Heartworm Treatments for Dogs, Heartworm Treatments for Cats, Buyers Guide to Heartworm Prevention Products
This is a complete guide to dog heartworm treatments. There are many available and it can be quite confusing choosing the best option for you, as there is no one size fits all approach to it. We will cover the different methods and products that treat heartworm in dogs. We will show you the yearly cost of each treatment so you can best decide what will suit you and your dog best. Heartworm prevention is very important as if they pick up heartworm it can be life threatening.
The methods
There are 3 main methods of treating your dog for heartworms. They are yearly injection from your vet, monthly tablet and monthly topical solution.
A yearly heartworm injection from your vet is a very popular way to treat for heartworm, as it is simple because you only need to have it done once a year, in which time they will usually get a general check up as well. Price of the injection will vary from vet to vet.
Yearly cost $100.00 to $150.00.
Monthly heartworm tablets are a prescription product in the United States. The reason for this is you should have your dog tested to make sure they don't have heartworm before you use this type of treatment. It can be deadly to give this to a dog that already has heartworm. Once you have got the simple test done and your dog does not have heartworm you are free to use this treatment, but should keep up with treatment monthly so they are not exposed to getting heartworm. In Australia they sell the same monthly heartworm tablets without a prescription in vets as well as retail pet store, which people in the United States often order as it is cheaper due to not having the extra rx prescription costs. These usually comes as heartworm & worming tablets or flea, heartworm and worming tablets.
Yearly Cost: $69.95 to $194.95.
Topical monthly solutions for heartworm work similar to heartworm tablets. To use a topical medication you will squirt it onto the dogs skin, between there shoulder blades. These are also a prescription medicine in the United States and non prescription in Australia. You should have your dog tested for heartworm by your vet before using any topical heartworm prevention product. Topical solutions will come as flea & heartworm or flea, heartworm & worming.
Yearly Cost: $164.95 to $194.95.
Heartworm products
Tablet Treatments
Heartgard Plus 30 for dogs containing ivermectin and pyrantel produced by Merial. These are a beef flavored chewable tablet which treats dogs for heartworm, roundworms and hookworms. These are to be given as a monthly dose. They can be given to a puppy from 6 weeks of age, and are also safe to use on all breeds, as well as breeding bitches and stud dogs. Your dog should be tested for heartworm by a vet before giving them Heartgard Plus.
Yearly Cost: $79.95 to $89.95.
Interceptor Spectrum for dogs containing milbemycin and praziquantel produced by Novartis Animal Health. These are monthly chewable tablets that treat for heartworm, roundworm, hookworm, and tapeworm. These can be used on puppies from 2 weeks of age. Your dog should be tested by your vet to make sure he is clear of heartworm before using Interceptor.
Yearly Cost: $69.95 to $94.95.
Sentinel Spectrum for dogs containing milbemycin, lufenuron and praziquantel produced by Novartis Animal Health. These are a montly chewable tablets that treat for heartworm, roundworm, whipworm, hookworm, tapeworm, fleas and flea allergy dermatitis. Dogs should be tested and clear of heartworm before treating with Sentinel. It can be used on puppies from 6 weeks of age and should always be given with a full meal.
Yearly Cost: $144.95 to $174.95.
Panoramis for dogs containing spinosad and milbemycin oxime produced by Elanco. These are monthly chewable tablets that treat for fleas, flea allergy dermatitis, heartworm, hookworm, roundworm and whipworm. Panoramis is known as Trifexis in the United States, both are the same product with the same dosage amount. Panormais needs no prescription and Trifexis does need a prescription. Before using Panoramis you should have your dog tested for heartworms. Panoramis can be used on puppies from 8 weeks of age.
Yearly Cost: $154.95 to $194.95.
Topical Treatments
Revolution for dogs containing selamectin is produced by Pfizer. This is a topical medication that treats for adult flea, flea eggs, flea larvae, heartworms,ear mites and sarcoptic mites. You can use Revolution on puppies from 8 weeks of age. Your dog should be tested and cleared of heartworm before using Revolution.
Yearly Cost: $164.95 to $194.95.
Advocate for dogs containing imidacloprid and moxidectin, produced by Bayer. Advocate is known as Advantage Multi in the United States. The Advocate product sold in Australia is non prescription and Advantage Multi sold in the USA needs a prescription, although they are the exact same product the vet prescription laws in the United States are more strict. Advocate is a monthly topical medicine that treats for fleas, flea larvae, heartworms, roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, intestinal worm larvae, demodectic mange, sarcoptic mange, ear mites and lice. Advocate can be used on puppies from 8 weeks of age. You should have your dog tested and cleared of heartworm before using this product.
Yearly Cost: $174.95 to $194.95.
Conclusion
If you are just looking for a heartworm treatment on its own I would recommend using Interceptor Spectrum as it is the cheapest and most effective and treats for all the intestinal worms including tapeworms. If you want to treat for fleas and heartworm I would recommend Panoramis, even though it is very new to the market, we have seen its brother medicine Comfortis flea control thrive and we would predict that Panroamis will do the same. The most complete treatment is Sentinel Spectrum as it treats for fleas, heartworms and worms including tapeworm which none of the other flea and heartworm treatments do. Now you have all the info on all the heartworm treatments you should be able to make a better decision in deciding which one will suit you and your dog best.
