Heartgard is the #1 choice of veterinarians for heartworm disease prevention in dogs. But did you know that the preventative is also used for the control of heartworms in cats?

Heartgard For Cats was the first preventive made for our feline pets. Manufactured by Merck, it is the only preventative specifically designed for cats and is recommended for use in cats 6 weeks of age and older. It also treats and controls roundworms and hookworms.

Heartgard for Cats has a wide margin of safety for all sizes and breeds of cats. it should be given at monthly intervals when mosquitoes potentially carrying infective heartworm larvae are active.

Medications are available for two weight ranges and in two strengths; up to 5lbs and 5-15lbs; and 55mcg and 165mcg, which refer to two weight ranges respectively.

Heartgard for Cats comes in a real-beef chewable that cats love, and can be offered to your cat by hand or may be added to a small amount of cat food. It comes in 6-dose dispensing packs.

Heartgard Plus is also 100% effective against heartworms; plus it controls roundworms and hookworms in dogs and cats.

It is available as flavored chewable tablets and should be chewed rather than swallowed whole. The medicine is approved for puppies and kittens as young as 6 weeks of age.

The tablets come in a 6 month or convenient new 12 month supply. And just like Heartgard, Heartgard Plus is available only through a licensed veterinarian.

Heartworm Disease is a real threat, even to cats who live strictly indoors. Heartgard for Cats will help control and prevent heartworms in your cat. But remember, it is available only through a licensed veterinarian. And you should be to consult with your vet before beginning any preventative program.

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For dog and cat lovers, heartworms can be a scary disease. It’s a disease that affects a growing number of our pets every year. Some die from it. And, as a result, many heartworm preventative medicines show up on the market to help protect our pets from this serious condition.

Heartgard is one of the most popularly sold heartworm preventative medicines among pet owners. It is also one of the most highly recommended medicines among veterinarians. But…many pet owners complain that Heartgard is too expensive. So, they turn to cheaper medicines that better fit their budget.

Are generic brands worth ‘the risk’?

When money’s tight, the availability of a generic Heartgard can be a real blessing. But let the buyer beware. There are some implications and considerations for pet owners to keep in mind pertaining to generic brands.

Because the costs of pet medications are high we tend to resort to buying generic brands that may not be as effective as the branded versions-even though the generic may be a registered version.

While some forms of generic Heartgard are FDA approved, know that there are also several illegal forms of generics being circulated. These generics are not registered in the United States and they are not FDA approved-even though their packaging may look similar to the branded versions.

Even some registered generic Heartgard knockoffs failed to write an FDA approved label, warning against human consumption, especially among children.

Also know that the metric doses used in some generic medicines can be confusing, and could lead to an overdose (or underdose) if given to pets.

Furthermore, because some generic Heartgards are unregistered and not FDA approved (and look so similar to branded versions), unknown ingredients may be toxic to your pet.

Ivermectin is the chief proven ingredient used in branded Heartgard to prevent and control heartworms in pets. Registered, FDA approved generic competitors know this and use the same principle ingredient. The difference is in the insignificant ‘filler’ ingredients used in the generic products.

The availability of generic Heartgard-at almost half the price-is extremely tempting. But it may not be worth the risk. And you may just be wasting your money. It is always sound advice to check with your veterinarian before buying any pet care product. And, again, whatever you decide: be careful.

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