Is There A Treatment For Heartworm Disease In Dogs?

There are two drugs approved for the treatment of heartworm disease in dogs. Both drugs contain arsenic and are effective at killing adult heartworms. Caparsolate Sodium (arsenamide sodium), the older of the two drugs, is injected into a vein. It is not currently manufactured or marketed in the United States. The newer drug, Immiticide (melarsomine hydrochloride), is given by a deep injection into the back muscles to treat dogs with stabilized class 1, 2, and 3 heartworm disease.

One drug, Advantage Multi for Dogs (imidacloprid and moxidectin), is approved to get rid of microfilariae in the bloodstream of heartworm-positive dogs.

The treatment for heartworm disease is not easy on the dog or on the owner’s pocket book. Treatment can be potentially toxic to the dog’s body and can cause serious complications, such as life-threatening blood clots to the dog’s lungs. Treatment is expensive because it requires multiple visits to the veterinarian, bloodwork, x-rays, hospitalization, and a series of injections with Immiticide.
The Best Treatment Is Prevention!

There are many approved products that prevent heartworm disease in dogs. All require a veterinarian’s prescription. Most products are given monthly, either as a topical liquid applied on the skin or as an oral tablet. Both chewable and non-chewable oral tablets are available. One product is injected under the skin every six months, and only a veterinarian can give the injection. There is an approved daily product but it is no longer commercially available in the United States. Some heartworm preventives contain other ingredients that are effective against certain intestinal worms (such as roundworms and hookworms) and other parasites (such as fleas, ticks, and ear mites).

Year-round prevention is best! Talk to your dog’s veterinarian to decide which preventive is best for your dog