INDICATION: For use in dogs to prevent canine heartworm disease. HEARTGARD® prevents heartworm disease by eliminating the tissue stage of
heartworm larvae
(Dirofilaria immitis) for a month (30 days) after infection.
Does my dog need a
heartworm test
every 6 months?
One of the most common questions asked of veterinarians is how often pets need to have a heartworm test. Both the
american veterinary heartworm society
and most veterinarians do recommend yearly heartworm testing.
What months should Heartgard be given?
Treatment can vary, as oral, injectable or topical, depending on the animal species, but they all target heartworm larvae, not adults. That’s one reason veterinarians often recommend that pets receive heartworm prevention medication all year long.
How old can a puppy take Heartgard?
Safe for Puppies, Too HEARTGARD Plus prevents heartworm disease in dogs as young as 6 weeks of age with no minimum weight requirement.
Do dogs need to take heartworm pills every month?
heartworm preventatives
are generally given as a
monthly dose
and are available in several different types. These include monthly pills that you can hide in his food and topical treatments that you place on his skin that will deter mosquitos.
How long can a dog go without heartworm pills?
Any time a dog goes more than six weeks without heartworm prevention the dog is at risk of infection. Dogs with mature infections (in which hearworms are mating and producing larvae in the bloodstream) may experience a shock-like adverse reaction to heartworm prevention.
Can I give my dog Heartgard without a test?
It’s important to never give Heartgard to any pet that has not been tested for heartworm disease Heartworm preventative medication such as Heartgard cannot kill adult heartworms, but instead kills the baby heartworms known as microfilariae.
Is Heartgard really necessary?
Heartworm disease can be prevented in dogs and cats by giving them medication once a month that also controls various internal and external parasites. Heartworm infections are diagnosed in about 250,000 dogs each year. 1 But there is no good reason for dogs to receive preventives all year; it is just not needed.
Do dogs need heartworm medicine in the winter?
As winter descends upon New England in full force, more and more dog owners ask us if we recommend continuing heartworm prevention through the winter months. The short answer is yes. The American Heartworm Society recommends year-round heartworm prevention , and we agree.
Should heartworm medication be given year round?
Yes, your dog needs heartworm medicine year-round Just because mosquitoes may hibernate in the winter doesn’t mean they’re gone. And just because you live in a colder state doesn’t mean your dog is safe either.
What happens if you give Heartgard too soon?
Rest assured: It won’t be dangerous if you give your dog a Heartgard pill early , whether intentionally or by accident.
Can I give Heartgard every other month?
Treatment every three months should be effective no matter where you live. Even treating your dog monthly for six months is unnecessary, Kerasote wrote. If your dog gets stung by an infected mosquito on June 1, the larvae will not grow into adult heartworms for a couple of months.
Can a dog overdose on heartworm medicine?
Toxicity can occur if a dog is given an excessive dose of the medication (10 to 20 times the recommended dose) Additionally, certain dogs are genetically hypersensitive to the medication. In these dogs, ivermectin can pass directly to the brain and be toxic or even lethal.
Can a 5 month old puppy have heartworms?
A 10 week old puppy is too young to have a heartworm infection Your puppy could have heartworm larvae circulating in his blood but the adult heart worms take 4-6 months to develop in the heart.
Can puppies take Heartgard Plus?
Heartgard Plus Chew for Dogs, up to 25 lbs. is a heartworm preventative that kills heartworms and also helps treat and control roundworms and hookworms. It comes in a delicious once-a-month, real-beef chew that dogs love and is safe for puppies 6 weeks and older.
How often do you have to give dogs heartworm medicine?
Because heartworms must be eliminated before they reach this adult stage, it is extremely important that heartworm preventives be administered strictly on schedule ( monthly for oral and topical products and every 6 months or 12 months for the injectable ).
What happens if you forget to give your dog heartworm medicine?
Most of the monthly heartworm medicines have a safety factor of at least 15 days of protection if a dose is missed This means that if you’re just a week or two late, your pet is likely still within that window of protection and would be unlikely to become infected during that time.
