Ivermectin is given monthly for heartworm prevention, daily or every other day for demodectic
treatment, and every week or couple of weeks for most mites. If a dose of heartworm preventive is accidentally forgotten, it is important to give it as soon as it is remembered.
Before the dogs started getting sick, the owners were unaware of what had happened. The puppy that initially displayed symptoms had not responded to treatment. In the meantime, two more had passed away, and the owners called me to put the last puppy, who was unconscious, to sleep. My clients were obviously devastated by the loss of their puppies to a preventable poisoning and felt terrible about it. I’d like to take this chance to recap some fundamental details about ivermectin. Ivermectin belongs to the class of parasiticides known as macrocytic lactones. It is frequently used to treat certain types of external (e.g., skin) infections and as a preventative for heartworm in small animals. g. , mites) and internal parasites in many different species. Ivermectin dosage and animal sensitivity to the drug are the only factors separating safe use from poisoning of the drug. Ivermectin dosages and other medications that are safe for the majority of dogs carry a gene (MDR1 or ABCB1) that renders them dangerous for those dogs. Since dogs were involved in 282 of the 318 potentially toxic ivermectin exposures reported to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center between 2008 and 2009, I’m going to concentrate on them from this point forward. Typical doses for ivermectin in dogs are:
Normally, non-sensitive breeds need to be exposed to more than 2,000 ug/kg before any noticeable symptoms appear, but in MDR1 positive individuals, the potentially toxic dose can be as low as 100 ug/kg. Be aware that even the most sensitive dogs won’t experience any harm from the incredibly low dose used for heartworm prevention. However, it is possible to test for the MDR1 gene mutation in at-risk dogs before administering higher doses of ivermectin. For breeds like Collies, Shetland Sheepdogs (Shelties), Australian Shepherds, Old English Sheepdogs, English Shepherds, German Shepherds, Long-haired Whippets, Silken Windhounds, and mutts that may be descended from these breeds, this is especially crucial. Ivermectin can be absorbed by animals orally, topically, and by injection. When a drug is present in the body in amounts high enough to cross the blood-brain barrier and negatively impact neurologic function, symptoms start to appear. Typical signs include:
Ivermectin overdose is typically treated with symptomatic and supportive measures. Decontamination is beneficial if the poisoning is discovered quickly (e g. , giving activated charcoal to animals within a few hours of ingesting, or washing pets after topical exposure) It may also be necessary to administer intravenous fluid therapy, endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, intensive nursing care, manage seizures, apply eye lubricants if the patient is unable to blink, and provide nutritional support. Intravenous lipid emulsion therapy, a novel but promising treatment for specific poisonings, may be appropriate in some circumstances. A pet’s prognosis can be quite good if aggressive treatment is started right away, but because severe ivermectin overdose cases frequently require several weeks of therapy, the cost is frequently prohibitive. In my clients’ unfortunate case, they chose to put the last puppy in their eagerly awaited litter to sleep.
Receive weekly emails with helpful pet health advice, articles, and insights from our veterinarian community.
Overview of Ivermectin (Ivomec®,  Heartgard®) for Dogs and Cats
Brand Names and Other Names of Ivermectin
How many dogs can I treat with one bottle?
Using one bottle (50 ml) of IVOMEC 1% for three years, you can treat up to three dogs.
Ivomec must be kept in a cool location that is shielded from light and moisture. The shelf-life is three years.
FAQ
How often can you use ivermectin on dogs?
Ivermectin is approved for use in dogs and cats at oral doses of 0 for the prevention of dirofilariasis. 006 and 0. 024 mg/kg, respectively, once a month. Most dogs tolerate oral ivermectin dosages up to 2. 5 mg/kg before clinical signs of toxicity occur.
How much ivermectin is too much for dogs?
The toxic dose of ivermectin in dogs and cats is between 0 and 10 mg/kg. 1 and 2. 5 mg/kg (100 and 2,500 μg/kg).
When should I give my dog ivermectin?
Ivermectin, for instance, can be used to treat intestinal parasites like hookworms and roundworms, capillaries, and mites like demodectic mange, scabies, and ear mites in dogs. Ivermectin can be used to treat cat scabies and ear mites in cats.
How long does ivermectin stay in a dog’s system?
Ivermectin dosage for dogs is typically determined by how much your dog weighs. Ivermectin is metabolized in the liver, and it and/or its metabolites are excreted over an estimated 12-day period almost exclusively in the feces, with less than 1% of the administered dose excreted in the urine.