Heartgard Plus for Dogs - 26-50 lbs (12 Chews)

Heartgard Plus is a monthly, FDA-Approved, pet medication for the prevention of heartworm disease. Heartgard Plus is 100% effective against heartworms; and it controls roundworms and hookworms. Heartgard Plus treats and controls more effectively than the next leading brand and is veterinarian recommended. Heartgard Plus is approved for puppies as young as 6 weeks of age. Help your pet by ordering Heartgard Plus today.

Key Benefits

• Highly effective in preventing heartworms
• Prevents development of adult stage heartworms
• Treats and controls both hookworms and roundworms
• Convenient, chewable form for easy administration
• Delicious beef flavor that most dogs will eat

Indications

For use in dogs to prevent canine heartworm disease by eliminating the tissue stage of heartworm larvae (Dirofilaria immitis) for a month (30 days) after infection and for the treatment and control of ascarids (Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina) and hookworms (Ancylostoma caninum, Uncinaria stenocephala, Ancylostoma braziliense).

How It Works

Heartgard Plus prevents heartworm disease by eliminating the tissue stage of heartworm larvae for a month after infection. Treating your dog with Heartgard Plus is as easy as feeding one chewable a month.

Heartgard Plus should be administered orally at monthly intervals at the recommended minimum dose level of 6 mcg of ivermectin per kilogram (2.72 mcg/lb) and 5 mg of pyrantel (as pamoate salt) per kg (2.27 mg/lb) of body weight. The recommended dosing schedule for prevention of canine heartworm disease and for the treatment and control of ascarids and hookworms is as follows:

Heartgard Plus is recommended for dogs 6 weeks of age and older.

Quick Tips

• Give Heartgard Plus Chewables once a month on the same day of each month year round.
• Heartgard Plus Chewables are for dogs only.
• Heartgard Plus Chewables should not be swallowed whole.
• Chewables may be broken and fed to dogs as pieces, or crumbled and mixed with food.
• Watch dog closely following dosing to be sure the entire dose has been swallowed. If it is not completely swallowed, give one more full recommended dose as soon as possible.
• Do not remove chewable from its wrapper until ready to give to pet.
• Use the Witness Heartworm Test Kit to test your dog prior to using Heartgard Plus

Administration:

Remove only one chewable at a time from the foil-backed blister card. Return the card with the remaining chewables to its box to protect the product from light. Because most dogs find Heartgard Plus palatable, the product can be offered to the dog by hand. Alternatively, it may be added intact to a small amount of dog food. The chewable should be administered in a manner that encourages the dog to chew, rather than to swallow without chewing. Chewables may be broken into pieces and fed to dogs that normally swallow treats whole.

Care should be taken that the dog consumes the complete dose, and treated animals should be observed for a few minutes after administration to ensure that part of the dose is not lost or rejected. If it is suspected that any of the dose has been lost, redosing is recommended.

Heartgard Plus should be given at monthly intervals during the period of the year when mosquitoes (vectors), potentially carrying infective heartworm larvae, are active. The initial dose must be given within a month (30 days) after the dog's first exposure to mosquitoes. The final dose must be given within a month (30 days) after the dog's last exposure to mosquitoes.

When replacing another heartworm preventive product in a heartworm disease preventive program, the first dose of Heartgard Plus must be given within a month (30 days) of the last dose of the former medication.

If the interval between doses exceeds a month (30 days), the efficacy of ivermectin can be reduced. Therefore, for optimal performance, the chewable must be given once a month on or about the same day of the month. If treatment is delayed, whether by a few days or many, immediate treatment with Heartgard Plus and resumption of the recommended dosing regimen minimizes the opportunity for the development of adult heartworms.

Monthly treatment with Heartgard Plus also provides effective treatment and control of ascarids (T. canis, T. leonina)and hookworms (A. caninum, U. stenocephala, A. braziliense) . Clients should be advised of measures to be taken to prevent reinfection with intestinal parasites.

Federal (U.S.A.) law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.

Acceptability:

Heartgard Plus was shown to be an acceptable oral dosage form that was consumed at first offering by the majority of dogs.

Precautions:

All dogs should be tested for existing heartworm infection before starting treatment with Heartgard Plus which is not effective against adult D. immitis. Infected dogs must be treated to remove adult heartworms and microfilariae before initiating a program with Heartgard Plus.

While some microfilariae may be killed by the ivermectin in Heartgard Plus at the recommended dose level, Heartgard Plus is not effective for microfilariae clearance. A mild hypersensitivity-type reaction, presumably due to dead or dying microfilariae and particularly involving a transient diarrhea, has been observed in clinical trials with ivermectin alone after treatment of some dogs that have circulating microfilariae.

Store between 68°- 77°F (20°- 25°C). Excursions between 59° - 86°F (15° - 30°C) are permitted. Protect product from light.

Adverse Reactions:

Vomiting or diarrhea within 24 hours of dosing was rarely observed in clinical trials. The following adverse reactions have been reported: Depression/lethargy, vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, mydriasis, ataxia, staggering, convulsions and hypersalivation.

Safety:

Heartgard Plus has been shown to be bioequivalent to Heartgard, with respect to the bioavailability of ivermectin. The dose regimens of Heartgard Plus and Heartgard are the same with regard to ivermectin (6 mcg/kg). Studies with ivermectin indicate that certain dogs of the Collie breed are more sensitive to the effects of ivermectin administered at elevated dose levels (more than 16 times the target use level) than dogs of other breeds. At elevated doses, sensitive dogs showed adverse reactions which included mydriasis, depression, ataxia, tremors, drooling, paresis, recumbency, excitability, stupor, coma and death. Heartgard demonstrated no signs of toxicity at 10 times the recommended dose (60 mcg/kg) in sensitive Collies. Results of these trials and bioequivalency studies, support the safety of Heartgard products in dogs, including Collies, when used as recommended.

Heartgard Plus has shown a wide margin of safety at the recommended dose level in dogs, including pregnant or breeding bitches, stud dogs and puppies aged 6 or more weeks. In clinical trials, many commonly used flea collars, dips, shampoos, anthelmintics, antibiotics, vaccines and steroid preparations have been administered with Heartgard Plus in a heartworm disease preventive program.

Possible Side Effects

In clinical field trials with Heartgard Plus, vomiting or diarrhea within 24 hours of dosing was rarely observed (1.1% of administered doses). The following adverse reactions have also been reported: depression/lethargy, vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, mydriasis, ataxia, staggering, convulsions and hypersalivation.