Every pet has needs and can be pampered, but health care is a fundamental requirement for each. The prevention of hearworms in your dog or cat certainly fits that category.
Heartworm medicine is critical to preventing your animal from contracting heartworm, particularly in areas rife with mosquitoes, the insects responsible for carrying the disease. To find out more about heartworm prevention drugs, including how to administer them and possible side effects, read on.
Types of Heartworm Drugs
In the U.S., the drugs approved for heartworm prevention are moxidectin (sold under the brand ProHeart), ivermectin (a popular drug usually sold as Heartgard) and milbemycin (also known as Sentinel or Interceptor). These drugs are usually sold as pills and are available at most veterinarian offices.
In countries like Australia, Canada, Japan and Korea, pet owners can buy ProHeart 6 or ProHeart 12 – these are injections that are administered by a veterinarian and will last for 6 to 12 months. The injectable form of moxidectin is not approved for use in the U.S.
For cats, heartworm prevention medicine is available as milbemycin (also sold as Interceptor for cats), ivermectin (sold as Heartgard for felines) and selamectin (sold as Revolution for Cats), which is a topical cream.
How Effective is Heartworm Medicine?
Preventive heartworm drugs are very effective and when regularly administered will protect more than 99% of cats and dogs from heartworm infection.
Most failures are caused by irregular or incorrect administration of the drug. However, the monthly versions of heartworm prevention drugs typically have a long margin for error. For example, if a pet owner misses a month’s dose, the dog is typically protected for at least another month as long as the next two doses are administered on schedule. It’s also important to maintain heartworm medication before, throughout and after mosquito season.
How to Administer Heartworm Drugs
Monthly drugs for heartworm prevention should be given to your pet beginning a month before the start of your local mosquito season. The treatment should then continue for a month after the end of typical mosquito activity.
In warm climates, like tropical and subtropical regions, heartworm prevention medicine should be administered year round. Some veterinarians even recommend year-round use in cooler climates, on the off-chance that a warm spell could lead to mosquito activity.
Because most heartworm prevention medications are available in pill form, many pet owners have a hard time getting their pets to take the drug. Try hiding it in their foot or crushing it up in peanut butter.
Possible Side Effects
Side effects for heartworm prevention medications are rare, but this is partly because it’s difficult to spot those that aren’t blatant. For example, a dog can’t let you or your veterinarian know that his tummy is sore or he’s slightly nauseous.
Despite a lack of apparent side effects, overdoses of heartworm medicine can be very dangerous and should be treated immediately. Signs of overdose include tremors, vomiting, diarrhea and lack of coordination.
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