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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Our pets take great care of us; they provide love, accompaniment, affection and even exercise to create a better quality of life for humans. Isn’t it only fair that we do the same for them? Heartworm is one of the most catastrophic illnesses that a dog can get, but that is only if it is not properly treated. Heartgard is one of the most in use forms of treatment for heartworm disease, most likely due to the fact that it is nearly always effective. It can eliminate the worms that infect your dog’s heart and save it’s life, so needless to say Heartgard is an crucial part of any canine’s heath regimen. However, it can also be dangerous. Those who don’t know how to administer Heartgard to their dog can unintentionally cause an overdose of this medication and if not taken care of, an overdose of Heartgard can be lethal to your canine friend.

How Can a Dog Get an Overdose?

A dog can get an overdose of Heartgard in a couple of ways, but normally your administration will result in the overdose. Also, sometimes piggish dogs will get into the box and eat them and if they do that, they normally eat them all. In this case, you want to make sure that you always have it entirely out of the reach of your pet for their own good. It could be the difference between life and death!

What Happens During an Overdose of Heartgard?

The thing about Heartgard is that if your dog is already afflicted, you have to try another route to treatment. Heartgard is about prevention, not treatment so if you suspect your dog could be infected it is crucial to seek a veterinarian in advance. If you administer Heartgard and you suspect that your dog might be infected, there are some ways of being able to tell for sure. If your dog looks or acts dizzy and wobbles about, or is acting like he or she cannot see and bumping into things, that is one hint of an overdose. Also, if your dog is weaker than normal or is vomiting or shaking immensely, that is another hint of a Heartgard overdose. Obviously, fainting is another hint, but hopefully your pet’s overdose won’t go that bad.

How to Treat an Overdose of Heartgard

The only way that you can treat an overdose of Heartgard is to take your pet to the veterinarian. There is nothing that you can do from home and if you notice strange behavior and find that it is caused by an overdose of Heartgard it is crucial to act immediately. Obviously, an ounce of prevention is preferred in this case. Not keeping it in the house or putting it away from your pets is a great way of avoiding this from happening at all. Sure, your dog doesn’t know better than to overdose on Heartgard, but you do know better.

Natalie Williams is the author of WormsInMyPet.com. Visit her web site for more tips on getting rid of worms and preventing worms in your pet.

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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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