Ivermec

[jdean]

Do you think it is safe to keep giving my dogs ivermec every month. I just worry that anything that stays in their body enough to kill ticks and fleas must be hard on their systems.

[ataloss]

^There are those with a holistic view, not the majority, who say yes.

QUOTE: Non-pharmaceutical Prevention

The holistic viewpoint on these drugs is that taking monthly dosages of pharmaceuticals causes toxins to accumulate leading to effects over time that are not apparent during a single study or early in use. Veterinarians and others who embrace this point of view claim that supporting your pet's overall health will make her or him more resistant to heartworm infection. They recommend a healthy diet and plenty of exercise to keep worm larvae from infesting the heart. Mosquito repellents, keeping pets indoors during mosquito season, and herbal anti-parasite treatments are also recommended as alternatives to pharmaceutical preventatives.

Read more at Suite101: Is Heartworm Medication Dangerous for Dogs?: Side Effects of Monthly Heartworm Drugs Cause Pet Owner Concern http://dog-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/is_heartworm_medication_dangerous_for_dogs#ixzz0yXwL48zy UNQUOTE

My concerns were initially the same as yours. But since I discovered 'Vormec Plus'tablets I worry less as the dogs are just fine and have been for nearly 4 years: no ivermectin would have meant a lot of problems for my dogs, now and continuously ongoing. I had found that despite the monthly use of 'Fruntlyne' etc my dogs still suffered from tick infestation despite their being enclosed within a 2-rai walled homestead and never allowed contact with wandering village/street dogs. Three of the five mysteriously came down with mange, four years ago, which I treated over a six-week period with ivomec subcutaneous injections.

Since then I have been using a tiny ivermec tablet (Vormec Plus), once a month, for each of my dogs. They all have been free of ticks and mange for over three years now. I wish I had known of Vormec Plus before I had spent a fortune on the others. Vormec Plus tablets come in a ten-tablet plastic sleeve. My dogs each weigh ~40 kg so I must buy the larger 21-40 kg dog dosage of 12,000mcg at ~300Baht per box in a brown colored box. Lesser dosages cost proportionately less, and come in a green color and orange-yellow I believe.

Hope this satisfies you and your pet. Cheers

[jdean]

^There are those with a holistic view, not the majority, who say yes.

QUOTE: Non-pharmaceutical Prevention

The holistic viewpoint on these drugs is that taking monthly dosages of pharmaceuticals causes toxins to accumulate leading to effects over time that are not apparent during a single study or early in use. Veterinarians and others who embrace this point of view claim that supporting your pet's overall health will make her or him more resistant to heartworm infection. They recommend a healthy diet and plenty of exercise to keep worm larvae from infesting the heart. Mosquito repellents, keeping pets indoors during mosquito season, and herbal anti-parasite treatments are also recommended as alternatives to pharmaceutical preventatives.

Read more at Suite101: Is Heartworm Medication Dangerous for Dogs?: Side Effects of Monthly Heartworm Drugs Cause Pet Owner Concern http://dog-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/is_heartworm_medication_dangerous_for_dogs#ixzz0yXwL48zy UNQUOTE

My concerns were initially the same as yours. But since I discovered 'Vormec Plus'tablets I worry less as the dogs are just fine and have been for nearly 4 years: no ivermectin would have meant a lot of problems for my dogs, now and continuously ongoing. I had found that despite the monthly use of 'Fruntlyne' etc my dogs still suffered from tick infestation despite their being enclosed within a 2-rai walled homestead and never allowed contact with wandering village/street dogs. Three of the five mysteriously came down with mange, four years ago, which I treated over a six-week period with ivomec subcutaneous injections.

Since then I have been using a tiny ivermec tablet (Vormec Plus), once a month, for each of my dogs. They all have been free of ticks and mange for over three years now. I wish I had known of Vormec Plus before I had spent a fortune on the others. Vormec Plus tablets come in a ten-tablet plastic sleeve. My dogs each weigh ~40 kg so I must buy the larger 21-40 kg dog dosage of 12,000mcg at ~300Baht per box in a brown colored box. Lesser dosages cost proportionately less, and come in a green color and orange-yellow I believe.

Hope this satisfies you and your pet. Cheers

Thanks for your reply, I wait as long as I can before giving them their next dose, until the ticks start showing up again, usually about 5 weeks. Maybe I shouldn't wait but just give it every month. I live in Patong and the nearest vet started carrying ivermec in powder form, Before I had to sneak the pill into them but often they would discover it and not eat it. They love the powder form, I just mix it in with some canned dog food and you would think they are having the treat of their lives!!

[ataloss]

Hi jdean; The reason one must give the ivermec every 30 days is because the life-cycle of the pests are exactly 30 days (give or take a day or two. Thus new larvae hatch each and every 30 days. If you wait 5 weeks you are probably compounding the problem for your pet. I use a calendar to ensure exactly 30 days, plus a reminder on my refrigerator door just to ensure.Once you start missing a day here and another day or two there, these missing days can accumulate for the worse.

'Vormec Plus'are tiny tablets and most of the tablet is a chewable, edible, tasty treat to a dog, and I have found that they work at the lowest optimum dosage possible. I use a syringe filled with water, soup or milk; squirt enough into the dog's mouth to wet its throat so the pill won't stick, and then immediately empty the syringe along with the tablet into the dog's mouth. Be careful when using powder that you do not unintentionally give more. Some people think (incorrectly and possibly dangerously) that if a stated dosage is good, then a little more is better; when in fact they are jeopardizing their health. Ivermec ( liquid, tablet or powder) is a solid all-round effective product as it kills heart worm, hook worm and round worm(misnomer, as round 'worm' is not a worm); ticks, fleas, ear mites,plus demodectic and sarcoptic mange.

Note that you still have to give a separate specific pill to kill tapeworm; the ones I use from Bayer are each effective for at least 3 months. Cheers

BTW I have yet to see powdered ivermec; kindly post a picture and details, I will then check it out.

Edited September 8, 2010 by ataloss