Why do I need a prescription for Heartgard med?

Question

The heartworm preventive medication. I can buy it from Canada without a prescription, but it's not the meat flavored chewable type.

Answer 1

Ivermectin, the drug that is in Heartguard, can affect some types of dogs in very bad ways. The liquid form, probably what you can buy from Canada, is used in large animals, like cattle...it is TOO STONG for dogs! While MOST breeds of dogs could eat a whole package of Heartguard without any effects, there are certain breeds, primarily collies and others like them that have a sensitivity to this drug. The technical issue is that it crosses their blood-brain barrier more easily than in other breeds, which can lead to neurologic side effects, even seizures and death if you are using that cattle dose! It can still be safe to give sensitive dogs the correct dosage...but that's why it can't be just an over the counter drug!

There are also some issues with putting your dog on preventive if they already have heartworms. While it's not, in itself, going to kill your dog, it can cause some problems. Older drugs WOULD kill your dog if they already had the worms, because they killed the adults, which would die, leave the heart and clog up the vessles in the lungs and even heart...triggering basically, a heart attack. Heartgaurd CAN be used for what's called the "slow kill" method...but you are not getting rid of the adult worms (ivermectin only kills a certain stage of the worm...NOT adults)...so the adults are still in the heart and pulmonary vasculature, so they can still cause problems. You are just waiting for them to die of "old age" while you kill off any offspring they produce monthly. It can be done, but you need to restrict excersize and that sort of thing for a LONG time while the worms die off.

To safely use this drug, you need to have a current heartworm test and use the dosage prescribed for you dog! I wish it could be an over the counter drug too! But, drugs are usually controlled for a reason other than profit (though I'm sure that plays into it to!)

Answer 2

You must have a prescription, because without proper and timely testing for heart worm infection, the drug could kill the dog. Ivermectin, the drug in heart worm preventative medications, is targeted to kill only certain larval stages of the heart worm parasite. During these stages, the larvae are small, and easily removed from the bloodstream and expelled by the body. In advanced stages of the disease, where there are adult worms present, the ivermectin will kill them, and they will become lodged in the valves and arteries, causing cardiac arrest.

I couldn't begin to tell you why Canada does not require the proper procedure, but that is what happens when you don't.

Answer 3

Sorry but those of you who say the drug will kill the adult worms and cause heart problems are incorrect. I have two rescues with heartworms, and TWO different vets recommended i TREAT the heartworms with heartguard. Do you realize what this means? The very thing the vets told us to NOT use heartguard for, they now tell us its a reason to use hearguard. So its all a big scam just to milk us hard working pet lovers. A prescription should not be needed and i am making it my personal goal to try and change this in our country.

Answer 4

If you give it to a dog with heartworm they will do what is called bleed out. Which mean the dog bleeds from every orifice. Mouth, nose, eyes, ears, ***. Not pretty and stupid people always think they know better and can give the meds without a test to be sure the heartworm doesn't already exist. If you can do a heartworm test you can get the meds. They aren't difficult only need to draw a few drops of blood for a snap test.

Answer 5

ok, the reason heartgard ought to be prescribed at our wellbeing center is to make sure the protection of the puppy. at the beginning, ivermectin/pyrantal pamoate is a robust deworming medicine it incredibly is to no longer be taken with out precautions, like a heartworm attempt. in spite of the incontrovertible fact that, in the journey that your canines is helpful for heartworms, they could be taken care of with heartgard and different treatments. it is likewise important to have your canines examined frequently for heartworm (in lots of situations each and each year) simply by fact the hazards develop in accordance with the place you reside (gotten smaller with the aid of mosquito bites) desire this helps. :-)

Answer 6

The answer is a $40 vet visit and some other charges to force you to fork out more money on top of the already expensive drug that your dog needs. That is the answer... Cash is King!

Answer 7

because they want to make sure they are giving you the right kind and the amount that your vet prescribed . You would not want to give your dog something to kill it would you ? of course not . I hope I helped .

Answer 8

that's an interesting question and I hope you will get some valuable answers

Answer 9

I was curious about this too