The company developing Heartgard For Dogs and Heartgard Plus For Dogs is Merial, a world leading animal health company based in the United Kingdom. Merial was founded in 1997, from the merge of two world-wild known animal health businesses – Merck and Co., Inc. and Rhone Merieux, a predecessor to sanofi-aventis. To this date, this heartworm medication is among the most prescribed heartworm preventative oral medication.
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How Heartgard For Dogs and Heartgard Plus For Dogs works.
The active ingredient in Heartgard acting as a heartworm medicine against Dirofilaria immitis is “ivermectin”. This heartworm medication works in two steps. First, it prevents as much as possible the presence of the parasite in the host animal. Then it eliminates the tissue stage of the parasite, blocking later development of more damaging and harmful stages.
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Heartgard Plus For Dogs includes an additional ingredient called pyrantel pamaote, which is an anthelmintic, a drug that control roundworms and hookworms by expelling the parasites of the host animal body by killing them.
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Heartgard For Dogs and Heartgard Plus For Dogs both come in beef flavor chewable or monthly tablets. This heartworm medicine is approved for all dogs over the age of six weeks. Heartgard For Dogs and Heartgard Plus For Dogs come in different doses for different size of dogs, so make sure you check the label when purchasing this heartworm medicine, to ensure giving your dog the right dosage. Collies and some other breeds that are sensitive to ivermectin can also use this product, as the heartworm medication comes in doses much lower than the dose needed to cause side effects to the host animal.
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It is important that, before treating your dog with Heartgard For Dogs or Heartgard Plus For Dogs, you get your animal tested for preexisting heartworm infection conditions, as Heartgard For Dogs and Heartgard Plus For Dogs should not be used on infected dogs. It is highly recommended to treat infected dogs with other means, and to use Heartgard For Dogs and Heartgard Plus For Dogs only as a preventative program.
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Heartgard For Cats
Heartgard for cats is also available in chewable tablets. Heartgard for cats will help remove and control heartworms, but also hookworms. The drug is recommended for use in all cats over 6 weeks of age. Heartgard for cats can be safely given to cats already infected with heartworms.
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IMPORTANT: The dosage of Heartgard For Dogs and Heartgard Plus For Dogs
Heartgard For Dogs and Heartgard Plus For Dogs (and for cats) must be given proportionnally to the weight of the animal. It is important not to go beyond the recommended dosage, as this can lead to important adverse reactions, including blindness or even death. Heartgard is available through liscensed veterinary only and is approved by the U.S. FDA as well as the Environmental Protection Agency.
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Treat your dog with heartworm medicine.

Ask your vet for a Heartgard prescription for your dog.

See all heartworm medication