Dosage
Heartgard® Plus should be administered orally at monthly intervals at the recommended minimum dose level of 6 mcg of ivermectin per kilogram (2.72 mcg/lb) and 5 mg of pyrantel (as pamoate salt) per kg (2.27 mg/lb) of body weight. The recommended dosing schedule for prevention of canine heartworm disease and for the treatment and control of ascarids and hookworms is as follows:
Up to 25 lbs: 68 mcg Ivermectin, 57 mg Pyrantel, Blue
26 to 50 lb: 136 mcg Ivermectin, 114 mg Pyrantel, Green
51 to 100 lb: 272 mcg Ivermectin, 227 mg Pyrantel, Brown
Heartgard Plus is recommended for dogs 6 weeks of age and older.
For dogs over 100 lb use the appropriate combination of these chewables.
Instructions
Remove only one chewable at a time from the foil-backed blister card. Return the card with the remaining chewables to its box to protect the product from light. Because most dogs find Heartgard Plus palatable, the product can be offered to the dog by hand. Alternatively, it may be added intact to a small amount of dog food. The chewable should be administered in a manner that encourages the dog to chew, rather than to swallow without chewing. Chewables may be broken into pieces and fed to dogs that normally swallow treats whole.
Care should be taken that the dog consumes the complete dose, and treated animals should be observed for a few minutes after administration to ensure that part of the dose is not lost or rejected. If it is suspected that any of the dose has been lost, redosing is recommended.
Heartgard Plus should be given at monthly intervals during the period of the year when mosquitoes (vectors), potentially carrying infective heartworm larvae, are active. The initial dose must be given within a month (30 days) after the dog's first exposure to mosquitoes. The final dose must be given within a month (30 days) after the dog's last exposure to mosquitoes.
When replacing another heartworm preventive product in a heartworm disease preventive program, the first dose of Heartgard Plus must be given within a month (30 days) of the last dose of the former medication.
If the interval between doses exceeds a month (30 days), the efficacy of ivermectin can be reduced. Therefore, for optimal performance, the chewable must be given once a month on or about the same day of the month. If treatment is delayed, whether by a few days or many, immediate treatment with Heartgard Plus and resumption of the recommended dosing regimen minimizes the opportunity for the development of adult heartworms.
Monthly treatment with Heartgard Plus also provides effective treatment and control of ascarids (T. canis, T. leonina) and hookworms (A. caninum, U. stenocephala, A. braziliense). Clients should be advised of measures to be taken to prevent reinfection with intestinal parasites.
Efficacy: Heartgard® Plus (ivermectin/pyrantel) Chewables, given orally using the recommended dose and regimen, are effective against the tissue larval stage of D. immitis for a month (30 days) after infection and, as a result, prevent the development of the adult stage. Heartgard® Plus Chewables are also effective against canine ascarids (T. canis, T. leonina) and hookworms (A. caninum, U. stenocephala, A. braziliense).
Acceptability: In acceptability and field trials, Heartgard Plus was shown to be an acceptable oral dosage form that was consumed at first offering by the majority of dogs.