How late can you give Heartgard?
The common consensus is that it takes about 40‒50 days for heartworm larvae to mature to the point where heartworm preventatives no longer work. So, from the initial mosquito bite to the beginning of maturation, there is an approximate 45-day grace period that a heartworm preventative can provide protection.
What are the first signs of heartworms in dogs?
Signs of heartworm disease may include a mild persistent cough, reluctance to exercise, fatigue after moderate activity, decreased appetite, and weight loss As heartworm disease progresses, pets may develop heart failure and the appearance of a swollen belly due to excess fluid in the abdomen.
Does my dog need a heartworm test before Heartgard?
It is recommended by most veterinarians and by the manufacturers of the Heartworm medications that each dog have a test prior to receiving the medications each year , to ensure that the pet is free from Heartworm disease.
Can I get heartworm medicine without a vet?
“In the United States, purchasing heartworm preventive requires a prescription , according to the AHS (American Heartworm Society), which owners use to buy medication from their veterinarian or through a U.S. pharmacy.
When should puppies get heartworm medicine?
Puppies can begin heartworm preventative medication from as young as 6/8 weeks old If your pup is a little older (age 6 months plus) it is important that she is given a heartworm test before preventative medication is given.
What happens if you skip a month of Heartgard?
A dog who has missed just two monthly doses of preventative or is late for a heartworm injection can become infected with heartworms.
What happens if you don’t give your dog Heartgard?
Monthly heartworm preventives should be given every 30 days. If you skip or delay giving your dog even one dose, she will be at risk of infection The way that heartworm prevention works is by killing a larval stage of the worm. These larvae get into your dog from the bite of an infected mosquito.
What happens if you give Heartgard to a dog with heartworms?
Heartworm Preventative The American Heartworm Society warns that giving heartworm medication to infected dogs can cause “rare but possibly severe reactions,” that can kill the animal Heartworm preventative works by killing off any larvae in the dog’s system that enter via mosquito bites.
Why does Heartgard require a prescription?
Heartgard Plus is a prescription pharmaceutical and requires veterinary authorization. This prescription medication will kill heartworms and control and treat hookworms.
Does heartworm treatment shorten a dog’s life?
Although there’s a risk involved in heartworm treatment, there’s a greater risk in not taking care of the infestation. Once in a while, a dog succumbs during the course of heartworm treatment. However, he’s almost certainly going to have a shortened life expectancy if heartworms are left alone.
How Long Can dogs live with heartworm?
The severity of the infection, as well as the overall health of the dog, will play a role in determining how long the dog will live. In general, however, it is thought that most dogs with heartworm infection will not live more than two years if they do not receive some treatment.
What’s the difference between Heartgard and Heartgard Plus?
Heartgard and Heartgard Plus both protect dogs against heartworm infestation. Heartgard protects against heartworms alone. Heartgard Plus protects against heartworms, hookworms, roundworms, and other ascarids (types of intestinal parasites).
What is the safest heartworm preventative for dogs?
Conventional preventatives The two most common (and generally considered safe) heartworm preventative ingredients used today are ivermectin (used in Heartgard by Merial, and other products) and milbemycin oxime (used in Interceptor by Novartis).
What months do dogs need flea and tick medicine?
Flea and tick season will start with the onset of spring in late March to early April However, depending on how far south you go, it may end in either November or December according to when the temperatures drop for winter.
Does my dog need Heartgard and Nexgard?
By administering Nexgard Tablets together with Heartgard Plus, you are not only protecting your pooch from fleas and ticks, but also from intestinal worms as well as heartworms This unique combination of treatments works perfectly together as it has the same mode of administration and covers all the parasites.
Citations
https://www.californiapetpharmacy.com/6-month-heartgard-plus-blue-for-dogs-up-to-25-lbs.html
https://www.heartgardclinic.com/sites/default/files/2018PIv2.pdf
https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/prevent-heartworms-dogs-cats-and-ferrets-year-round