Question about 3 month interval for heartworm medicines

[toryplatt]

Hello Dr. Jeff,
Do you mind explaining a little more to me about what you heard in the Merik presentation you mentioned to me by email? Was their information about three month activity for heart worm medication just about their heartgaurd product or about the products in general? Thank you so much!!!

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hey Tory!

Unfortunately, I didn't attend the Merck seminar I mentioned. I heard about it from a colleague. It was when they first launched Heartgard.

Neither she nor I can find a transcript or written confirmation of this info.

No, Merck didn't mention any other monthly heartworm products because there were none.

Until then, we gave heartworm pills every day.

 

[toryplatt]

Thanks Dr. Jeff,
What makes you comfortable with the 3 month dosing?

 

[toryplatt]

Also look what i just read, this is really cool!


Dosage amounts
With at least one drug, you can give your dog less than the recommended dosage of preventative, without compromising safety.

Milbemycin oxime, the active ingredient in Interceptor, has been approved by the FDA at one-fifth the regular dosage to kill heartworms only, without controlling intestinal parasites, including roundworms, whipworms, and hookworms. Novartis has a product, “SafeHeart,” with this lowered dosage of milbemycin, but has not yet marketed it. (You can read the FDA approvals showing that milbemycin oxime will control heartworm at one-fifth the dosage found in Interceptor on the FDA’s Web site; see “Resources”).

The actual recommended dosage of milbemycin oxime for heartworm prevention only is 0.05 mg per pound of body weight (0.1 mg per kg). Contrast this with the recommended dosage of Interceptor for control of heartworm and intestinal parasites: 0.23 mg milbemycin oxime per pound (0.5 mg/kg) of body weight. Heartworm can be prevented at a much lower dose than that needed to control intestinal parasites.

SafeHeart contains 2.3 mg of milbe-mycin oxime for dogs from 2 to 50 pounds, and 5.75 mg for dogs 50 to 125 pounds. Interceptor contains 2.3 mg for dogs up to 10 pounds, and 5.75 mg for dogs 11 to 25 pounds. So if your dog weighs more than 50 pounds, you can give the Interceptor for dogs 11 to 25 pounds; otherwise you can use the one for dogs up to 10 pounds.

Heartworm: Don't Take it Lightly - Whole Dog Journal

Many want to know if they can discontinue administering heartworm preventatives to their dogs, or whether those can be replaced by natural options.

www.whole-dog-journal.com

And look at this: 95% protections at 90 days! From same article..

The original FDA approval for Interceptor states, “Complete (100 percent) protection was achieved in dogs treated at 30 days post-infection, with 95 percent protection at 60 and 90 days.” This does not apply to SafeHeart, which was tested only at a 30-day dosing interval.

Now i need to try and find these FDA documents and read it myself...maybe the lower dose every 60 -90 days would be a good way to go with interceptor for Socks!
Best Regards, Tory

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Thanks Dr. Jeff,
What makes you comfortable with the 3 month dosing?

Excellent question!

The only data I have is my own and other holistic vets and pet parent experiences, similar to what you read.

I look forward to your finding and reading the original documents that you mentioned.

Thank you for doing this research. ?