Heartworm Preventatives

[mavmon]

Vets are still not uptodate & it totally amazes me & frustrates me .... only found out a couple of days ago about a 6 month old Collie Rough pup being given the Heartworm Injection. Vet said it was safe coz it was just Ivermectin that Collies were affected by

Luckily pup is ok ... otherwise vet would be in all sorts of ** now.

[Nadia]

Not all the facts get filtered down from the drug companies.

[Do No Harm]

Just had a chat with a vet that seemed pretty on the ball. Apparently Proheart 6 in America has a different slow-release mechanism than the Proheart 12 used in Australia (despite being from the same company), and that no ill effects have been reported to the control board in Australia. 500 deaths in the US (albeit out of millions of dogs), and it is yet to be seen if the Australian version is truly safer or if it just hasn't been administered to such vast number of dogs to gauge similar reactions. He feels safe using it on his dogs.

Yes, the slow release mechanism is different, but the active ingredient is the same. It seems to be a matter of deciding what or who to believe these days. I'm not sure your veterinarian isn't out with the figure he quoted you. I think the 500 should be 5,500 dead (that's the figue I recall seeing recently but even that may be low). Additionally, that figure doesn't include those that suffered - many of whom have ongoing health problems! If you're interested in knowing how scandalous this issue became in the US, just Google in the name "Dr Victoria Hampshire FDA". Dr Hampshire is the FDA official who 'blew the whistle' on Proheart. The lengths that Wyeth/Fort Dodge went to to try and discredit her led to the involvement of the US Senate Committee on Finance.

The alarming and disgusting thing about all this is that corporate MONEY is the bottom line and not dogs' health!

Perhaps it is better to get the figures pertaining to the US from the official sources there rather than relying on an Australian veterinarian being properly informed.

One other point needs clarifying:

There have been adverse reactions to Proheart SR 12 in Australia, and the APVMA's Adverse Experience Reporting Program has been advised. We have heard of four through our list. Two owners accepted 'hush money' from Fort Dodge so cannot speak publicly. Of the other two, one (an 8 months old GSD) suffered very badly and the last I heard - about three months ago - she was having blood samples sent to a specialist in the UK, another small dog died just before Christmas (it was reported on this Forum) after suffering terribly.

So far as Heartgard/Ivermectin is concerned, this link (below) will take to information from the FDA obtained under the Freedom of Information. It gives the research (involving a few Beagles and 16 Collies) that led to the product being licensed for use:-

http://web.archive.org/web/20050307014733/...8412030287.html

There are updated figures from the FDA/CVM's Cumulative Adverse Drug Experiences - including Heartgard/Ivermectin and Proheart here:

http://www.dogsadversereactions.com/drugADEcomparison.html

Edited May 7, 2006 by Blackfoot

[Do No Harm]

[ I think the 500 should be 5,500 dead (that's the figue I recall seeing recently but even that may be low). Additionally, that figure doesn't include those that suffered - many of whom have ongoing health problems!

Correction to the above.

I've just searched for the reference to the "5,500" I quoted in my previous post. I haven't found it but did find this:-

http://www.fda.gov/cvm/PH6QA.htm

It is from the FDA and does give figures.

My apologies for the error.

Edited May 7, 2006 by Blackfoot

[Tilly]

Our Rotties and GSD are on the monthly Heartgard Chews.

At one stage we considered using the yearly injections but while I was looking into them I heard reports of dogs dying within days of being given the injection - decided it was safer to stick to what we were already using.

[Do No Harm]

A site <http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts-VCPL/> which relates to this thread. It may be worth bookmarking for those interested in the topic.

The site relates to Ivermectin and also other drugs which can cause problems in Collies and related breeds, as well as advising about an available test to determine whether a particular dog carries the mutant gene.

Edited May 10, 2006 by Blackfoot

[~Anne~]

After discussing the yearly injections with my vets and specialist and reading countless posts, threads and reseacrhing links and sites I have decided I will no longer give the yearly injection.

When my boys are next due I will be switching them to either daily or monthly.... I am still 'on the fence' with these two.