# heartworm



## john47 (Apr 5, 2010)

hi. i've been using ivermectin sheep dewormer for my dogs as a heartworm prevention but i can't find it anymore. my question is can i use ivomec 1% for cattle? if so what is the dosage? and if i can't use this what can i use. thank you.


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## Foyerhawk (May 7, 2009)

That's what I use. I won't give out dosages online. I am paranoid. But I have used it for 15 years. Works great.


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## oldhounddog (May 31, 2010)

john47 said:


> hi. i've been using ivermectin sheep dewormer for my dogs as a heartworm prevention but i can't find it anymore. my question is can i use ivomec 1% for cattle? if so what is the dosage? and if i can't use this what can i use. thank you.


Yes you can use Ivomec.

You will probably need to buy from a Vet in Canada.

You can buy here in the US . http://www.tractorsupply.com/ivomec-reg-ivermectin-1-injection-for-cattle-swine-50-ml-2207551


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what I do for HW prevention.............

You should check with your vet first to make sure your dogs test heart worm neg.

Below is what I use and do for my 10 hounds + one dog for a friend in need (dogs 8 weeks and older) , you can use your own judgment whether this will benefit you.

Ivomec 1% injection or generic Ivermectin 1% injection type are the same drug, just compare labels. 

Do not use "Ivomec Plus" or any generic "Ivermectin Plus" as it contains chemicals that may harm your dog . 

If you consider Heartgard the gold standard for HW prevention please read on for small, med and large dog application.

Dosing for dog 1 to 25 pounds. 68 mcg. 
Dosing for dog 26 to 50. 136 mcg. 
Dosing for dog 51 to 100 pounds. 272 mcg. 

As you can see there is a wide safety range for this drug as dogs at the lower end of a weight range receive much more Ivermectin than dogs at the top end. Having said this notice that FDA approved HW prevention dosing is in micrograms(mcg). Heartgard uses 2.72mcg. per pound as their upper control point , so , small dogs sometimes get significantly more Ivermectin than 2.72mcg. per pound in a given weight range. 
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Ivermectin 1% injection straight out of the bottle has 10 mg of Ivermectin per ml/cc. 
One ml/cc of Ivermectin 1% injection contains 10 mg. / 10,000 mcg. Ivermectin. 
One tenth (1/10) ml/cc Ivermectin 1% contains 1mg. /1,000mcg. Ivermectin.

It is hard to measure less than 1/10 ml/cc. , so , for the small dog of say 20 pounds or less using the Heartgard dose of 68 mcg. Ivermectin , it would make sense to dilute the Ivermectin 1% injection. 

Use food grade propylene glycol from local pharmacy or farm supply to dilute Ivermectin 1%.

** Do Not Use Ethylene Glycol ( antifreeze ) as this is POISON and will KILL The Dog ** 



I buy IVOMEC® (IVERMECTIN) 1% INJECTION FOR CATTLE & SWINE, 50 ML bottle as this is the most cost effective for me. 

Go to local pharmacy and pick up a new 120 ml plastic bottle, they will prolly give it to you. 

Fill with food grade propylene glycol to 99 ml/cc eyeball just under the 100 ml/cc mark. Draw up 1 ml/cc Ivermectin 1% injection ( make sure it is a full ml with no air bubble) and add to the 99 ml/cc of propylene glycol in the bottle. Shake to mix.
Always clean rubber top on Ivermectin w/alcohol, let dry and use throw away syringes graduated in ml/cc . Never stick your source bottle of Ivermectin twice with same syringe , always use a new syringe.

You have 1 ml/cc Ivermectin 1% ( 10 mg ivermectin ) now in 99 ml/cc of proplene glycol for a total of 100 ml/cc.

10mg Ivermectin divided by total solution of 100ml = 0.1 mg or 100 mcg ivermectin per ml/cc. 

To dose the small dog using the Heartgard schedule of 68 mcg. just draw up .7 ml/cc or 7/10 ml/cc of diluted Ivermectin 1% and you have 70 mcg. (micrograms) of Ivermectin. 

To dose the large dog with above schedule 51 to 100 pounds just draw up 2.8 ml/cc or 2 and 8/10 ml/cc and you have 280 mcg. (micrograms) of Ivermectin.

Helpful Note: When measuring my dose, I pour a little of my mixed Ivermectin solution into a small dosing cup and use a dropper graduated in ml/cc or a dosing syringe(no needle) graduated in ml/cc to draw up the dose and give to dog or put on food. Make sure if on food that dog eats everything so you know the dose was given in full. If you are ever not sure your dog ate everything just re-dose with full amount the next day. Do not pour what is left over back into source bottle or you risk contamination. Just throw any solution leftover away as it is very inexpensive.

**Always use a fresh disposable sryinge to draw Ivermectin 1% and wipe top of bottle alcohol**

********Keep everything very clean so as not to contaminate mixed solution*********

Safety Note: As with any drug , make sure that Ivermectin can be used with any other medication , supplement or spot on topical such as Flea Prevention you are using. I do know that Ivermectin should not be used with the " Comfortis Flea control medication". If in doubt as to drug interaction with any med the dog is on ckeck with your vet first before using Ivermectin.


To the above HW prevention I add generic pyrantel pamoate dosed by weight for parasite prevention.
http://www.revivalanimal.com/Pyrantel-50mg.html

Best , oldhounddog


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## juliemule (Dec 10, 2011)

Yes I use the 1% ivermectin, given at 1/10th of a ml per 10 lbs. Usually its 1/10th per 20 lbs, but since there is a huge failure rate with many preventions here, we have increased it. So for a 50 lb dog, I give 0.5 ml.