There are 3 main methods of treating your dog for heartworms. They are yearly injection from your vet, monthly tablet and monthly topical solution.
A yearly heartworm injection from your vet is a very popular way to treat for heartworm, as it is simple because you only need to have it done once a year, in which time they will usually get a general check up as well. Price of the injection will vary from vet to vet.
Yearly cost $100.00 to $150.00.
Monthly heartworm tablets are a prescription product in the United States. The reason for this is you should have your dog tested to make sure they don't have heartworm before you use this type of treatment. It can be deadly to give this to a dog that already has heartworm. Once you have got the simple test done and your dog does not have heartworm you are free to use this treatment, but should keep up with treatment monthly so they are not exposed to getting heartworm. In Australia they sell the same monthly heartworm tablets without a prescription in vets as well as retail pet store, which people in the United States often order as it is cheaper due to not having the extra rx prescription costs. These usually comes as heartworm & worming tablets or flea, heartworm and worming tablets.
Yearly Cost: $69.95 to $194.95.
Topical monthly solutions for heartworm work similar to heartworm tablets. To use a topical medication you will squirt it onto the dogs skin, between there shoulder blades. These are also a prescription medicine in the United States and non prescription in Australia. You should have your dog tested for heartworm by your vet before using any topical heartworm prevention product. Topical solutions will come as flea & heartworm or flea, heartworm & worming.
Yearly Cost: $164.95 to $194.95.
Tablet Treatments
Heartgard Plus 30 for dogs containing ivermectin and pyrantel produced by Merial. These are a beef flavored chewable tablet which treats dogs for heartworm, roundworms and hookworms. These are to be given as a monthly dose. They can be given to a puppy from 6 weeks of age, and are also safe to use on all breeds, as well as breeding bitches and stud dogs. Your dog should be tested for heartworm by a vet before giving them Heartgard Plus.
Yearly Cost: $79.95 to $89.95.
Interceptor Spectrum for dogs containing milbemycin and praziquantel produced by Novartis Animal Health. These are monthly chewable tablets that treat for heartworm, roundworm, hookworm, and tapeworm. These can be used on puppies from 2 weeks of age. Your dog should be tested by your vet to make sure he is clear of heartworm before using Interceptor.
Yearly Cost: $69.95 to $94.95.
Sentinel Spectrum for dogs containing milbemycin, lufenuron and praziquantel produced by Novartis Animal Health. These are a montly chewable tablets that treat for heartworm, roundworm, whipworm, hookworm, tapeworm, fleas and flea allergy dermatitis. Dogs should be tested and clear of heartworm before treating with Sentinel. It can be used on puppies from 6 weeks of age and should always be given with a full meal.
Yearly Cost: $144.95 to $174.95.
Panoramis for dogs containing spinosad and milbemycin oxime produced by Elanco. These are monthly chewable tablets that treat for fleas, flea allergy dermatitis, heartworm, hookworm, roundworm and whipworm. Panoramis is known as Trifexis in the United States, both are the same product with the same dosage amount. Panormais needs no prescription and Trifexis does need a prescription. Before using Panoramis you should have your dog tested for heartworms. Panoramis can be used on puppies from 8 weeks of age.
Yearly Cost: $154.95 to $194.95.
Topical Treatments
Revolution for dogs containing selamectin is produced by Pfizer. This is a topical medication that treats for adult flea, flea eggs, flea larvae, heartworms,ear mites and sarcoptic mites. You can use Revolution on puppies from 8 weeks of age. Your dog should be tested and cleared of heartworm before using Revolution.
Yearly Cost: $164.95 to $194.95.
Advocate for dogs containing imidacloprid and moxidectin, produced by Bayer. Advocate is known as Advantage Multi in the United States. The Advocate product sold in Australia is non prescription and Advantage Multi sold in the USA needs a prescription, although they are the exact same product the vet prescription laws in the United States are more strict. Advocate is a monthly topical medicine that treats for fleas, flea larvae, heartworms, roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, intestinal worm larvae, demodectic mange, sarcoptic mange, ear mites and lice. Advocate can be used on puppies from 8 weeks of age. You should have your dog tested and cleared of heartworm before using this product.
Yearly Cost: $174.95 to $194.95.
If you are just looking for a heartworm treatment on its own I would recommend using Interceptor Spectrum as it is the cheapest and most effective and treats for all the intestinal worms including tapeworms. If you want to treat for fleas and heartworm I would recommend Panoramis, even though it is very new to the market, we have seen its brother medicine Comfortis flea control thrive and we would predict that Panroamis will do the same. The most complete treatment is Sentinel Spectrum as it treats for fleas, heartworms and worms including tapeworm which none of the other flea and heartworm treatments do. Now you have all the info on all the heartworm treatments you should be able to make a better decision in deciding which one will suit you and your dog best.
