# Ivermectin for Heartworm prevention?



## TheGermanIsBack

I've been asking 3 different vets in the last two weeks on how much to give my dogs by mouth. Got 3 different answers. How much do y'all give?
Let's use this type of syringe as reference.


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## mschlapa

With a 1% solution it is 1/10 cc per 10 lbs


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## JustUs4All

From:  http://www.dogaware.com/health/ivomec.html#undiluted
Dosage using Ivermectin 1% solution undiluted for heartworm prevention: give 1 drop (one-half of 0.1 cc). This amount will provide more ivermectin than is needed for heartworm prevention, as follows:

    10 pounds: 1 drop provides 18 times the minimum dosage
    20 pounds: 1 drop provides 9 times the minimum dosage
    30 pounds: 1 drop provides 6 times the minimum dosage
    40 pounds: 1 drop provides 5 times the minimum dosage
    50 pounds: 1 drop provides 4 times the minimum dosage
    60-70 pounds: 1 drop provides 3 times the minimum dosage
    80-100 pounds: 1 drop provides 2 times the minimum dosage.

1 cc of ivermectin 1% undiluted contains 10,000 mcg; 0.1 cc = 1,000 mcg, 1 drop = approx 500 mcg ivermectin.
The exact dosage is 0.00272 ml (approximately 0.003 cc) per 10 pounds of body weight.


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## Joe Overby

Undiluted it is 1/10 of one cc per 10 lbs of body weight...
But, my vet dilutes it for me with propylene glycol...1cc diluted treats an 80lb animal.


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## rvick

have given 1/10th of 1 cc per 10 lbs. of body weight once a month (1% solution) by mouth for many years to many different breeds & all have lived at least 12 1/2 years unless killed by misadventure. if you will give your dog a large dose of mineral oil 24 hours before giving it Ivermectin, it will help with tapeworms. Once knew a lady who dosed her Fox Terrior & Cocker Spaniel with 10x too much Ivermectin  (one dose) & both never showed any problems from it. Remember 1 cc = 1 mL.


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## grouper throat

Yep what they said^. I have heard a few claims of it killing dogs after many years of overdosing but have yet to hear a believable one.


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## TheGermanIsBack

Thanks guys.

I will go with 1/10 of 1 cc per 10 lbs. 

Looks like I will be saving some money on ivec.


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## waddler

I had all kinds of problems trying to dose my Brits by myself. They did not like the taste and would spit it out and snatch away. Never did find a good way to get them to eat it on food. Finally gave up.


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## Joe Overby

If you have it diluted by a vet it's actually sweetened...put it on a hot dog and viola! Instant homemade heartguard...


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## Luke0927

Best way is to dilute with PEG and get the ratio right...JR enterprise or something like that online has been selling it pre mixed for years....I think $25 bucks that includes shipping enough for several small dogs for a year or large dog.  I have a vet friend who pre mixes mine (you can do yourself also just have sit down and do the math)


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## king killer delete

Do not give this to any dog that has Collie Blood lines. Stray , pure bred. Do not use this on a Collie. This is what I use on my lab and beagle. No problems but do not use Ivermec on any collie breed.


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## Scrapy

killer elite said:


> Do not give this to any dog that has Collie Blood lines. Stray , pure bred. Do not use this on a Collie. This is what I use on my lab and beagle. No problems but do not use Ivermec on any collie breed.



Yes, no collie types for sure.  My vet sweetens it with propylene glycol. But that is NOT antifreeze. 
At 1/10 cc per ten lbs, that's only 0.7 cc for a big 70 lb hound. Measure it and squirt in back of mouth. No way to spit that little bit out.  I do not inject with a neddle under the skin or in the muscle. Just orally. Nothing could be simpler.

My vet say there is a very wide safety margin. Half a dose monthly still gives good control and twice too much doesn't affect dogs that he sees.

Also can be used to treat mange at the same rate only given daily for a month or more. I have done that and did not hurt the pup. It finally cured it and cost $20 versus the 180$ treatment that did not alleviate it..

He says heartworms go through several stages of filaria and it takes nine months to reach the adult stage at which point Ivermec does not work on adults. However, if a newborn pup gets mosqitor bit on day one, and loaded with filarial, he gives a antihistamine along with the first treatment.  The adults he figures just must die off one at a time till the dog is clean. But not as bad as the old time treatment where dogs had to be kept quiet for a month because that treatment killed all the adults at one time and clog up a heart valve sometimes.


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## Bkeepr

JustUs4all thanks for posting the actual weight of ivermectin (micrograms) present in the liquid amounts (mililiters).  That's what was confusing me!


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## chocolate dog

Scrapy said:


> I do not inject with a neddle under the skin or in the muscle. .



Thats a good thing.

NEVER, EVER Inject this stuff into a dog!  EVER.  

Yes I know the package says injectable but thats for cows.

