Collie sensitive to Heartgard? Ivermectin alternatives & Bravecto safety.

Technically, all heartworm preventatives (even those with ivermectin) are safe in dogs with an MDR1 gene mutation since the effective dose of medication in heartworm is significantly lower than that which would cause neurotoxicity. However, most vets will preferentially choose selamectin (Revolution) or milbemycin (Interceptor) based products for MDR1 mutant dogs over ivermectin (Heartgard) based products. If Tasha has historically been very sensitive to heartworm preventatives, I would advise giving her flea/tick prevention and heartworm prevention 2 weeks apart rather than simultaneously. Your vet will be able to perform a blood test for heartworm disease prior to starting Tasha on a heartworm preventative, as all are prescription based.

Side effects are generally very rare in heartworm preventative medications, but are certainly possible. I have attached a handout below that discusses the different heartworm preventative products. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=488 As you can see, there are a huge number of products on the market. Some herding breed dogs (such as Blue Heelers and Australian Cattle dogs) will be sensitive to ivermectin (the active ingredient in Heartgard), so I would discuss your other heartworm preventative options with your veterinarian. I have been very pleased with Interceptor or Sentinel for herding breed dogs. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This is a good question, especially with some Australian Shepherds having a mutation of their MDR-1 gene. Fortunately, Heartgard is safe to use in these breeds for the prevention of heartworms. The amount of ivermectin contained within a monthly dose is not harmful/toxic to dogs even with the MDR-1 mutation. I would be careful to ensure that Josie does not accidentally ingest multiple months-worth of doses, as this cumulative dose could potentially be toxic to her. As far as topical flea and tick preventatives go, brands such as Frontline and K9 Advantix are also safe to use in these breeds. I hope this is helpful!

If Adam seems to have skin problems secondary to food allergies it is possible that she is reacting to the flavoring in the Bravecto and Interceptor. You may want to look into using unflavored Heartgard and something like a Seresto collar (although this could cause topical skin irritation similar to the Frontline). Unfortunately there is no chemical free heartworm preventative, and most ‘natural’ options for flea prevention contain essential oils that don’t work well and can even cause harm.

This drug appears to be a generic form of the drug Trifexis, which is used to prevent heartworms, intestinal parasites and fleas. Most dogs take this drug without issue. The most common side effect is vomiting or GI upset and giving the drug with a meal can help decrease the chances of this. I have had a few pets seem lethargic the day they take the medication, but that is the most severe side effect I have noted. It is not recommended in dogs with a history of seizures. You can find all sorts of scary reports on the internet about different drugs and food people are convinced killed their dogs, but often these people are just looking for an easy explanation for what happened to their dog and most of the time the heartworm prevenatative is NOT the cause of what happened. You can review their safety information and product label at http://vethical.com/dogs/comboguard/. If you still feel uncomfortable using the product you can ask your vet for a different medication for heartworms and a separate one for fleas, but often these online stories are blown out of proportion!

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. I understand your concern but Max should be just fine. It does not appear that he got an overdose. If he was a breed with a known sensitivity to Ivermectin I would be more worried (herding dogs, collie breeds, etc). Here is a link to Ivermectin toxicity so you can know what to watch for but I don't think he will have any issues. Usually they will present with neurological symptoms. As always, if you are worried you should take him to your vet for an exam. ( http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/dog-diseases-conditions-a-z/ivermectin-toxicity-dogs ) The treatment will still be effective. Don't worry about that! Hope this helps. Best wishes. If you have more questions please feel free to post again.

Revolution is safe for collie breeds however it only covers heart worm and flea prevention. Bravecto is an oral flea/tick prevention that can be given every 12 weeks for flea/tick prevention. It has been proven in studies to be safe in dogs with the mdr1 gene mutation and is usually given along with a monthly heartworm preventative such as Interceptor. You can discuss with your veterinarian possibly preventing vaccine reactions (vomiting, diarrhea, facial swelling, hives) by pre-treating with Benadryl. Good luck!