# Heartwarming prevention



## 15WildTurkey (Apr 13, 2015)

hi there, I was hoping to pick the brains of anyone who uses Ivermectin injection at home for their dogs monthly heart worm prevention. 
I know you give it orally. I have a bottle and would like to start dosing my dog. She’s a mastiff and she weighs 85lbs. I just had her at the vet today for an ear infection and check up. Just over $300 latermg:and I still have to go back for a recheck. I can’t afford the heart worm meds. I asked the vet about dosage for her. She said it would be .02ml. She was very dismissive, like it would be impossible to administer that amount and I should just buy the meds. Does that dosage sound right to you guys? It’s the 1% Agri Mectin that I have. 
Thanks in advance.


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

A 1cc syringe will do the trick. No idea on dosage.


----------



## 15WildTurkey (Apr 13, 2015)

That’s what I was thinking. Totally possible to give that amount. Thanks


----------



## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Yep, use an insulin syringe. They are great for tiny amounts!


----------



## 15WildTurkey (Apr 13, 2015)

Thanks guys. I hate doubting myself. And being guilted into spending more then is necessary.


----------



## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

I thought the correct dosage for dogs was 0.2 mL per 75 lbs for ivermectin given orally.

0.02 would be pretty difficult to dose. 

Hopefully someone who uses it more can answer.


----------



## 15WildTurkey (Apr 13, 2015)

SalteyLove said:


> I thought the correct dosage for dogs was 0.2 mL per 75 lbs for ivermectin given orally.
> 
> 0.02 would be pretty difficult to dose.
> 
> Hopefully someone who uses it more can answer.


That's more like what I've read too. I'm hoping someone who does it can chime in too.


----------



## NicoleV (Dec 12, 2015)

Ok, I pulled out my book called Veterinary Parasitology reference manual. Pictures below on what it said about heartworm in the Parasites of Dogs section:

Prophylaxis treatment (big fancy word for preventative treatment) of ivermectin is 0.006mg/kg PO every 30 days.

Now I know what IM is and SQ is, (intramuscular and subcutaneous respectivly) but what's PO? I'm guessing ORALLY? I bet I should just Google it lol.


----------



## NicoleV (Dec 12, 2015)

According to Google:

PO = Abbreviation meaning by mouth, orally (from the Latin "per os", by mouth).


----------



## NicoleV (Dec 12, 2015)

More research has revealed this: the amount of ivermectin in my Nuheart heartworm pills (that I order from Australia at $3 a pop) is 136ug (micrograms I think, which equals .136mg) the package is for dogs 11 to 23kg. So the dosage is the same as my reference book at .006mg/kg of dogs weight. Because 23 kg roughly equals 136ug dose of ivermectin.

Now, what is the concentration of ivermectin in the injectable 1%? I don't have a bottle at home. How many mg of ivermectin per cc of injectable liquid? I'm assuming that the actual drug is in a solution, not 100% ivermectin. Is it only 1%?


----------



## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

Following


----------



## thespottedgoat (Feb 3, 2018)

ksalvagno said:


> A 1cc syringe will do the trick. No idea on dosage.


The 1cc syringe is what I use. Been giving Ivomec to my Pyrs for years. 1cc/100 lbs.


----------



## NicoleV (Dec 12, 2015)

At this website https://www.drugs.com/vet/ivomec-1-injection-for-cattle-and-swine.html If you scroll down to dosage, it says in both the cattle and swine section that:

1mL of ivermectin 1% injectable contains 10 mg of ivermectin.

So for a 50lb dog, you need 0.136 cc orally, or about 0.3cc for a 100lb dog.


----------



## NicoleV (Dec 12, 2015)

NicoleV said:


> At this website https://www.drugs.com/vet/ivomec-1-injection-for-cattle-and-swine.html If you scroll down to dosage, it says in both the cattle and swine section that:
> 
> 1mL of ivermectin 1% injectable contains 10 mg of ivermectin.
> 
> So for a 50lb dog, you need 0.136 cc orally, or about 0.3cc for a 100lb dog.


