# Need advice on heartworm meds!!



## Jennin24 (Jun 10, 2012)

So I just got back from the vets and not sure what to do. I need to get Khorra and Dakota on heartworm prevention and called the vets this morning asking about prices and what they had available. When I called I was told by the vet that I could get the heartworm prevention for a dog up to 10 lbs and that I could just cut it in half and give a half dose since the pups are only around 3 lbs each. I was fine with that. When I got there, the meds are really for a dog up to 25lbs. Again I was told that I could cut it in half and give a half dose. He also said that if there are any side effects within the next 3 or 4 days that when the next dose is needed next month, to only give a quarter dose. This has me very worried. I am not really comfortable giving my 3lb puppy a dose for a dog up to 25lbs, even if I am cutting it in half. The brand that was given to me is by Virbac and it's called Iverheart Plus. It is to prevent heartworm and to treat and control ascarid and hookworm infections in dogs. It also says that each tablet contains 68 mcg ivermectin and 57 mg pyrantel as pamoate salt. Does anyone have any advice on this? Do you think it's fine to give a half dose to them or should I try the quarter dose?


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

I have always given Lulu (4 1/2 years old)Interceptor which is made by Novartis because it is for small dogs (I think up to 10lbs). There factory has been closed down for months due to issues with their human medications they make. Their plant was supposed to open back up in November, and I had bought enough back in March to take me through next March so I haven't checked. There are several others on this site that also use Interceptor. You could check to see if the plant did open back up in November as it was supposed to. I prefer it for 2 reasons: it is truly for small dogs and it is only for heartworms--well maybe those other internal parasites--but not fleas, ticks, roaches, ants, chiggers, beatles, flies, yada, yada, yada!


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## Jennin24 (Jun 10, 2012)

I've already bought this prevention. I'm just not sure how much to give!?! I'm not sure if I trust what the vet says completely.


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

ooops, sorry! My vote would be to give the 1/4 pill each, but I will be interested in seeing what others say.


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

I know many here dose this way. I am not one of them. The medication is dispersed in the medium. It is impossible to know how much medication each dog would get if I cut or broke it up. One could be nice and dosed and one not sufficiently covered.


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## SkyAtBlue (Jul 25, 2010)

My vet told me that my two don't need to be on prevention. He asked me if they go outside a lot and I told him only for their potty time. He said then they really don't need it. But if I had to, I would do 1/4.


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## pjknust (Oct 26, 2011)

1/4 tablet ** way back when I was buying the tablets, I gave 1/4 to my 4 and 5 lb poodles, and half to the ones 6- 12 lb. Now I buy the liquid ivomec for pigs and/or cows
my 4-5 lb poodles would throw up within 3 hours of the whole and half pill, I tried it both ways. 

pam in TX


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## Chica n Ella (Jul 23, 2012)

Jennifer, is Iverheart a soft "treat" type of chew, or a tablet? If it's a tablet, and if it's scored (ie if there's a line running down the middle), then it is safe to halve and/or quarter the dose. As a former nurse, I was taught that only scored tablets could be safely divided for dosing, because the medication amount is constant throughout the pill. As Karen mentioned, that's unfortunately not always the case though with non-scored tablets or chew type medications. We had to switch Chica from Heartgard to Interceptor, because she had a seizure after her first Heartgard dose , due to ivermectin sensitivity. I sure hope Novartis starts Interceptor production again though, because I was only able to get a 6 month supply from the vet, and it was the last box he had left! It's getting harder and harder to get nationwide.


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## KrystalLeigh (Aug 17, 2011)

My vet has tons of Interceptor for small dogs, just not large dogs. I guess I just live in a big dog city!


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## Jennin24 (Jun 10, 2012)

This is a soft chewable tablet, not a hard scored one.  Do you think it would still be ok to give a 1/4 dose?


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## Jennin24 (Jun 10, 2012)

Also, my vet said that they do really need to be treated year round out here because we do have a lot of heartworm problems in this area and since we are fairly warm year round they can get it at any time. We're leaving to go camping for the weekend tomorrow afternoon. Not sure what to do now with giving the pill. I would hate for one of them to have a bad reaction when we are 2 hours away from home.


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