My Lab weighs 60 pounds.  She gets .6 of a cc of Ivermectin on a piece of bread and gobbles it down without problem.


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## rvick

buttered bread will usually work, if not just squirt it right down the back of the throat. use a syringe with a screw on needle & just leave the needle in the bottle, in the icebox. keep out of reach of children,of course.


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## specialk

just to make sure GermanB......here is a mark for 1/10th cc in the pic u posted......in winter months by me I will go every 45 days instead of 30.......


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## Joe Overby

Why on earth would you risk your dog's health and only protect against heartworms every 45 days instead of the recommended 30 days?


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## king killer delete

Joe Overby said:


> Why on earth would you risk your dog's health and only protect against heartworms every 45 days instead of the recommended 45 days?



X2 X2 here on the coast we have a heartworm threat 7 days a week 365 a year


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## chocolate dog

Ivermectin 1% is cheap.  Especially when you consider how far it will go.  On one dog that weighs around 60# or so, the bottle will likely expire before you can use it all.

I will keep dosing mine every 30 days as recommended.


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## TheGermanIsBack

Specialk, I don't think soo. That would mean a 30 lbs dog would get that whole syringe. 
Justus4all is saying 1 drop provides 6 times the mimum doses!
I'm going with 0.3 ML on this syringe. Correct me if I'm wrong.


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## specialk

never considered it a risk...worm free since 1988...


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## chocolate dog

TheGermanIsBack said:


> Specialk, I don't think soo. That would mean a 30 lbs dog would get that whole syringe.
> Justus4all is saying 1 drop provides 6 times the mimum doses!
> I'm going with 0.3 ML on this syringe. Correct me if I'm wrong.



He made two red marks.  in between those marks is .1 ml.

The 1  on the syringe is ONE ml.   If you have a 100# dog you would pull it to the 1 mark.   A 50# dog you would pull it to the 0.5 mark etc.


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## joey1919

chocolate dog said:


> He made two red marks.  in between those marks is .1 ml.
> 
> The 1  on the syringe is ONE ml.   If you have a 100# dog you would pull it to the 1 mark.   A 50# dog you would pull it to the 0.5 mark etc.



yep, get you a syringe that reads in 1/10th ml, might make it simpler. your syringe full would treat 300lbs of dog


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## king killer delete

specialk said:


> never considered it a risk...worm free since 1988...



I would not take the risk. I treat my dogs once a month. It also helps in parasite control.


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## Scrapy

1ml = 1cc in my figuring. There is probably an equation that says I am wrong but it's close enough for me. If filaria cycle over nine months to make uncontrolled adults I guess you could go 8 months.  I give it once a month because it is easier to remember than say 45 days. I say easier to remember but I sometime forget, so sometime it's 60 days for me LOL.


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## chocolate dog

Scrapy said:


> 1ml = 1cc .



Exactly


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## TheGermanIsBack

Thanks. Didn't look at it as 2 marks.  
Might need to get me a bigger phone or better reading glasses


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## Amoo

The current dosing for Ivermectin for dogs isn't .1cc/10lbs.  The once every 30 days is based on the efficacy of the medicine and not necessarily anything to do with the filaria cycle itself.

The mentioning in here about Collie style breeds is correct as well.  The saying taught in vet school is "white on the feet, don't treat".

The reason the OP probably keeps getting different answers is probably because it can vary.  This isn't a Vet article, but it is a math article and explains things pretty well:

http://www.mikerags.com/node/23

In our office we give the recommendation of .1cc per 22lbs of Ivermec 1%


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## Prorain

*Be careful!*

Be careful please or you will burn up your buddy's organs!I do .1 to 15 lbs because i didn't like the way they acted at the .1 to 10lbs.


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## Scrapy

Prorain said:


> Be careful please or you will burn up your buddy's organs!I do .1 to 15 lbs because i didn't like the way they acted at the .1 to 10lbs.


Not to be argue mentative, but I do not believe that organ stuff for a second. If the vet says 0.1 cc per 22 pounds that is fine.  I use 0.1 per ten. As of now but sometimes I forget and it gets it once in two months. I have treated pups for mange with it, after I tried home brews and burnt oil and all.  Even a one time $180 treatment per pup  that did NOT work. I believe what the previous poster said, sounds like he is a vet. I ain't getting into micrograms , like I said , one ml = one cc is Close Enough for me. I do know those pups I traeated with Ivermectin  got cured. They straightened up after two weeks but the vet said keep on till we are positive sure.  Those 3 pups are now 5 years old and I still own one and know the whereabouts of another close by . The other got sold to a feller in Nova Scotia and he likes her. So maybe if a kidney fails when they get ten years old, I can sue the drug company and the vet. I don't think so !! They told me the risk , and by the way, Ivermectin company never had it approved through FDA nor EPA, never recommended it to my knowledge . I am just glad I knew professionals that hinted a money saving solution to me. But I am a simple man. It was either getting down to Trying something and trusting my vet's "intuition" so to speak or a nickel worth of 22 bullet. So take your pick. I am not the suing type.


