Linking Head tremors to heart worm prevention meds

[Mmsaxman]

I have noticed that the first time I gave my Stella heart guard plus she started having head tremors within hours of ingestion. I stopped the medication for the winter months and no tremors. I then recently started her on them again and she has started the head tremors again. I read the side affects of the medication are seizures/tremors. Has anyone else had this problem? I’m looking for alternatives to heart worm prevention now. Thank you Bulldog lovers!

 

[1Chumly]

I would not be using that stuff again!

I have my dogs on Advantage Multi and they have had no problems. It is a topical so you put it high up on their back. Not a pill or chew. I use it year round as we are in Texas.

 

[ddnene]

Oh WOW... I would definitely let your vet know what is happening, and I would not give him that med again. I'm honestly not sure what an alternative would be?!! [MENTION=2894]2BullyMama[/MENTION]

 

[Lalaloopsie]

I have noticed that the first time I gave my Stella heart guard plus she started having head tremors within hours of ingestion. I stopped the medication for the winter months and no tremors. I then recently started her on them again and she has started the head tremors again. I read the side affects of the medication are seizures/tremors. Has anyone else had this problem? I’m looking for alternatives to heart worm prevention now. Thank you Bulldog lovers!

You have to discuss with your vet, Heartguard has Ivermectin in it, so probably she cannot take it. I wouldn’t give her Heartguard any more. But there are other meds, like Moxidecton, Milbemycin and Selamectin— they are newer and have different active ingredient in prescription heartworm preventatives. So you still have options. You have to discuss with your vet and try other medications, because, unfortunately, in the US the threat of heartworm is very real.

 

[Lalaloopsie]

Some of the brand names are Trifexis, Sentinel, Interceptor. They are touted like less toxic. So may be try one of these.

 

[Lalaloopsie]

I would not be using that stuff again!

I have my dogs on Advantage Multi and they have had no problems. It is a topical so you put it high up on their back. Not a pill or chew. I use it year round as we are in Texas.

It’s absolutely necessary in Texas to give heartworm preventative all year long, and you’re doing everything right, but I just wanted to mention that despite the fact that
Advantage Multi is topical, you should understand that it cannot kill heartworm or intestinal parasites from outside, so despite you put it on dogs neck, Moxidectin absorbs into bloodstream and works against worms from inside, while another ingredient, Imidacloprid, doesn’t absorb much and spreads in the skin, where it kills fleas.
So, technically, you still putting medicine in your dogs body.

 

[1Chumly]

I had Chumly on Trifexis and he would run a mile at the first whiff of it. He hated it so much I changed to a topical to make it less stressful for him. He was not good with pills/chews of any kind!

 

[Cbrugs]

I’ve heard a lot of bad stories about Trifexis. I would not use that one. I use Sentinel Spectrum and have not had any issues.


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[2BullyMama]

I have noticed that the first time I gave my Stella heart guard plus she started having head tremors within hours of ingestion. I stopped the medication for the winter months and no tremors. I then recently started her on them again and she has started the head tremors again. I read the side affects of the medication are seizures/tremors. Has anyone else had this problem? I’m looking for alternatives to heart worm prevention now. Thank you Bulldog lovers!

We have used Sentienl for many years with four different dogs, no issues at all.


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[Dollys Owner]

Probably the safest heartworm prevention would be to give milbemycin at 1/5 the normal dose. This won't be enough to kill roundworms, hookworms, or whipworms, but will kill heartworms.

Milbemycin oxime, the active ingredient in Interceptor, has been approved by the FDA at one-fifth the regular dosage to kill heartworms only, without controlling intestinal parasites, including roundworms, whipworms and hookworms. Novartis received FDA approval for a product, "Safeheart", with this lowered dosage of milbemycin, but it appears that they don't intend to market it. (You can read the FDA approvals showing that milbemycin oxime will control heartworm at one-fifth the dosage found in Interceptor on the FDA’s web site).

The actual recommended dosage of milbemycin oxime for heartworm prevention only is 0.05 mg per pound of body weight (0.1 mg per kg). Contrast this with the recommended dosage of Interceptor for control of heartworm and intestinal parasites: 0.23 mg milbemycin oxime per pound (0.5 mg/kg) of body weight. Heartworm can be prevented at a much lower dose than that needed to control intestinal parasites.

You would still need to give a medication for flea and tick prevention. I use K9 Advantix II topical , but I'm not sure which one would be the least likely to cause tremours.

 

[ddnene]

I’ve heard a lot of bad stories about Trifexis. I would not use that one. I use Sentinel Spectrum and have not had any issues.


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I also use Sentinel for my pups, and we've never had an issue... and I give them Bravecto for fleas and ticks. One chew last 90 days, and I only give them one during the year.

 

[1Chumly]

It’s absolutely necessary in Texas to give heartworm preventative all year long, and you’re doing everything right, but I just wanted to mention that despite the fact that
Advantage Multi is topical, you should understand that it cannot kill heartworm or intestinal parasites from outside, so despite you put it on dogs neck, Moxidectin absorbs into bloodstream and works against worms from inside, while another ingredient, Imidacloprid, doesn’t absorb much and spreads in the skin, where it kills fleas.
So, technically, you still putting medicine in your dogs body.

Oh, I was in no doubt about that! I just find it easier to dose as my dogs don't seem to like any of the chewables and it becomes a battle to give it to them. If I had my way I would not be giving my dogs chemicals of any kind but that I'm afraid, is unavoidable here.

 

[Lalaloopsie]

By the way, you are totally right, I never saw a dog who chews these so called “tasty chewable”. It’s just bigger size and more difficult to conceal or push down the throat of a poor dog. I would prefer just a little white tablet, which I can put into a piece of cheese instead of this stupid brown big chews, and when Tank smells them, poor thing wants to run!

 

[ddnene]

By the way, you are totally right, I never saw a dog who chews these so called “tasty chewable”. It’s just bigger size and more difficult to conceal or push down the throat of a poor dog. I would prefer just a little white tablet, which I can put into a piece of cheese instead of this stupid brown big chews, and when Tank smells them, poor thing wants to run!

TOTALLY agree... I have to hide pills in PB, and STILL Willow will try to spit it out!!!

 

[Cbrugs]

By the way, you are totally right, I never saw a dog who chews these so called “tasty chewable”. It’s just bigger size and more difficult to conceal or push down the throat of a poor dog. I would prefer just a little white tablet, which I can put into a piece of cheese instead of this stupid brown big chews, and when Tank smells them, poor thing wants to run!

Both my guys take the chewable Sentinel with no issues. They think it’s a treat lol.


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