My dog accidentally got an extra dose of heartworm medicine?

Related Answers from Veterinarians

• Answered By Debi Matlack

  Veterinary Technician

  Published on April 30th, 2015

  Toxicity can occur if a dog is given an excessive dose of the medication (10 to 20 times the recommended dose). Your dog has consumed roughly four times the recommended dose.
  
  If your dog has ivermectin toxicity, you may see any of the following symptoms:
  
  Lethargy
  
  Depression
  
  Drooling
  
  Vomiting
  
  Dilated pupils
  
  Loss of appetite
  
  Disorientation
  
  Tremors/Seizures
  
  Blindness
  
  Trouble standing
  
  Slow heartbeat
  
  Difficulty breathing
  
  Coma
  
  Ivermectin toxicity cannot be reversed. If the drug was given within the past 4 – 6 hours, your veterinarian may induce vomiting and/or give your dog activated charcoal to help minimize the amount of ivermectin that is absorbed.
  
  If it has been less than 2 hours since your pet ingested the foreign material, you can induce vomiting by giving an oral dose of hydrogen peroxide, about 1 cc per pound. One tablespoon is about 5 cc. A turkey baster will work if you don't have a syringe. Longer than two hours and it will have already moved into the intestines.

  

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