Iverhart Plus recall

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

There is a voluntary recall of Virbac's heartworm pill Iverhart Plus.

http://www.petmd.com/news/alerts-recalls/virbac-recalls-six-lots-iv...

My boys have been taking these from the beginning. I used to order them online, since the pills were half the price of what our vet was charging. What is a good alternative to give them now?

[F, Calla & Luca]

This is old Jarka. I checked my lot numbers, there were many more in the other post. Mine were not listed. The recall was because of not enough potency in the recalled lots I think.

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

Hm, I just now learned about it. I did see an article online that said there was more, but can't find it. Because of the recall, I most of the online stores don't have the pills in stock. I've got 2 months worth. What should I get them instead?

[F, Calla & Luca]

I guess Heartguard but they may well be back in stock before you need them. I searched DK, there were several discussions. Here is the link to the expanded recall 

http://dogingtonpost.com/recall-alet-iverhart-chewable-heartworm-pr...

[F, Calla & Luca]

!800 petmeds lists a couple of alternatives.

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

Okay, I think this one has more on the expanded recall:

http://dogingtonpost.com/recall-alet-iverhart-chewable-heartworm-pr...

[Jennifer and Jack]

I think a lot of people use heart guard and frontline ......

Our new vet doesn't carry Heart Guard so we have to order it online.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Frontline is for ticks not for heartworms.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Right I know.... Sorry I should have clarified ..I usually see people use Heart Guard for heart worms and Front Line for fleas and ticks

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I've used Heartgard Plus for many years; no problems ever, no recalls or shortages to my knowledge. 

[Deborah Brown]

I'm not overly worried about this recall.  The problem is with potency and dogs at the top of the weight range might not be fully protected.  My dogs are 50-65 pounds and take the 50-100 pound dosage.  This will not effect them.

This may be controversial but I don't give it to them every 30 days, only every 45 days.  I read a study a couple of years ago about how it is needed less often but we are told to do it monthly because we are too stupid to figure out a 45 day interval.  ;)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Good points, Deb.

That's sometimes done with human medications, too, or at least it used to be. I don't know if they still do this, but there was a time when a package of birth control pills contained 7 placebos, because the medication itself was taken for 3 weeks and then a week was skipped, but it was thought that women were too stupid to follow that schedule, so they put a week's worth of a different color placebo in the package so that a woman could just take a pill every day and not have to bother her pretty head about it. 

[Deborah Brown]

Exactly!  I'm sure for some people it is easier to remember to give your dog his heartworm medicine on the first of every month.  Since I'm paying for three dogs AND I don't like to over medicate them, I choose to give it less often.

I don't know where the original information I read is located but I found this article which refers to the frequency of preventatives about half way down.

http://dogaware.com/articles/wdjheartwormprevention.html

Now they are saying that dogs can develop heartworm drug resistance.  I'm going to have to do some more research!

http://news.vin.com/vinnews.aspx?articleId=28284