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Dog Heartworm Buyer's Guide


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Heartworms kill dogs. These spaghetti-like parasites live in the heart and lungs and disrupt the flow of blood around the entire body. Heartworms are transmitted through mosquito bites, and since no form of mosquito prevention is 100% effective, all dogs should be on heartworm prevention. Thankfully, many safe and effective products are now available, but determining which one is right for your dog does take a little research. Dogs over 7 months of age should be tested for heartworm disease before starting any form of heartworm prevention. All of the following pet medications in the table below need to be given monthly to provide the best protection against heartworm disease.

Topical Heartworm Preventatives

Topical, or Spot On, heartworm preventatives use a small amount of liquid that you place directly on your dog's skin. These are similar to topical flea treatments except they are formulated to kill immature heartworms. Some of these products, like Advantage Multi or Revolution, are also effective against fleas.

Oral Heartworm Medications

Oral heartworm medications are usually available as flavored chewable tablets so they're easy to give to dogs. Many of these products also treat intestinal worms like hookworms and roundworms.

Table 1 - Heartworm Preventatives for Dogs

  Advantage Multi Revolution Heartgard Heartgard Plus Interceptor Iverhart Max Sentinel Trifexis
  Advantage Multi Revolution Heartgard Heartgard Plus Interceptor Iverhart Max Sentinel Trifexis
Kills
Adult Fleas Check Check           Check
Flea Eggs/Larvae   Check
      Check
Ticks   Check            
Heartworms Check Check Check Check Check Check Check Check
Hookworms Check     Check Check Check Check Check
Roundworms Check     Check Check Check Check Check
Whipworms Check       Check   Check Check
Tapeworms           Check    
Mange   Check            
Mites   Check            
Application
Topical Check Check            
Oral     Check Check Check Check Check Check
Ingredients
Lufenuron             Check  
Milbemycin onxime         Check   Check Check
Piperonyl butoxide                
Ivermectin     Check Check   Check    
Pyrantel       Check   Check    
Praziquantel           Check    
Imidacloprid Check              
Moxidectin Check              
Selamectin   Check            
Spinosad               Check
Age Restrictions
4 weeks or older         Check   Check  
6 weeks or older   Check Check Check        
7 weeks or older Check              
8 weeks or older           Check   Check
Manufacturer
Bayer Animal Health Check              
Merial     Check Check        
Novartis Animal Health         Check   Check  
Pfizer Animal Health   Check            
Virbac Animal Health           Check    
Elanco               Check


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