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## chocolate dog

Amoo said:


> In our office we give the recommendation of .1cc per 22lbs of Ivermec 1%



Thank you for this information.  I dont have mine diluted so I will back off on the dosage.   My Lab weighs right at 60 pounds.  Although I have never seen any ill side effects from giving her .6 ml on a piece of bread I will back off the dosage since you appear to be a Vet or working under one.

I will assume that .3 ml or cc is sufficient.


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## Amoo

chocolate dog said:


> Thank you for this information.  I dont have mine diluted so I will back off on the dosage.   My Lab weighs right at 60 pounds.  Although I have never seen any ill side effects from giving her .6 ml on a piece of bread I will back off the dosage since you appear to be a Vet or working under one.
> 
> I will assume that .3 ml or cc is sufficient.



Yes that dosing is fine

My Wife and I own a Vet clinic.  She's the vet, I'm the Ex-Navy, Ex-Engineer, Computer and Hunting Nerd that has been trained as a tech and also runs the business side of the office


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## Amoo

In regards to log term effects of Ivermectin, the place it is primarily metabolized is in the Liver.  We recommend starting annual blood panels with your dog shot updates around 6-8 depending on the health of the dog.  There is no 100% was to say for sure that high Ivermectin was 100% the cause because of many of the variables in a dog's life, but we do frequently see dogs with elevated values who spent their lives on 1 per 10 dosing of Ivermec.

The important thing to remember here is Dogs are like people.  You guys in this conversation could all be having a twice a month drinking fellowship night.  Suddenly one day I'm invited to join you guys.  Everybody's consumption is always the same.  of this group of people half may end up in Liver failure one day while the other half may not.

10th per 10lbs isn't going to kill your dog overnight and may not ever (at least not past puppy stage), but it is kind of like giving your mutley a heartdard 66-150 when your dog is only 35 pounds.


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## leftystar

Old post but I started giving my dogs 1% this week to treat  heart worms once a month. I used the .1 cc to 10 lbs. but after reading this Ill go to the .1 cc to 22 lbs. 
Anyway my question is have you all had good luck with being "all kind of worms" except tape worm  free just using ^ this method?


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## king killer delete

No collies


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## king killer delete

I use 1 tenth of one cc per 10 pounds of body weight. I live in skeeter haven on the coast. Give it to them in a Twinkie.


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## leftystar

No collies here I got a rottweiler , 3 beagles , cur hound and a fiest.
Have you been totally worm worm free?


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## Joe Overby

leftystar said:


> Old post but I started giving my dogs 1% this week to treat  heart worms once a month. I used the .1 cc to 10 lbs. but after reading this Ill go to the .1 cc to 22 lbs.
> Anyway my question is have you all had good luck with being "all kind of worms" except tape worm  free just using ^ this method?



NO!!! You will need to worm for whips, tapes, and rounds 4 times a year in addition to the monthly hw treatment.


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## rvick

mschlapa said:


> With a 1% solution it is 1/10 cc per 10 lbs



  X_2, been doing this for over 20 years, it works and dogs live long lives with no liver problems. Kills fleas and ticks also and everything but tapeworm. MUST give religiously. If you'll give the dog mineral oil 24 hours before it's regular dose it will help with tapeworm. Make certain dog is heartworm free before starting with Ivermectin.


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## riverbank

I like to use valbazen on the dogs as well for worms other than heart.


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## rvick

Has anyone who is dosing .1 cc of 1% per 22 pounds been doing it very long. Have you had problems with heartworms or any worms besides tapeworm?  Have you had problems with fleas or ticks? How long have you been giving it to how many dogs and what breeds and what size?


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## rvick

riverbank said:


> I like to use valbazen on the dogs as well for worms other than heart.


  Ivermectin at .1 cc per 10 pounds will get them all except tapes after about 18 months.


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## riverbank

I was told by an old vet that ivomec is just a heart worm prevention in dogs. Not a treatment. And it's not a good intestinal wormer when used in dogs. That's my reasoning behind the valbazen.


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## caughtinarut

king killer delete said:


> Do not give this to any dog that has Collie Blood lines. Stray , pure bred. Do not use this on a Collie. This is what I use on my lab and beagle. No problems but do not use Ivermec on any collie breed.


Yep, I have to do something different for my Border Collies.


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## turkeykirk

caughtinarut said:


> Yep, I have to do something different for my Border Collies.



What do you do for your border collies? My dogs are half border collies and mutts.


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## king killer delete

turkeykirk said:


> What do you do for your border collies? My dogs are half border collies and mutts.



collies are different. You got to use what the vet sells.


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## turkeykirk

Thanks


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