Oops! I was off by a factor of 10. It's actually about 0.03 cc per 100lbs! That is too small to dose even in a 1cc syringe. So I would dilute the ivermectin injectable down so it becomes 10% of your solution (9 parts dilutent, 1 part injectable) and then dose it at the .30cc per 100 lbs.


----------



## NicoleV (Dec 12, 2015)

Ok, and yet another heartworm drug confirming the dog dose of 0.006 mg of ivermectin per kg. In this description, they use mcg (micrograms) which equal 0.001mg. So that would be 6mcg/kg dog dose.

https://www.drugs.com/vet/iverhart-max-chewable-tablets.html

I guess dogs really don't need a lot of ivermectin to be effective. And it stays in their system for at least 30 days, so hence the monthly heartworm prevention pill.

Ok sorry for my million posts already on this subject. I found it really interesting as you all can tell by now.


----------



## 15WildTurkey (Apr 13, 2015)

Thank you so much everyone. I’ll sit and apply my brain to these properly tomorrow.


----------



## jschies (Aug 15, 2014)

I have been using it for years. My vet used it on his dogs also and made sure that I gave the correct dose. Although he always closed the exam room door before we talked about it. It is 1cc per 100 pounds given orally. So an 85 pound dog would get .85cc. You absolutely need a 1cc syringe!! Some dogs are sensitive to it and can't take it, so be sure yours isn't one of those breeds. My brother couldn't find a good vet for his geriatric dog with a terrible mange problem. I told him to try the ivermectin for it. He looked it up and vets now give it to some dogs daily for an extended period for mange!! He gave it for about a year and then tapered off to about once a week.


----------



## sewfitting (Feb 20, 2017)

I find this whole heart worm thing very interesting. I have owned dogs my whole life, I'm 62, I worked as a dental hygienist for 16 years, I read a lot, my two daughters are nurses and I know lots of people that own dogs. None of that means much, just some random information. Anecdotally, I have never heard of a dog anywhere, ever getting heart worms. I just find that curious. I never gave heart worm meds to either of my last two dogs. They both lived long lives and were fine. It must be extremely rare. I know from talking to the vet that it is horrible but no one I've talked to has ever shared a story of their dog or a family member's dog or a friend's dog getting it.


----------



## NicoleV (Dec 12, 2015)

I never heard of someone's dog getting it either until last summer. My friend's friend's dog got it and the owner was so upset and kicking himself for not preventing it. That's when I thought about it more seriously. I didn't want to be that person!


----------



## Dwarf Dad (Aug 27, 2017)

sewfitting said:


> I find this whole heart worm thing very interesting. I have owned dogs my whole life, I'm 62, I worked as a dental hygienist for 16 years, I read a lot, my two daughters are nurses and I know lots of people that own dogs. None of that means much, just some random information. Anecdotally, I have never heard of a dog anywhere, ever getting heart worms. I just find that curious. I never gave heart worm meds to either of my last two dogs. They both lived long lives and were fine. It must be extremely rare. I know from talking to the vet that it is horrible but no one I've talked to has ever shared a story of their dog or a family member's dog or a friend's dog getting it.


You who live in dry climates are lucky! Here dogs die of heartworms very often. My wife works at a vet clinic, and it seems that weekly someone has neglected heartworm medication and come in with their dog in bad shape.


----------



## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

I've never met someone who has never experienced heartworms in their family dogs.


----------



## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

It definitely depends on the part of the country


----------



## ElisheBA Palazzola (Dec 12, 2018)

You guys need to stop with all the injections for dogs or goats I have never given my dogs any injection they are totally healthy no vaccination what so ever my chihuahua just had 6 babies healthy stop wasting your money just give them good nutritious food and drink


----------



## ElisheBA Palazzola (Dec 12, 2018)

mariarose said:


> I've never met someone who has never experienced heartworms in their family dogs.


