Interceptor Heartworm

Interceptor heartworm medication, or as it is commercially known, Interceptor® Flavor Tabs, is a once a month heartworm preventative medication for dogs. Interceptor heartworm medication is a controlled medical substance and is obtainable only with a veterinarian’s prescription.

Heartworm is a disease that can kill if left undiagnosed and untreated. Although once prevalent in the South and Western parts of the country, it has spread throughout the United States. There is no dog breed immune from heartworm. Literally, the worms make their way to the heart and interrupt the way it beats and moves blood. Heartworm is painful to your dog. In addition to preventing heartworm, Interceptor® also works to prevent roundworms and whipworm infections in dogs.

The name for its active ingredient is milbemycin oxim. Milbemycin oxim works by disrupting neurotransmission in the worms. Killing heartworms at the larvae stage is important since heartworms are quick to grow in dogs. Since heartworm is transmitted via the bite of a mosquito, it is important to begin treatment with Interceptor® at least one month before mosquito season starts in your area.

Interceptor® is made for and distributed by Novartis Animal Health US, Inc., of Greensboro, North Carolina. Dogs must be tested for heartworm before it is prescribed because the treatment for a dog that actively displays the disease is different.

The drug comes in blister packed tabs and is administered to your dog by mouth. A monthly dosage is normally given on a year round basis, although there is a lively disagreement among dog owners at some on-line sites who believe it should only be given during the high mosquito months of the year. Again, it is important to remember that the drug also prevents roundworms and hookworms, and that is the reason veterinarians promote its use on a year round basis.

Interceptor® is prescribed in a milligram dosage that varies according to the weight of an individual dog.

According to the Novartis website, Interceptor® has been tested on over 70 breeds of dogs in all developmental stages of life. While it should not be used in puppies under four weeks and at two pounds or less, it is safe to use on all dogs at the recommended dosage level, including pregnant dogs.

Most veterinarians recommend that the dose be applied on the same day of every month to maintain its effectiveness and protection, as well as to help you remember to give it.

Novartis and many dog owners in chat rooms across the web agree that getting a dog to take Interceptor® heartworm flavor tabs is not a problem. However, there is always the street-smart dog that refuses to take a pill no matter how tasty it is advertised to be.

Hiding the tab in a dollop of peanut butter, inserting it in it in a favorite treat or wrapping it in a piece of cheese can help assure your dog swallows it.

Animals, like humans, can display sensitivity to a medication. Dogs may experience mild increased breathing, salivating or fatigue. Contact your vet immediately if you notice any of the following syptoms after dosing your pet:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Convulsions
• Extreme weakness
• Paralysis

Remember too, if your dog has a severe medication reaction and appears poisoned and your vet is not available, you may call the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center at 1-900-443-0000. There is a $55 charge applied directly to your phone bill for this service.

It is important to remember that this is a medication. Not every dog will tolerate it, although it seems a great majority of dogs do. There are other treatments and medications available for heartworm if your dog happens to be in the minority of dogs who display an adverse reaction to the drug.

Interceptor® heartworm medication is just that – a medication. Store it out of the way of both children and animals.

In addition, it is important to pick up dog droppings in your yard and dispose of them to prevent other animals from coming into contact with them.

Bathe and groom your dog regularly and even in these tight times, put a little money aside each week so your best friend can see his vet regularly.

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