Heartgard Tablets, a non-flavored, non-chewable product, has been discontinued by the manufacturer. This product was a great alternative for those dogs with beef allergy that needed heartworm prevention.
If your dog has a beef allergy, and especially if your pet has been taking these tablets, you should contact your veterinarian to discuss alternative heartworm prevention medication.
Heartgard Plus (heartworm and intestinal parasite prevention), and Heartgard Chews (heartworm prevention only) are readily available. Only the non-flavored, non-chewable tablet is discontinued.
Read Related Posts on PetMeds Blog:
8 Comments
This is very useful information…there should be discussions on the same.
[Reply]
Dr. Michael Dym, VMD veterinarian Reply:
December 19th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Yes it is a shame if the nonchewable tablets are discontinued because some pets do indeed have beef allergies, which can aggravate skin and/or digestive issues in allergic dogs. . In these cases I will sometimes use oral ivermectin in breeds which can tolorate it in lieu or heartguard or interceptor.
[Reply]
LINDA SANTIAGO Reply:
January 24th, 2010 at 3:52 pm
yES, STELLA HAS IBD AND I CAN ONLY GIVE HEARTGARD PLAIN. SO ALL SITES DO NOT OFFER THIS, AS I HAVE ALWAYS BOUGHT IT FROM YOU. SO WHAT DO I DO?> PLEASE ADVISE SOON. THANKS…LINDA
[Reply]
Dr. Michael Dym, VMD veterinarian Reply:
January 27th, 2010 at 1:16 am
Check with 1800petmeds pharmacist on availability of the nonchewable hearguard tablets. If not available you can try oral ivermectin(which is main ingredient in heartguard and which you can buy from 1800petmeds. However see your vet locally for exact dosing needed in your pet. ORal ivermectin would be satisfactory for pets with food allergies and/or IBD. You can also look into topicals like revolution as well as alternative.
Dr. Michael Dym, VMD veterinarian Reply:
December 19th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Yes indeed, with rising cost of preventative health care as well as medical and surgical veterinary care across the country, I think such deductions would be quite helpful to the animal guardian public, who are already overburdened with taxes and medical expenses. Getting in touch with local congressmen is probably best way to show your support as already mentioned.
[Reply]
My dog has bad skin alergies and is on a special diet and needs Heartgard unflavored. Seeing it has been discontinued – what has other dog owners used in place of the unflavored Heartgard.
[Reply]
Gary Koesten Reply:
March 2nd, 2010 at 4:30 pm
Revolution, which is applied to the skin, might be the best choice. You will, of course, need to discuss this with your veterinarian.
[Reply]
I am so disappointed that I can not get the heartgard pills any more. My shih-tzu, Paladin, HATES the treats and the only way I can get him to consume them is to cut them into tiny pills and force him to swallow the pieces one at a time. The pill was a one simple gulp ordeal; administering the chewables will be a difficult ordeal for both of us.
[Reply]
I understand your disappointment. It is a shame that the manufacturer has ceased production. Because the chews should not be “gulped”, your needing to break it into smaller pieces is perfect for properly giving this to your pet. A consideration if this truly becomes an ordeal is to speak to your veterinarian about switching to another heartworm preventative.
[Reply]
This is an outrage! We need to unflavored tablets. Our dog absolutely abhors the chewable tablets and his health is compromised by all the pieces we always miss that he extrudes from his mouth violently. We must have a tablet that has kept my dog heartworm free for the whole 4 years of his life. Please, start producing them again!!!!
[Reply]
Dr. Michael Dym, VMD veterinarian Reply:
June 13th, 2010 at 7:16 pm
Nothing 1800petmeds can do. Issue on manufacturing them again would be up to drug companies that make them like Merck, which makes heartguard.
[Reply]
Gary Koesten Reply:
June 15th, 2010 at 2:24 pm
I cannot agree with you more. There are a lot of clients with pets that cannot, for one reason or another take the flavored tablets. In many instances, the topical heartworm preventatives are not a viable alternative either. I agree with Dr. Dym, you should contact the manufacturer, Merial, and express your outrage.
[Reply]
I also have a dog with beef allergies who cannot take the flavored chews. This past month, I switched her to Revolution for heartworm and flea prevention. It was a miserable failure for fleas. My other dog (still on Heartgard and Frontline) was comfortable and flea free, while poor Molly scratched and dug at herself. A few swipes of the flea comb proved that she had several fleas, while Gunner did not. I am concerned about treating Molly with 2 types of topical flea med, so for now, I am stuck and bathing my huge hound far more frequently that she OR I prefer.
[Reply]
We too have a dog with allergies to beef and pork who cannot take chewables .. he gets severe hot spots. Ticks are a huge problem in our area and revolution is not very good with ticks according to our vet. We are looking at our options. It is very frustrating this product is discontinued and it is no doubt about money.. It would be better and SAFER to have the non chewable product and discontinue the chewable. Dogs DON”T need IT..
[Reply]
Merck is not the manufacturer of Heartguard, Merial is. I called to register a complaint at 888 637 4251 and was told that the tablets are NOT discontinued, they are off the market because the manufacturer had to change facilities and they waiting for FDA approval of the new facility before they can manufacture again. Estimated time for being back on the market is 2011
[Reply]