I have never had that problem with my dog totally natural


----------



## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

Please reconsider your stance toward other people's risks.

I truly am glad to hear you don't have mosquitoes, rabies, and parvo around you. Or predators requiring an outside LGD, who may tangle with wildlife that has rabies.

Welcome to our group. You will find us more helpful if you observe us and how we operate before insisting we do this or do that because of your personal experience.

You will also find us easier to help in that fashion. And I assume that is why you are here, to help and to be helped.


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

ElisheBA Palazzola said:


> You guys need to stop with all the injections for dogs or goats I have never given my dogs any injection they are totally healthy no vaccination what so ever my chihuahua just had 6 babies healthy stop wasting your money just give them good nutritious food and drink


That is great if you have had the good fortune of no problems but depending on where you live, even the best of diets won't prevent the diseases from happening.


----------



## ElisheBA Palazzola (Dec 12, 2018)

It the injection you giving them the disease doesn't matter where you live


----------



## Dwarf Dad (Aug 27, 2017)

ElisheBA Palazzola said:


> You guys need to stop with all the injections for dogs or goats I have never given my dogs any injection they are totally healthy no vaccination what so ever my chihuahua just had 6 babies healthy stop wasting your money just give them good nutritious food and drink


You've probably never eaten crawfish either, that doesn't mean that I can't.


----------



## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

ElisheBA Palazzola said:


> It the injection you giving them the disease doesn't matter where you live


Are you truly saying I should allow my $400.00 fully trained LGD face rabid wildlife and he won't contract rabies if I don't give him a vaccination?

Because I want to think well of all new members and would rather not misunderstand you.


----------



## Dwarf Dad (Aug 27, 2017)

ElisheBA Palazzola said:


> It the injection you giving them the disease doesn't matter where you live


We still welcome you to the group.:bighug:Education usually eradicates ignorance. Stay and learn.


----------



## ElisheBA Palazzola (Dec 12, 2018)

mariarose said:


> Please reconsider your stance toward other people's risks.
> 
> I truly am glad to hear you don't have mosquitoes, rabies, and parvo around you. Or predators requiring an outside LGD, who may tangle with wildlife that has rabies.
> 
> ...


Ok, I do understand I have snakes, cats plenty of mosquitoes and other predators T his how we learn for others right I would like to be helpful but animals are just like people we don't need the medications but we take it because they said we need it natural is the way


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

We are happy to hear about all sides and welcome all opinions. Everyone should take any advice with a grain of salt and consult with local vets or experts.


----------



## jschies (Aug 15, 2014)

Heartworms are carried by mosquitoes and passed into the bloodstream as microfilaria when the mosquitoes bite the dogs. So...if you don't have many mosquitoes, you won't have many dogs with heartworms. In southeast Texas we have LOTS of mosquitoes. If a dog here lives outside and isn't on prevention, it will die of heartworms. It is terrible to hear them cough with it!! Just so you understand about the mosquitoes... People say that before pesticides were used if you were down by the coastal marsh here, your arms would be black from all of the mosquitoes on your skin. The Native Americans here used alligator grease spread on their skin to keep the mosquitoes off. 
I enjoy reading about the different places in the world on here, so I thought that I would share that.


----------



## 15WildTurkey (Apr 13, 2015)

Thanks so much for everyone’s input. Education and information are wonderful things to base decisions on.


----------



## 15WildTurkey (Apr 13, 2015)

I just now realized that the title autocorrected to “Heartwarming”
 Makes it seem like a a cozy convo.


----------



## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

I thought it sounded like a cozy convo about preventing other cozy convos!


----------



## Dwarf Dad (Aug 27, 2017)

I would like to apologize to everyone. I got my stinger out too quickly, again. I jumped to the defense, needlessly, of those I have come to think of as extended family. Please do not hold it against me.
Again, apologies to all.


----------

