Heartworm Medication Overdose

Heartworms, Preventatives and Safety

Heartworm is a parasitic infestation that attacks a pet's heart and lungs, slowly causing damage that will eventually reach fatal proportions if left unchecked. The infestation is transferred by the bite of mosquitos which delivers a dose of microfilaria, or immature heartworms, directly into the animal's bloodstream.

Although this disease can be deadly, it is also highly preventable. All you need to do is have your vet test your dog for the presence of heartworms, and then put her on a daily or monthly preventative medication.

Heartworm medications come in two basic varieties. One is targeted strictly at heartworm prevention, while the second is a multi-purpose preventative that also targets other common worm and flea infestations. Both varieties are effective and safe when given as directed. However, the active medications used in these products can be dangerous to your dog if you accidently double the dosage.

Active Ingredients

To better understand heartworm medications, let's take a closer look at some of the common active ingredients used in their formulas.

• Ivermectin: This drug controls heartworms and is the most widely prescribed preventative medication for this parasite. However, most Collies cannot tolerate ivermectin and should never be given the drug.
• Milbemycin oxime: This drug controls heartworms and kills flea larvae and eggs, although it has also been known to cause a reaction in some breeds, namely Collies.
• Pyrantel pamoate: This drug controls roundworms and hookworms, and is typically used in combination with Ivermectin in multi-purpose preventatives.
• Praziquantel: This medication controls tapeworms, and is another drug that is frequently used in combination preventatives.

Now let's compare active ingredients by brand.

About Heartworm Medication Overdose

Although an infestation is certainly more dangerous to your pet than the preventative medications used to stave off these parasites, you should be aware of some risks.

First, if you put your dog on preventative without first letting your vet test for an infestation, you could actually make your dog very sick. Heartworm prevention is not the same thing as heartworm treatment. Putting your dog on prevention will leave you with a false sense of security that may inadvertently cause you to ignore the early symptoms of a true infestation.

Second, if you're not completely careful, you can actually give your dog an overdose. Dosages are formulated to be given to your dog either daily or monthly, and it's easy to forget you've already given your pet her regular dosage and administer it again. A helpful family member might also inadvertently give your dog a repeat dosage.

Symptoms of heartworm medication overdose include:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Lack of coordination

If you suspect your dog has received an overdose of his medication, promptly call your vet and take the product package to his/her office with you. This way, your vet will know exactly which active ingredients are involved.

Ways to Prevent an Overdose

Here are some helpful tips to help you and other household members avoid giving your pet a heartworm medication overdose.

Double Check Dosage with Your Vet

Although you might choose to buy a preventative directly from your vet after your pet's heartworm check has been completed, some owners prefer to buy this type of medication from a discount company. While this is completely acceptable, it can lead to some confusion about correct dosage.

The recommended dosages are based on your pet's weight, and unless you have a way to accurately measure your pet's weight, you're taking a gamble on the correct dosage. It's truly worth a few minutes of your time to call your vet to check your pet's weight as recorded at his checkup. You can also confirm the correct dosage with your vet at this time.

Mark Your Calendar

You can also easily keep track of your pet's medication by marking your calendar each time you give her a dose. This is a great way for other household members to see that the medication has already been given. Still, you should have an agreement that everyone will check with the dog's main care giver to make sure that no one forgot to record the dose after giving it. Oversights do happen.

Use a Pill Case

A pill case can be a great reminder to give your dog her daily preventative, if that's the variety she's on. These cases have a compartment for each day of the week. Just load one pill into each slot, and don't reload again until the entire box is empty.

You can also change the names of the days to months by covering them with a sticker. Just as with the daily medication, you shouldn't reload the case until the current monthly dosages are finished.