# Heart Worm Medicine Question



## Gimbler (Jan 29, 2010)

A few months back someone posted a link to a site where you could buy the active ingredient in heart worm medicine at a huge discount over the name brands. I thought I saved the link, but now I can't find it and we're down to our last Heartguard.

If anyone remembers it, or whoever posted it the first time sees this, would you please post it again? Saving money without losing quality seems like a no-brainer to me. And since I can't find what I thought I saved I guess that makes me a perfect "no brain" candidate! LOL :hammer:


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

This is where I get all my heartworm meds it is already mixed. DO NOT TREAT herding breeds with Ivermectin.

J R ENTERPRISES


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## Indigo Bully Connection (Dec 21, 2006)

You can buy it at that link or you can go to your local Tractor supply or feed store and buy it. The name brand Ivomec is like 45 bucks at my TS, but you can get the not name brand invermectin for like 35. The one bottle of invermectin 1% solution does all of my dogs (7) for like 3 or so years? I'm ball parking that number of years because I haven't even put a dent in my bottle and it's been almost a year now. 

Just remember this little tid bit of information if you decide to go to the feed store and it isn't mixed:

for every 10 pounds your dog weighs you give 0.1 CC/ML 

1 CC = 1 ML

Example: 

Pig weighs 49 pounds so i give her 0.5 CC/ML of invermectin

Jarvis weighs 67 pounds this month so he got 0.7 CC/ML

Cree weighs 60 even so obviously he gets 0.6 CC/ML

and so on and so fourth.

EDIT: Like Performance Kennels says don't give it to hearding dogs known to have white feet. 

Also, ALWAYS get a negative heartworm test screening preformed before beginning treatment with any heartworm preventative. The reason behind that is, if heartworms have already set in and attached to your dogs heart the invermectin will release those worms and clog the arteries, thus stopping your dogs heart.


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## Gimbler (Jan 29, 2010)

Thank you both so much! I just got home from work and raced right to the computer to see if there was an answer. Neither of my dogs are herding dogs, but that's good information to know. I wouldn't want to share any or recommend it to a friend with a herding breed.

They were both tested prior to getting on the Heartguard, so I'm assuming they wouldn't need to be re-tested. They've had steady protection for 6 months.

Thanks again, both of you! I'm going to save SO much money!


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

For a novice person treating dogs I would go with the link I provided since it is already mixed down to a solution of .05% ivermectin and that is all that is needed to treat for heartworms. It is very possible to overdose a dog with ivermectin you buy at the feed store since it is 1% ivermectin. Now overdosing is rare but I like the premixed stuff if you are just doing heartworm it is easy to give but both work great!


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## geisthexe (Jan 18, 2007)

It is NOT all herding breeds. 

German Shepherds / Beligian Shepherds etc can have ivermectin 

Border Collies, collie breeds or collie mixed breeds due to potential toxic effects. 

Just wanted tp make this clear just incase you have breeds in the herding family ...


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

There is also a test you can do now if you own herding breeds to see if they have that mutation in their DNA that causes a reaction to Ivermectin. For example my border collie did not have any adverse reaction to Ivermectin but I got him tested before I treated him. Yes not all herding breeds are effected and the rule of thumb is if it is a herding breed, and has white feet don't treat. That would be collies (like Deb said), aussies, and I know even Corgi breeders will not use it as well.


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## ThaLadyPit (Oct 12, 2008)

Ok, I have nothing to add here, but I am curious as to what the link is between the herders with white feet and ivermec? I've never heard this before, and the woman I used to work for in TX (I call her mama-Shawn) breeds/shows collies and shelties.. and I never heard her speak of this. Can Deb, Lisa or Shana please fill me on in this? It would be much appreciated. Thank you!


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

I have no clue where the saying came from but it is used here all the time. Herding breeds that can have white feet are normally the ones that have issues with Ivermectin. Border collies, collies, aussies, corgi's, shelties, old engish sheepdogs, and bearded collies. So the expression if it has white feet don't treat is because herding breeds have white feet (or can have) and it became kind of the rule of thumb. Breeders of these breeds usually use a different type of heartworm med and NOT ivermectin.

Problems may arise when higher doses, such as those used against skin mites, are employed but even then, side effects generally do not occur with any anti-mange doses of ivermectin except in animals with genetic sensitivity. Such individuals are usually Collies, Shetland sheepdogs, Australian shepherds, and Old English sheepdogs, though some individual animals that are not members of these sensitive breeds may also be prone to side effects. Very low test doses are often recommended to identify thes individuals regardless of their breed. Alternatively, a blood test is available to test for genetic sensitivity (see below).

Collies with ivermectin sensitivity have been found to have a mutant gene for what is called the "P-glycoprotein." The P-glycoprotein has been studied largely because overexpression of this protein (i.e. having more of it than normal) results poor function of chemotherapy drugs in the treatment of cancer. The P-glycoprotein appears to be involved in keeping drugs out of certain body tissues. Having excess P-glycoprotein keeps chemotherapy drugs from reaching the tumor. When it comes to ivermectin sensitivity the problem is the opposite: mutant or non-functional P-glycoprotein leads to failure to keep certain drugs out of the central nervous system, allowing them access to sensitive tissue. Ivermectin side effects stem from ivermectin entering the central nervous system.

Approximately 35% of Collies have a genetic mutation creating a non-functional P-glycoprotein. This allows for ivermectin doses that would normally be blocked from the central nervous system to gain access to it.Other herding breeds as listed above also have a tendency to express this mutation. There is now a test for P-glycoprotein mutation so that ivermectin sensitive dogs can be identified. This is a DNA test using an oral swab. Test kits can be ordered directly from the Washington State University Veterinary School via


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## ThaLadyPit (Oct 12, 2008)

Ok.. thanks for sharing that.. Now, my next question.. Interceptor... I can't remember if that has ivermec in it or not? Mama-Shawn uses this preventative on her GSD, Collies, Shelties, NSDTR (Novia Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever), Poms, and her Standard Poodles (yes, she has a lot of dogs, lol)...should I warn her about this info, or at least find out if she's aware of it? Common sense says I should.. but I wanted your opinion first.


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## Indigo Bully Connection (Dec 21, 2006)

Your friend is safe, the active ingredient in Interceptor is Milbemycin Oxime :woof:


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## ThaLadyPit (Oct 12, 2008)

Ok.. thanks Shana! I'm glad to know that.. I actually co-own one of the shelties with her.. I need to get her to send me some recent pix of him.. ya'll would love him.. he's an adorable little shy guy... he's a Tri color named Hamlet! He's so sweet though! I used to let them all out to play when I would clean the kennels after hours at night, and he would follow me around trying to herd me, lol! The rest would run off and play, but Hammie would stay right up under me!


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## geisthexe (Jan 18, 2007)

ThaLadyPit said:


> Ok.. thanks Shana! I'm glad to know that.. I actually co-own one of the shelties with her.. I need to get her to send me some recent pix of him.. ya'll would love him.. he's an adorable little shy guy... he's a Tri color named Hamlet! He's so sweet though! I used to let them all out to play when I would clean the kennels after hours at night, and he would follow me around trying to herd me, lol! The rest would run off and play, but Hammie would stay right up under me!


The only Heartworm medication that have Ivermectin in it is:
- Heartguard
- Iverhart

The others do not use Ivermectin

Great that you asked though


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