Haven't had this method fail yet.


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## john47 (Apr 5, 2010)

thank you for your help everyone.


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## john47 (Apr 5, 2010)

oldhounddog thank you for all the info. some people tell me they do not mix it and some people are telling me to mix it. when i used the sheep dewormer i didn't mix it but the sheep dewormer was .80%. the cattle dewormer is 1%. is this the reason for mixing? the vets where i live will not give me any information. instead they want to sell me heartgaurd for $20 a dose. by the way my dogs weigh 70 pounds each. thank you.


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## john47 (Apr 5, 2010)

juliemule, do you dilute your ivermectin?


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## oldhounddog (May 31, 2010)

john47 said:


> oldhounddog thank you for all the info. some people tell me they do not mix it and some people are telling me to mix it. when i used the sheep dewormer i didn't mix it but the sheep dewormer was .80%. the cattle dewormer is 1%. is this the reason for mixing? the vets where i live will not give me any information. instead they want to sell me heartgaurd for $20 a dose. by the way my dogs weigh 70 pounds each. thank you.


The reason for dilution is to get an accurate dose for small dogs.

There was an old Beagle guide publication back in the mid 1980's that gave the dose rate for Ivermectin 1% at 1/10 cc/ml per ten pounds of dog weight for Heart Worm Prevention. In dogs that can tolerate Ivermectin this worked fairly well for the intended Beagle size dog , however , for larger size dogs this can be a problem.

For example: The HeartGuard dose for a dog 51 to 100 pounds is 272 mcg.(micrograms) of Ivermectin. 

Using the dose rate from the old Beagle Guide , a 50 pound dog would receive a 5/10 ml/cc Ivermectin 1% or 5000 mcg. (micrograms) , and , a 100 pound dog would receive 1cc/ml Ivermectin 1% or 10000 (micrograms). As you can see this is way over the normal dose range for dog HW prevention.

The Ivomec sheep drench for oral use that you refer to is .08% (Ivermectin) , so , 1 ml/cc Ivomec sheep drench .08% contains 800 mcg. (micrograms) of Ivermectin.

If you can find the Ivomec Sheep drench .08% you could measure an accurate dose without dilution.



Hope this helps.

oldhounddog


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## juliemule (Dec 10, 2011)

john47 said:


> juliemule, do you dilute your ivermectin?


 No, but it tastes horrible obviously, so be sure they don't spit it back out. I found that not diluting it gives less to spit out, and also ensures it stays at proper consistency and dosage.
Do not give it by injection, it is extremely painful! I had a pup jump up and hit my arm as I was drawing it up, sticking.myself in the thumb, felt that my hand would explode!


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## juliemule (Dec 10, 2011)

oldhounddog said:


> The reason for dilution is to get an accurate dose for small dogs.
> 
> There was an old Beagle guide publication back in the mid 1980's that gave the dose rate for Ivermectin 1% at 1/10 cc/ml per ten pounds of dog weight for Heart Worm Prevention. In dogs that can tolerate Ivermectin this worked fairly well for the intended Beagle size dog , however , for larger size dogs this can be a problem.
> 
> ...


I agree. If I didn't live in the Mississippi valley area, and have had three dogs which heartgard failed on, I would not be giving the higher dosage. 
I have not had an issue with this dose though. Before heartgard, this was prescribed by the old vets. Heartgard is a safer dose, but after treatment, and still have one testing positive, with permanent heart and lung damage, this works for me.

Still unsure why the failure is happening, and it isn't only with ivermectin here, as first suspected. They are leaning towards lower drug dosages, being the cause for resistance, but its not proven yet. Ugh!


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## oldhounddog (May 31, 2010)

juliemule said:


> I agree. If I didn't live in the Mississippi valley area, and have had three dogs which heartgard failed on, I would not be giving the higher dosage.
> I have not had an issue with this dose though. Before heartgard, this was prescribed by the old vets. Heartgard is a safer dose, but after treatment, and still have one testing positive, with permanent heart and lung damage, this works for me.
> 
> Still unsure why the failure is happening, and it isn't only with ivermectin here, as first suspected. They are leaning towards lower drug dosages, being the cause for resistance, but its not proven yet. Ugh!


Resistance to Ivermectin for Heartworm prevention is for sure a concern for all of us that use this drug. When the FDA approved Ivermectin for Heartworm prevention in dogs @ 2.72 mcg per pound (lb) body weight , at that time that was the lowest dose that would kill 100% of the circulating microfilaria.

I think many have increased their dosage of Ivermectin for a safety margin of protection. I have had 2 doge treated with Imiticide for Heartworms , and , I am also concerned with efficacy just as you are. 

We now have a shortage of Imiticide and I have another rescue dog that test marginal pos for Heartworms. I have started alternative treatment with Ivermectin/Doxycycline protocol.

Best wishes for sick dog...........


oldhounddog


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

WAIT! The reason they lowered the dosage on heartworm meds is because of border collie drug sensitivity. The dosages on avermectins (all heartworm meds are avermectins) are all set low enough not the kill the various collie breeds sensitive to that class of drugs. If you dose a collie or collie mix as stated above, you could very well kill it.


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## juliemule (Dec 10, 2011)

Amaryllis said:


> WAIT! The reason they lowered the dosage on heartworm meds is because of border collie drug sensitivity. The dosages on avermectins (all heartworm meds are avermectins) are all set low enough not the kill the various collie breeds sensitive to that class of drugs. If you dose a collie or collie mix as stated above, you could very well kill it.


Yes, you have to be sure you don't have a sensitive breed as a collie, and many herders.


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