevention - I would like to use one that has minimal problems. Edited February 26, 2006 by blacklabrador Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nadia Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 Ivermectin used in that fashion is off label. You really should discuss its use with your Vet. I know it is popular but it is also very regularly dosed incorrecty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 I have used Proheart SR-12 injection in the past, Interceptor (now spectrum), at the moment I'm using the regular Heartgard once a month. I wouldn't use liquid ivermectin- as Nadia states it's off label- it's also probably the cattle type put into bottles, you must be sure of the correct dosage and when you can buy it in a meaty cube I'm not sure why you'd bother. I have heard on a dog discussion list that the Naturopathic Vet's recommend 6weekly or every-second-month dosing if you're worried...but I have never had a problem with monthly dosing and to be honest I'm more concerned about monthly dosing of pesticides and their residual effect! I would much rather dose with Heartgard once a month when the alternative is to treat with arsenic should one of my dogs be infected due to missing heartworm treatments or not treating. Just my two cents worth all in....where did the peace flag go?? :rolleyes: Cheers, Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog_Horse_Girl Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 I thought the thread was asking about h/w treatments, not preventives. But preventives it seems is the real issue, so here is my response. I've had several vets over the past few years b/c we move around (my DH has a job that requires regular moves around the country) and each of them has recommended we continue to use Interceptor. When the new Interceptor Spectrum came out, our then vet in Melbourne recommended we switch to it rather than try a different preventive altogether. I have to say there have been no negatives about this product EVER for us and the three dogs. It's readily available, inexpensive, easy to use, and the dogs tolerate it very well. I'd rather be preventing h/w than attempting to treat it. JMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 I use Heartguard once a month and worm my dogs with Drontal or equivalent every six months. I wouldn't use Interceptor for the simple reason that you are treating a dog monthly for intestinal worms that it very likely doesn't have. Sure it's convenient for the owner, but if you want to keep chemical intake to a minimum it doesn't really make sense. The same can be said for all the all in one treatments, if my dogs have fleas (touch wood I haven't had a flea on my dogs for over three years) I will use Advantage, if they don't have fleas why dose them with a chemical that treats something that they don't have. I also wouldn't use the heartworm injection, but then I don't give annual boosters either. I know of some people who give the heartworm injection at the same time as they give the (IMO) totally unnecessary annual C5 vaccination, chemical overload I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog_Horse_Girl Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Each of us has to make our best-informed choice when it comes to our dogs and their health. I happen to continue in annual vaccinations b/c IMO the jury is definitely still out on that issue. I also have no problem in treating my dogs monthly for prevention of intestinal worms b/c they do go off our property and therefore come into contact with other dogs' faeces (not everyone picks up after their dogs, sad to say). Their health is my responsibility after all, and I take that responsibility seriously. I'm sure there are some valid concerns over certain regimes and chemicals in vet treatments. But when it comes to h/w, I'd still opt for a monthly tablet over any other type of preventive and I would certainly NEVER opt for an injectible. There are too many adverse outcomes with the proheart products...JMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TURBOTERROR Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 I still administer 3 monthly all wormers and monthly heartworm tabs to my dogs , i dont like taking chances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyking Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 I give daily tablets, it is by far the cheapest treatment I have found and it is easy to remember to give them every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagsalot Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 riley gets his heartworm jab with his annual vacc's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina77 Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 I use Heart Guard Plus once a month as a prevention it also controls and treats Hookworm and Roundworm , Bella gets a bit of a loose motion after the tablet , but only slightly , no other side effects I can detect and she certainly doesn't mind taking it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norskgra Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 I use Advocate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna H Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 I give the monthly heartguards, but every third month I use the Heartguard Plus... vet has ok'd to use in this manner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacklabrador Posted February 26, 2006 Author Share Posted February 26, 2006 I thought the thread was asking about h/w treatments, not preventives. But preventives it seems is the real issue, so here is my response.I'd rather be preventing h/w than attempting to treat it. JMHO. Sorry I wasn't thinking of my terminology when I wrote that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LittlePixie Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 My three all get Advantage Duo... top spot that does heartworm and fleas... on the first of the month, every month! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldielover Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 We use Interceptor Spectrum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holly Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 (edited) I prevent heartworm with a daily tablet. Somebody recently suggested that a monthly oral dose of liquid Ivermectin is a good way to treat it (ie bought from a produce store). Dose would be titrated to suit dogs weight.I would like to know more about this treatment if anyone knows - both it's effectiveness and it's side effects/toxicity to the dog. I am interested in this but I really try to minimise the amount of chemicals I treat my dogs with. Unfortunately there is no way around giving medication for heartworm prevention - I would like to use one that has minimal problems. I use Ivermec sheep wormer for my dogs, have only just started but my friend has been using it for a few years now and all her dogs are very healthy. What is in Ivermec is what is in Heartguard, except for the average size bitch GSD you use 4ml of Ivermec a month (3 of us shared in a 5 litre bottle ) it is far more econimical. My vet also uses Baycox for pigs to sort out Coccidia in dogs (that is off label) and another said to give a pregnant bitch with pica, human mutivitamins (that is off label) and another bit of advice for a bad tick infestation with Ivermectin injectable to protect the dogs (again off label) another bit of advice was buy the extra large frontline/Advantix and split the dose in half with a syringe, getting two dogs dosed with the one ampule, again off label, all these off label bits of advice save me $$$ a year, so I can put money aside for medical emergencies Ivermec for sheep does all worms, but it is still adviseable to dose with a Drontal All Wormer twice a year to make sure that the parasites have not built up resistance, this goes for any monthly worming product, even Revolution, the parasites will build up immunity to the one drug if always given just that product. What I also like about the Ivermec is dogs taht hate tablets, such as my Mini Foxie, can not argue with a liquid dose If you have Collies, you do NEED TO BE CAREFUL with Ivermec products I believe. Edited February 26, 2006 by holly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-time Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Hi BL, I used to give oral "straight" ivermectin by weight once a month. It covers more than heartworm. There is not a lot of info about using other preparations as well as the ivermectin. Generally the method is frowned upon - not because of its lack of effectiveness - I found it to work well and my costs were minimal because I could source it locally and didn't need to use other products. It is off-label - my issue was that the dogs had to be weighed exactly every month to dose correctly. With labs - that could be a huge issue for you unless you have your own dog scales at home. I highly doubt you'll find a vet who will agree with the use of ivermectin. My own vet with whom I have a fantastic relationship and who knew I was capable of administering the drug - still had reservations about me using it. I'm now back onto monthly tablets and bi-monthly worming along with Advantix - talk about a chemical cocktail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belinda Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 I too use the dailty heartworm tablets. Easy to remember and certainly more cost effective if tablets brought in lots of 1000, than other methods. Also having a breed (collies) that are susceptible to the mectin family of drugs, it is the safest option for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 No problem with giving ivermectin liquid but you must get the right sort from your vet. Some will give it out ans some won't. My regular vet did and then they started getting "antsy" as it is off label so I just went to the cheapest monthly tablet. I never had a problem with it and yes it was very cheap when you've got a few big dogs to do. My friend still gets it for her 3 greyhounds from her vet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InspectorRex Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 s Belinda has stated, if you have Collies( Rough, Smooth, Border, bearded) or Shelties, Aussie Sheps or crosses of these breeds IT IS NOT safe to use products with "mectin" drugs in them, eg Heartgard, Revolution etc. We use Sentinel Spectrum monthly tablets with our Collies. The sensitivity in due to a mutation of the MDR gene and there is now a DNA test available here in OZ to see whether your dog is Clear, Carrier or Affected with the Ivermectin sensitivity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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