Heartworm question - Page 1

So, I'm curious, at what age do you guys start your pups on heartgard? The vet here says 6 months, and that it also takes 6 months after a dog is bit by a mosquito for it to start doing anything to the dog.  Is that reliable to say that? I just ask because the insane amount of mosquitos already out here, and if i took that approach, could I not just "start" my adult dogs on heartgard a few months after mosquitos come out and started biting around here? (My adults are on it already anyway, they always are) I just don't buy it though, wait until they're 6 months of age? Even if it takes 6 months after a bite, would the four months until my pup turns 6 months not have any effect even if he is bit by numerous mosquitos?  Anyway, just curious.  

Mosquitos are a problem year around in warmer climates......

The last puppy I took to the vet at 8 weeks gave me a puppy pack including heartworm meds......





BTW..............if you have several adult dogs that are not sensitive to Heartguard.......this was posted several months ago......

 

If you are giving .8 to 1 cc of ivermectin you are grossly overdosing your dog! 

According to the FDA, the "recommended minimum dose level [is] 6.0 mcg ivermectin per kilogram (2.72 mcg/lb) of body weight" for treatment of heartworms in dogs. This is the dosage in the FDA approved Heartgard.
For example, for a 40 lb dog, I calculate that as: 2.72 x 40 = 108 mcg or .108 mg. See the following:
 
http://www.fda.gov/cvm/FOI/730.htm

Dilute Ivomec (you want the 1% injectable Ivomec for cattle) one part Ivomec to 9 parts propylene glycol....then give the dog 1/10 of a cc per 10 lbs. of dog of this solution (a 40 lb. dog gets 4/10 of a cc.)

Simply add 0.3 ml of 1% Ivermectin injectable to one ounce of propylene glycol, making a 100 microgram/ml solution. Dose this at 0.1 ml per pound of body weight (10 micrograms per pound) once monthly."

Heartgard has 272 mcg or Ivermectin for the 50-100 dog dose
157 mcg for the 25-50lb dose and 68 mcg for the up top 25 lb dose.
I figured this out myself and then verified it with another persons formula for which the web site is.

http://www.convertit.com/board/view.asp?mode=viewtopic&topicID=749&forumID=1&catI D=9

Here is the Formula- they base it on 2.73 which means that the Heartgard 51-100 lb dose is based on the 100 lb dog.
THE FORMULA
Ivomec Ivermectin has 10 mg or 10000 ug per cc. 6 ug per kg is 2.73 ug per pound. So multiply the dog's weight in pounds by 2.73 to get the micrograms needed, and divide that by 10000 for the number of cc's to give the dog.
So for a 100 lb dog.
100 x 2.73 = 273
273 divided by 10000 =.0273 ml or cc
thus your Hundred lb dog needs just about 1 quarter of a cc of ivermectin 1% solution per month.
I made a table to make it easy or you can just use the formula. I rounded the numbers.
10 lbs = .0027 cc or ml (call it .003)
20 lbs = .0055 cc or ml
30 lbs = .0082 cc or ml
40 lbs = .011 cc or ml
50 lbs = .013 cc or ml
60 lbs = .016 cc or ml
70 lbs = .020 cc or ml
80 lbs = .022 cc or ml
90 lbs = .025 cc or ml
100 lbs =.027 cc or ml

The precise dosage of Ivomec 1% for dogs is 0.0027 cc or ml per 10 pounds. This based on the concentration in Heartgard for dogs.

Vickie
www.PowerHausKennels.com

Prior to moving to TN, our vets had us start heartworm prevention at 6 months, our vet here has had us on the prevention since our pup was 8 weeks. Our previous vet stated was you posted that your vet said about not requiring it until 6 months of age...

Thanks Sitasmom, I have a few adult dogs. Where do you get Ivomec?     Does anyone know about the bite taking 6 months though? I mean, honestly, I'm outside a lot, especially in the winter, I never see mosquitos here late October - the end of March.   I'm sure there may be though.....  But if it takes 6 months......what about dogs during hurricane Katrina? Didn't most of them test positive for heartworm, and that wasn't 6 months.  Clee27, that's where I'm at as well.

The great thing about Heartgard is that it also deworms your dogs, so its not just for Heartworm prevention alone.  My vet starts our pups right on it my dogs get a fecal done once a year and never have parasites so its working! I use it year round due to the parasite control as well.
Amy

GSDguy08
You can get the Ivomec at TSC.

However, I get my Heartgard Plus from an Australia based company. The prices are great and the shipping is cheap. They charge $5 per order no matter how much you order. Here is the link...
http://www.bestvaluepetsupplies.com/user/121142440/web/121142440_products-sub.asp?Category=507&SubCategory=818&SubName=Heartgard%20Plus&CatName=Heartworm%20Products

Thanks for the link.  The puppy is already 11 lbs at just 8 weeks....big for a Husky, so ordering a pack of 6 of the up to 25 lbs wouldn't be reasonable since he would be bigger than in a few months.  

muttlover25, I like that about it too.

Jyl,

Can you order Heartgard from them without a prescription?  I am interested in how that works... I typically just buy them from the vet due to ease, but their prices are great esp on the Frontline Plus. 

Okay, here goes a brief life cycle of heartworm, Dirofilaria immitus. The mosquito is the intermediate host where the microfilariae mature from the larvae 1 stage to the L3 stage. The mosquito will deposit it on the skin and the larvae migrate into the skin tissue. The L3, larvae stage matures into the L4 larvae stage within a few days. The L4 molt into juvenile worms between days 50-70. Heartworm monthly perventive works on these two stages only! The juvenile then matures into adult over the next 3-4 months. So from initial exposure to adult living in the pulmonary artery equals about 6 months.

Take home message...give your puppy the preventative NOW and on the same day every month. Once the worms reach adult size and infest the pulmonary artery and heart it is a very expensive treatment protocol. And depending on the advancement of infestation, death is a very real posibility.

for more info:  www.heartwormsociety.org
or www.heartwormedu.com
-T

Make sure you buy Ivemec 1% solution and not Ivemec Plus...has an ingredient in it not for dogs..and will harm the liver big time...

Tractor Supply Company or any larger feed store.......