Ivermectin for DOGS for Heartworms?

[mekasmom]

Quote:
Ivermectin does NOT kill adult heartworms. If it did they wouldn't use imiticide. Vets use ivermectin on HW positive dogs often. It does NOT kill them. You need to look up your facts. The best advice is to ask your vet, never trust someone on the internet. And your information on ivermectin is not correct. IT can't kill adult heartworms, so how in the world can it kill a dog by causing an adult heartworm to die and block a blood capillary?

Licensed vets are always the best source of info on canine care. I know there are lots of pseudo-vets on the web who feel they know everything, but the very best advice is to listen to your vet.

 

[TheRanch]

Just to add to the mess of confusion!!

I used to raise Poms - they are hypersensitive to meds and can die over a parvo shot or hypogloc -

My vet is a state vet and I asked him about the heartguard - he told me I was wasting my money - I had Ivermec paste for my horses sitting there - he looked at them and said 'you already spent the money - use that!' I replied that the measurements were in 50lb dosages and my dogs average 5 lbs!! He told me to put a little on my finger and put it on the back of the tongue and stroke the throat like you would with a pill. He also added that it is almost impossible to OD an animal on Ivermec - he told me up to 5x the body weight would not hurt them and it kills everything but tapes that would affect a dog. I'll trust his judgement - he's been vetting for a long time and keeps up with the latest and greatest - but he's a country man who won't be fooled by hype, nor is his dream to make a million - just to help animals!!

Just another opinion!! lol!!

 

[Mama C]

Quote:
Ivermectin does NOT kill adult heartworms. If it did they wouldn't use imiticide. Vets use ivermectin on HW positive dogs often. It does NOT kill them. You need to look up your facts. The best advice is to ask your vet, never trust someone on the internet. And your information on ivermectin is not correct. IT can't kill adult heartworms, so how in the world can it kill a dog by causing an adult heartworm to die and block a blood capillary?

Licensed vets are always the best source of info on canine care. I know there are lots of pseudo-vets on the web who feel they know everything, but the very best advice is to listen to your vet.

I am very encouraged that you agree that a vet's advice is best, but relax. Take a breath. Read. Don't skim. I am right - seeing as how I never claimed ivermectin would kill adult heartworms. The drug used in heartworm treatment to kill adult heartworms is - in fact - a volatile compound that should not be used - even by a licensed vet - unless the animal has been thoroughly tested to determine the level of infection. And best practices do dictate that no animal should be given a heartworm preventative without prior testing. It would be wrong to suggest otherwise.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Quote:
I'm not sure if you're referring to my comments or not, but I'll address it in case you were. Two of my best friends (went to college with them) are vets. I know vets (most of them) love what they do, and most times it's great to listen to the advice of your vet. However, there are most certainly some times where vets might not know the best thing to do in some cases (especially in regards to animal nutrition). In this particular case, I said any vet who prescribes ivermectin to a dog known to show sensitivity to ivermectin is a moron. Maybe that's harsh, but there are better HW preventatives to use, especially if you know that particular dog showed adverse neurological reactions to that med. I'm not sure why the vet would recommend using it and saying it wasn't a big deal when there are drugs out there that work just as well and do not cause sensitivity.

 

[sourland]

Paranoia, negativity, and a little knowledge run rampant. Is any of this really helping the OP? Let's put our egos and need to be RIGHT to rest.

 

[mekasmom]

Quote:
Did you know they use it on humans for parasites too? It's called Stromectol, but it is ivermectin. I "think" they use 12mg, don't they? I remember seeing it at the clinic one time when a family came in with some sort of parasite. I just remember it because the kids were so funny when they were talking about their symptoms. They were adorable. They had to treat the whole family. It's very safe stuff.

To the OP, it is safe, and you use it once a month. Call your vet for details.

 

[mekasmom]

Quote:
I would have told him politely, one booster and one rabies and one prophymonas. Anything else he wanted to do would have been ignored. Sometimes you have to be proactive in demanding things from your vet.


I do get the prophymonas vaccines now because they are so much cheaper than cleaning teeth every year. You can do cleanings every two or three years that way, and there haven't been any reactions in my dogs from the vaccines. I think the vaccines are safer than the anesthesia used for teeth cleanings, but that is just an opinion.

 

[Mama C]

No aggieterpkatie...not you. And for the record I agree with everything you just said.

My point, which I suppose could have been made more clear and with more delicacy is that there are a lot of really, really good vets out there giving sound advice. It bums me out to hear people make gross generalizations about veterinary medicine, implying that is is a bunch of quacks out for money. While there certainly is a lot (A LOT!) to be said for years of personal experience with animals it doesn't have to be anyone's only resource unless they so choose. I'm not a believer in all or nothing philosophies. There are bad vets, but I believe they are few and far between. There are also good vets who may make the occasional bad call. I am so very lucky that I personally have several fantastic ones in my area (and in my circle of friends as well) that I feel I can trust. I wish everyone did. That being said, I am not foolish enough to think they would never make a mistake. It happens.

My apologies for the highjack.

Back to the topic: In reading this thread so many comments were made regarding dogs who are sensitive to ivermectin. All the more reason to use extreme caution in any dog when using it. As someone else so eloquently pointed out - even water can be toxic in excessive doses, and we aren't talking about water. If the OP is interested in using the product as a preventative and wants the correct dosage perhaps a quick call to a trusted vet might be the best way to go.

 

[suebee]

I take my Golden Retrievers to a well respected Vet that's been in practice for decades. We had a lengthy discussion about why he discourages the use of Ivermectin. His answer was plain and simple. He said because the Heartgard he sells pays for his office's mortgage, maintenance, and his staff's salaries. So there ya go....

I've used it for years on my Goldens with no ill effects.

 

[HenPen]

What about Ivermectin Pour On?