Ultimate Guide to Heartgard Plus Chewables for Dogs
Meet Top Heart Protector: Heartgard Plus Chewables for Dogs!
Heartgard Plus Chewables is the veterinarian, FDA, and EPA-approved medication that protects your dogs from dangerous internal parasites, such as heartworms, roundworms, hookworms, and ascarids. Safe and effective, Heartgard Plus Chewables is a real beef chewable taken monthly to especially prevent vicious heartworm disease.
As a preventative drug, Heartgard Plus Chewables should only be used on untreated dogs. Make sure your pup is tested by your veterinarian before use.
How do Heartgard Plus Chewables work?
Heartgard Plus Chewables is a medication with two active ingredients. Ivermectin and Pyrantel are both anthelmintics or dewormers.
Ivermectin is commonly known as a heartworm preventative by eliminating the tissue stage of heartworm larvae (Dirofilaria immitis). It is a monthly anti-parasitic agent that paralyzes, kills, and treats infections caused by gastrointestinal parasites. Pyrantel pamoate is used to treat roundworm, hookworm, and stomach worm parasites in dogs.
NOTE: FDA-approved Ivermectin has broad-spectrum anti-parasitic and anti-viral activity in vitro. It is an inhibitor of the virus SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19. Ivermectin is widely available due to its inclusion on the World Health Organization's (WHO) list of essential medicines.
How are Heartgard Plus Chewables administered?
Heartgard Plus Chewables are administered orally once a month and protect your dog to be worm-free for the next 30 days. These real beef-flavored chewable tablets can be used as dog treats or eaten with the dog's food. Heartgard Plus Chewables are used year-round for maximum prevention effectiveness.
| Weight |
Ivermectin/Pyrantel Content per tablet (mcg/mg) |
No. of Tablets |
| 0 - 25 lbs. | 68/57 | One |
| 26 - 50 lbs. | 136/114 | One |
| 51 - 100 lbs. | 272/227 | One |
What are the precautions of which you should be aware?
Most importantly, ensure that every dog is tested for heartworm infection before beginning prevention therapy and using Heartgard Plus Chewables.
Oral Heartgard Plus Chewables are effective against the tissue heartworm larval stage of D. immitis for a month after infections of the preventative. However, Heartgard Plus Chewables cannot prevent the development of the adult stage.
Use with caution for collies and other herding dog breeds. These breeds have been known to have adverse reactions to ivermectin at elevated dose levels. Lastly, use the right and recommended dose level for pregnant or breeding dogs, stud dogs, and puppies at least 6 weeks old.
What are the potential side effects of which you should be aware?
Heartgard Plus Chewables is well tolerated by most dogs. Some unfriendly but uncommon reactions have been reported, such as vomiting, diarrhea, depression, lethargy, and hypersalivation. An overdose may cause tremors, disorientation, mydriasis, blindness, or loss of appetite.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Heartgard Plus?
Heartgard Plus for dogs is a chewable heartworm medicine for dogs. The Heartgard medication is heartworm chewable for dogs, which offers protection against heartworms. These heartworm chews kill heartworms before they even pose a serious health threat to your dog.
Heartworm infestation may progress to become what is called heartworm disease, which causes significant damage to vital organs. This can lead to severe lung issues, heart failure, and untimely death. Therefore, it's a must to have your canine friend on a monthly cycle of Heartgard Plus dewormer.
Do I Need a Prescription for Heartgard Plus for Dogs?
Yes, Heartgard Plus is a prescription medicine and requires Heartgard prescribing information to purchase. All effective heartworm medications, including Heartgard Plus, require a prescription in the US.
While purchasing Heartgard plus chewables without a vet is possible, it involves a lot of risks. Therefore, it's advisable to get FDA-approved preventives like Heartgard Plus with a proper prescription from your vet.
Does Heartgard Plus Kill Tapeworms?
Heartgard plus ingredients include Ivermectin and Pyrantel Pamoate. The Heartgard Plus Ivermectin Pyrantel tablets offer protection against heartworms, roundworms, and hookworms.
Unfortunately, Heartgard Plus doesn't offer protection against tapeworms. For tapeworms, you'll need another prescription drug called Praziquantel.
