Heartgard-30 Plus Chewables for Dogs (272 mcg) (Canada)

Manufacturer: Merial

(ivermectin/pyrantel)

Veterinary Use Only

Heartgard-30 Plus Chewables for Dogs (272 mcg) Indications

For use in dogs to prevent canine heartworm disease by eliminating the tissue stage of heartworm larvae (Dirofilaria immitis) up to a month (30 days) after infection and for the treatment and control of ascarids (Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina) and hookworms (Ancylostoma caninum, and Uncinaria stenocephala).

Dosage

HEARTGARD-30 Plus (ivermectin/pyrantel) Chewables should be administered orally at monthly* dosing intervals at the recommended minimum dose level of 6 µg of ivermectin per kilogram and 5 mg of pyrantel (as pamoate salt) per kilogram of body weight (See ADMINISTRATION). The recommended dosage schedule for prevention of canine heartworm disease and for the treatment and control of ascarids and hookworms is as follows:

Dog Weight	Chewables Per Month	Ivermectin Content	Pyrantel Content	Din Number	Colour Coding On Carton
Up to 11 kg	1*	68 µg	57 mg	01909975	Blue
12 to 22 kg	1*	136 µg	114 mg	01909983	Green
23 to 45 kg	1*	272 µg	227 mg	01909991	Brown

Give dogs over 45 kg the appropriate combination of these sizes.

HEARTGARD-30 Plus is recommended for use in dogs six weeks of age and older.

*For puppies between 6 and 12 weeks of age, treatment and control of ascarids and hookworms is best achieved by administering 1 chewable every two weeks.

Administration

Remove only one chewable at a time from the foil-backed blister. Return the remaining chewables to their box/wallet to protect the product from light. Because most dogs find HEARTGARD-30 Plus palatable, the product can be offered to the dog by hand. Alternatively, it may be added intact to a small amount of dog food.

Care should be taken that the dog consumes the complete dose, and treated animals should be observed for a few minutes after administration to ensure that part of the dose is not lost or rejected. For this reason, if HEARTGARD-30 Plus is added to dog food, it should be kept intact and not crumbled. If it is suspected that any of the dose has been lost, redosing is recommended.

HEARTGARD-30 Plus should be given at monthly intervals during the period of the year when mosquitoes (vectors), potentially carrying infective heartworm larvae, are active. The initial dose must be given within 30 days after the dog’s first exposure to mosquitoes. The final dose must be given within 30 days after the dog’s last exposure to mosquitoes.

When replacing diethylcarbamazine (DEC) or milbemycin in a heartworm disease prevention program, the first dose of HEARTGARD-30 Plus must be given within 30 days after the last treatment with that product.

If the interval between doses exceeds 30 days, the efficacy of ivermectin will be reduced. Therefore, for optimal performance, the chewable must be given once a month on or at about the same day of the month. If treatment is delayed, whether by a few days or many, immediate treatment with HEARTGARD-30 Plus and resumption of the recommended dosing regimen will minimize the opportunity for the development of adult heartworms.

In dogs 12 weeks of age and above, monthly treatment with HEARTGARD-30 Plus (ivermectin/pyrantel) Chewables also provides effective treatment and control of ascarids (T. canis, T. leonina) and hookworms (A. caninum, U. stenocephala).

In puppies between 6 and 12 weeks of age, treatment every two weeks with HEARTGARD-30 Plus (ivermectin/pyrantel) Chewables provides optimal treatment and control of ascarids (T. canis, T. leonina) and hookworms (A. caninum, U. stenocephala), because of the short prepatent period of the parasites observed in puppies less than 12 weeks of age.

Efficacy

HEARTGARD-30 Plus, given orally using the recommended dose and regimen, is effective against the tissue larval stage of D. immitis up to a month after infection and, as a result, prevents the development of the adult stage. HEARTGARD-30 Plus is also effective against canine ascarids (T. canis, T. leonina) and hookworms (A. caninum, U. stenocephala).

Acceptability

In acceptability and field trials, HEARTGARD-30 Plus was shown to be an acceptable oral dosage form which will be consumed at first offering by the majority of dogs.

Safety

Clinical studies with HEARTGARD-30 Plus have shown a wide safety margin at the recommended dose level in dogs including pregnant or breeding bitches, stud dogs and puppies aged 6 or more weeks.

Heartgard-30 Plus Chewables for Dogs (272 mcg) Caution

All dogs must be tested for existing heartworm infection prior to starting treatment with HEARTGARD-30 Plus. Infected dogs should be treated to remove adult heartworms and microfilariae prior to initiating a program with HEARTGARD-30 Plus.

HEARTGARD-30 Plus is not effective against adult D. immitis. While some microfilariae may be killed by the ivermectin in HEARTGARD-30 Plus at the recommended dose level, HEARTGARD-30 Plus is not effective for microfilariae clearance. A mild hypersensitivity-type reaction, presumably due to dead or dying microfilariae and particularly involving a transient diarrhea, has been observed in clinical trials with ivermectin alone after treatment of some dogs that have circulating microfilariae.

Storage

Store at controlled room temperature of 15°-25°C. Brief exposure up to 30°C is permitted. Protect from light.

Warning

Keep this and all drugs out of the reach of children. In case of ingestion by humans, clients should be advised to contact a physician immediately. Physicians may contact a Poison Control Center for advice concerning cases of ingestion by humans.

Availability

HEARTGARD-30 Plus is available in three dosage strengths (See DOSAGE section) for dogs of different weights. Each strength comes in convenient cartons of 6 chewables, packed 10 cartons per tray, and in individual cartons of 12 chewables.

Merial Limited, a company limited by shares registered in England and Wales (registered number 3332751) with a registered office at PO Box 327, Sandringham House, Sandringham Avenue, Harlow Business Park, Harlow, Essex CM19 5QA, England and domesticated in Delaware, USA as Merial LLC, and having its place of business at 3239 Satellite Boulevard, Duluth, GA, U.S.A.

Merial Canada, Inc., 20000 Clark Graham, Baie d’Urfé, Qc H9X 4B6

Copyright © 1988-2008 Merial Limited

All Rights Reserved.

^®HEARTGARD-30 is a registered trademark and Dog and Hand logo is a trademark of Merial.

2050-2357-00

Rev. 02/2007

Nac No.

11820294