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Heartworm Preventives

The American Heartworm Society recommends year-round administration of medications approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent heartworm infection. Currently available preventives are listed below; as new products become available, updates will be posted at heartwormsociety.org. Consult the appropriate manufacturer for minimum age/weight, use during breeding/lactation, or other health requirements for product usage.

Scroll down for feline and ferret preventives.

Preventives for Dogs

 Dirofilaria immitisOther Parasites Treated in Addition to Heartworm
DrugTrade Name(s)Tissue Stages (Larvae)Circulating MicrofilariaeFleasTicksHookwormsRoundwormsWhipwormsTapewormsEar MitesSarcoptic Mange Mites
Oral Administration (monthly tablets and chews)
Ivermectin HEARTGARD® (Boehringer Ingelheim) X                  
Ivermectin + pyrantel pamoate HEARTGARD® Plus (Boehringer Ingelheim), Iverhart Plus® (Virbac), Tri-Heart® Plus (Merck) X       Xa Xb        
Ivermectin + pyrantel pamoate + praziquantel Iverhart Max® (Virbac) X       Xa Xb   Xh    
Milbemycin oxime Interceptor® (Elanco) , MilbeGuard® (Ceva) X       Xc Xb Xd      
Milbemycin oxime + praziquantel Interceptor®Plus (Elanco) X       Xc Xb Xd Xf    
Milbemycin oxime + lufenuron Sentinel® (Merck) X   Xj   Xc Xb Xd      
Milbemycin oxime + lufenuron + praziquantel Sentinel® Spectrum® (Merck) X   Xk   Xc Xb Xd Xf    
Milbemycin oxime + spinosad Trifexis® (Elanco) X   Xo   Xc Xb Xd      
Moxidectin +

Afoxolaner + Pyrantel

NEXGARD® PLUS (Boehringer Ingelheim) X   Xo X7 Xa Xb        
Moxidectin + sarolaner + pyrantel pamoate Simparica® Trio (Zoetis) X   Xl Xm Xn Xb        
Injectable Administration (every 6 or 12 months)
Moxidectin ProHeart®6 (Zoetis), ProHeart®12 (Zoetis) X       Xp          
Topical Administration (monthly spot-on)
Moxidectin + imidacloprid Advantage Multi® (Elanco), IMOXI™ (Vetoquinol USA), PARASEDGETM Multi (Virbac), Midamox™ (Norbrook) X X Xo   Xq Xr Xd     Xs

Selamectin

Revolution® (Zoetis), Paradyne®(Vethical) , Senergy™ (Virbac) , Selarid™ (Norbrook) , Revolt™ (Aurora) X   X1 X2         Xv Xs

Preventives for Cats

 Dirofilaria immitisOther Parasites Treated in Addition to Heartworm
DrugTrade Name(s)Tissue Stages (Larvae)Circulating MicrofilariaeFleasTicksHookwormsRoundwormsTapewormsEar Mites
Oral Administration (monthly tablets and chews)
Ivermectin HEARTGARD® (Boehringer Ingelheim) X       Xg      
Milbemycin oxime Interceptor® (Elanco), MilbeGuard (Ceva) X       Xc Xe    
Topical Administration (monthly spot-on; Bravecto PLUS is every 2 months)
Moxidectin + imidacloprid Advantage Multi® (Elanco), IMOXI™ (Vetoquinol USA), PARASEDGETM Multi (Virbac), Midamox™ (Norbrook) X   Xo   Xt Xu   Xv
Moxidectin + fluralaner Bravecto®PLUS (Merck) X   Xo Xw Xt Xu    
Eprinomectin + praziquantel CENTRAGARD® (Boehringer Ingelheim) X       Xi Xe X4  
Esafoxolaner + eprinomectin + praziquantel NEXGARD® COMBO X   Xo X5 Xg Xe X6  
Selamectin Revolution®, Paradyne® (Vethical), Revolt™ (Aurora), Senergy™ (Virbac), Selarid™ (Norbrook) X   X1   Xi Xe   Xv
Selamectin + sarolaner Revolution®Plus (Zoetis) X   X1 X3 Xi Xe   Xv

Preventives for Ferrets

 Dirofilaria immitisOther Parasites Treated in Addition to Heartworm
DrugTrade Name(s)Tissue Stages (Larvae)Circulating MicrofilariaeFleasTicksHookwormsRoundwormsTapewormsEar Mites
Moxidectin + imidacloprid Advantage Multi® (Elanco) X   Xo          

a - Ancylostoma caninum, Uncinaria stenocephala, A. braziliense; b - Ascarids (Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina); c - Adult Ancylostoma caninum; d - Trichuris vulpis; e- Toxocara cati; f - Taenia pisiformis, Echinococcus multilocularis, E. granulosus, Dipylidium caninum; g - Adult & immature hookworms (Ancylostoma tubaeforme, A. braziliense); h - D. caninum, T. pisiformis; i - Adult Ancylostoma tubaeforme; j - Prevents development of flea eggs; does not kill adult fleas; k - Prevention and control of flea populations (Ctenocephalides felis); l - Treatment of flea infestations (C. felis and C. canis); m - Treatment of tick infestations, with immediate & persistent tick killing activity for 5 weeks against Ixodes hexagonus, I. ricinus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus & for 4 weeks against Dermacentor reticulatus; n - A. caninum L4 larvae, immature adults (L5) and adults; U. stenocephala adults; o - Kills adult fleas; prevention & treatment of flea infestations (C. felis); p - Larval and adult A. caninum & U. stenocephala; q - Adult, immature adult, & fourth-stage larvae (L4) of A. caninum and U. stenocephala; r - Adult T. leonina & adult & L4 of T. canis; s - Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis; t - Adult, immature adult, & L4 of A. tubaeforme; u - Adult, immature adult, & L4 of T. cati; v - Otodectes cynotis; w - Control of tick infestations due to I. scapularis, D. variabilis, Haemaphysalis longicornis; x - Adult and L4 A. tubaeforme, adult A. braziliense; y - Adult and L4 T. cati; z - Adult D. caninum, E. multilocularis; 1 - Kills adult fleas & prevents flea eggs from hatching for 1 month; prevention & control of C. felis infestation; 2 - Control of tick infestations due to D. variabilis; 3 - Control of tick infestations due to I. scapularis, A. maculatum, D. variabilis; 4 - Adult D. caninum and E. multilocularis; 5 - Treatment and control of I. scapularis, R. sanguineus, D. variabilis, andA. americanum infestations for one month in dogs and puppies 8 weeks of age and older, weighing >4 pounds; 6 - D. caninum; 7 - Treatment and control of I. scapularis, R. sanguineous, D. variabilis, and A. americanum infestations for one month.

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