Heartgard Plus for Dogs

Heartgard Plus Chew is a veterinary medication used for the prevention of heartworm disease in dogs. It contains two active ingredients - ivermectin and pyrantel - that work together to protect against heartworms and treat and control roundworms and hookworms. This chewable tablet is easy to administer orally, making it convenient for pet owners. Heartgard Plus Chew is a monthly treatment that provides protection for a full month with just one tablet. Please note that Heartgard Plus Chew is available only with a prescription from a licensed veterinarian, ensuring that it is used safely and effectively.

While Heartgard Plus is generally considered safe and effective, it's essential to consult with your veterinarian before starting your dog on any medication. Your vet can assess your dog's health status, take into account any potential drug interactions or contraindications, and recommend the appropriate dosage for your pet's size and breed.

Key Features:

• Heartworm Prevention: Protects against heartworm disease in dogs.
• Roundworm and Hookworm Treatment: Treats and controls roundworms and hookworms.
• Chewable Tablet: Easy to administer orally, making it convenient for pet owners.
• Monthly Treatment: Provides protection for a full month with one chewable tablet.
• Suitable for Dogs: Formulated specifically for use in dogs.
• Prescription Only: Available only with a prescription from a licensed veterinarian.

Indications:

Heartgard Plus is indicated for the prevention of heartworm disease in dogs. It is effective against the immature stages of heartworms (larvae) that are transmitted through mosquito bites. By administering Heartgard Plus on a monthly basis, you can help protect your dog from heartworm infection.

Heartworm disease can be life-threatening for dogs. If a dog becomes infected with heartworms, the parasites can grow and live in the heart and blood vessels, causing damage to the heart, lungs, and other organs. Treatment for heartworm disease is complex, costly, and can have potential risks.

In addition to its primary indication for heartworm prevention, Heartgard Plus also provides protection against certain intestinal parasites in dogs. The active ingredient pyrantel helps control and treat common intestinal worms like roundworms and hookworms.

It's important to note that Heartgard Plus is specifically formulated for dogs and should not be used in other animals unless specifically prescribed by a veterinarian. Additionally, it is crucial to consult with your veterinarian to determine the appropriate dosage and administration schedule for your dog based on their individual needs and health status.

How it works:

1. Active Ingredients: Heartgard Plus contains two main active ingredients: ivermectin and pyrantel. These ingredients work together to provide broad-spectrum protection against heartworms and certain intestinal parasites.
2. Ivermectin: The primary ingredient, ivermectin, is effective against the larvae (immature stages) of heartworms. When a dog is bitten by an infected mosquito, the larvae are transmitted into the dog's bloodstream. Ivermectin acts by interfering with the nerve impulses of the larvae, causing paralysis and ultimately killing them. This prevents the larvae from developing into adult heartworms that can cause harm to the dog's cardiovascular system.
3. Pyrantel: The second active ingredient in Heartgard Plus, pyrantel, is a deworming agent that targets and eliminates common intestinal parasites such as roundworms and hookworms. Pyrantel works by paralyzing and killing these parasites, preventing their ability to survive and reproduce within the dog's digestive system.
4. Monthly Administration: Heartgard Plus is designed to be administered orally to dogs once a month. The chewable tablet formulation is typically palatable to dogs, making it easy to administer without the need for coercion or force. It's important to follow the recommended dosage instructions provided by your veterinarian to ensure the optimal effectiveness of the medication.
5. Continuous Protection: Regular monthly administration of Heartgard Plus helps to maintain a consistent level of protection against heartworm disease. By administering the medication year-round, you can ensure that your dog remains protected during the entire mosquito season when heartworm transmission is most prevalent.

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.

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.