Does Heartgard Plus Kill Roundworms?
Yes, Heartgard Plus kills roundworms and offers protection against health issues caused by these worms. The Heartgard Plus medicine is effective against two species of roundworms and three species of hookworms.
It's essential to safeguard your dog against roundworms as a single roundworm can lay up to 1,00,000 eggs in a single day in the intestines of infected dogs and cause weight loss, diarrhea, vomiting, malnutrition, and weakness.
What Is the Difference Between Heartgard and Heartgard Plus?
While Heartgard Plus and Heartgard for dogs may sound similar, there is a fundamental difference between the two. While Heartgard offers protection against heartworm disease alone, Heartgard Plus tablets are effective against three types of worms, including heartworm, roundworm, and hookworm.
The Heartgard Plus is the better option among the two as it offers wider protection against diseases. But, on the other hand, Heartgard medication is ideal for dogs that are already fighting heartworm disease and need a concentrated dose.
How Long Does Heartgard Plus Last?
Most heartworm preventive medications like Heartgard Plus require monthly administration. Monthly preventives like Heartgard and Heartgard Plus don't stay in your dog's bloodstream for over 30 days. The active ingredients in the medication work to eliminate any larvae that must have been in the system for the last 30 days, clearing the body each month. The main reason the medication is only needed once a month is that it takes more than a month for larvae to grow enough to infect body tissues.
What Is the Difference Between Heartgard and Tri-Heart Plus?
Heartgard and Tri-Heart Plus are two different medications with the same purpose. The only difference between the two is that Heartgard Plus is a soft beefy chew, whereas Tri-Heart Plus is a chewable, beef-flavored tablet.
It may surprise you to know that these two most popular medications for dogs are more alike than they are different. Both Heartgard Plus and Tri-Heart Plus have Pyrantel Pamoate and Ivermectin to prevent heartworms, hookworms, and roundworms.
These chews are both prescription medicines safe for pregnant or breeding dogs and puppies over six weeks of age.
How Often Do You Give Heartgard Plus?
Because heartworm and other larvae take at least 30 days to reach the stage where they penetrate body tissues, Heartgard Plus is administered monthly.
There are two kinds of heartworm preventives - monthly preventives administered orally and injectable preventives requiring dosage every six or 12 months. Either type is fine as long as you adhere strictly to the schedule.
Can a Dog Overdose on Heartgard Plus?
Yes, if your dog consumes 10-20 times more than the recommended dosage, there is a high risk of overdosing. The Heartgard Plus medication is recommended to administer every month at a recommended minimum dosage of 6 mcg of ivermectin and 5 mg of pyrantel per kilogram of the body weight.
In the case of overdose, you may see symptoms like lethargy, depression, vomiting, dilated pupils, disorientation, loss of appetite, blindness, and coma, among others. Always consult your vet and get a prescription for recommended dosage before administering Heartgard Plus to your dog.
Can You Cut Heartgard Plus in Half?
According to Merial, the Heartgard Plus manufacturer, it's not recommended to cut or split the Heartgard Plus to halve the dosage. This is because the active ingredient is not spread evenly throughout the tablet. The company doesn't guarantee the effectiveness of the medicines if the dose is split. It's best to get the right size tablets for your dogs from your vet.
Concluding Thoughts
The most important thing that you should know about Heartgard Plus Chewables for Dogs is that it is the top choice preventative against the dangerous heartworm disease in which it gives your dog a layer of protection from stomach worm infestations for 30 days. Heartgard Plus Chewables for Dogs will improve your dog's quality of life.
DISCLAIMER: FDA law restricts Heartgard Plus Chewables for Dogs only on order or prescription of a licensed veterinarian for the best pet health care advice. Ask your veterinarian or consult with one of our pet care specialists at 1-800-844-1427. This informative article is not meant to substitute for the diagnosis, treatment, and professional advice from your veterinarian or other qualified professionals regarding a medical condition. Ask your veterinarian if it's a good idea to treat all of the animals in your household to control a home flea infestation.
Tri-Heart Plus is a generic/alternative to Heartgard Plus, with the same active ingredients at a lower price.
