# Cheapest way to worm dogs?



## IndyGardenGal (Apr 5, 2009)

My dogs are both currently on interceptor, but we got a good deal on it while my husband was still on active duty with the army. However, I've looked at the "normal" prices, and it's ridiculous. What's the cheapest and most effective way to keep my dogs healthy? (I have a beagle mix that's about 25-30lbs and a german shorthair that's about 45 lbs.)


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

Please please do not buy Hartz wormer. It has killed many many dogs, and all they will do is refund the price of the product. (I actually had it happen to a friend). I understand financial hardship though. Have you tried those on-line places?


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## nancy237 (May 29, 2008)

We just came from the first vet visit for our puppy. 

He said using Sentinel Heartworm Tabs with the wormer and flea prevention added in comes out cheaper that using Intercepter and Frontline for fleas.

The flea part causes any flea that bites them to be sterile so you could get some fleas from another location but they would not multiply in your yard and house.

Just thought I would pass on what he said.


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## GoldenMom (Jan 2, 2005)

nancy237 said:


> We just came from the first vet visit for our puppy.
> 
> He said using Sentinel Heartworm Tabs with the wormer and flea prevention added in comes out cheaper that using Intercepter and Frontline for fleas.
> 
> ...


In most areas of the country you will need tick protection too. Sentinel does nothing for ticks. And if you have a flea allergic dogs the Sentinel doesn't kill the flea, so while it's eggs won't develop, it will still be running around biting your dog until it dies.


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## Janis Sauncy (Apr 11, 2006)

A tube of Ivermec horse wormer paste will go a long ways in your worming needs.

1/10 of a cc per 10 pounds of weight is all you use.

Depending on which brand you choose, a tube should cost around $10.00 m/l and should last you a long time.

Use a syringe to measure it. Don't guess! You can overdose. (I did on a cat; he ended up ok but it scared the crap out of me).

Also, it is supposed to be toxic to collies so don't take any chances. I have Border Collie/Aussie crosses and I don't use it for them.

Janis


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## IndyGardenGal (Apr 5, 2009)

Do you use the Ivermec monthly? We use frontline now with the interceptor, and I want my dogs fully protected, but it's a bit on the pricey side.


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

Actually, your cheapest way to go is to have your vet fax a script into dr fosters and smith. You can buy HW prevention by the single tablet. Or cheaper over time is to buy a generic of the same from them or KV vet (KV only does full packs). Some vets will fax the scripts, others won't. Mine will, but I still order a generic heartguard plus from Australia as I can't beat the price for the number of dogs I have. For fleas, i simply sprinkle garlic powder (mixed with kelp) on thier food daily. My cats may get fleas (they don;t like garlic, and are indoor only cats), but the dogs don't.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> A tube of Ivermec horse wormer paste will go a long ways in your worming needs.
> 
> 1/10 of a cc per 10 pounds of weight is all you use


The dosage you gave is for 1% Injectible Ivomec, given once every 4-6 weeks You cant accurately measure a tube of horse paste.

Ivomec should NOT be used on Collie breeds, and it will NOT treat tapeworms, but works great for everything else. 

Safeguard 10% liquid can be used for tapeworms, at 1ML/5 lbs body weight, given 3 consecutive days.


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## oberhaslikid (May 13, 2002)

Safeguard 10% liquid can be used for tapeworms, at 1ML/5 lbs body weight, given 3 consecutive days.
__________________


Can you give this to cats?


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## Janis Sauncy (Apr 11, 2006)

Bearfootfarm said:


> The dosage you gave is for 1% Injectible Ivomec, given once every 4-6 weeks You cant accurately measure a tube of horse paste.
> 
> Ivomec should NOT be used on Collie breeds, and it will NOT treat tapeworms, but works great for everything else.
> 
> Safeguard 10% liquid can be used for tapeworms, at 1ML/5 lbs body weight, given 3 consecutive days.


I've always used the paste but it is a pain in the you-know-what to measure.

I've wondered about the injectible (I use that on my goats) but wasn't sure if it was ok and whether or not the dosage would be the same.

I knew you could use Safeguard for tapes but I couldn't remember the dosage.

http://www.jefferslivestock.com seems to have the best deals on this kind of stuff, as well as for items such as Advantage. I buy the largest dog size Advantage and adjust the dosage (using a syringe) according to weight and use it on all my dogs and cats. That's the most economical way to go. When I worked in a feed store, I did a little math and it came up something like you get _eight_ times as much for just a few dollars more by buying for dogs 55 pounds and over. The formula is the same for dogs and cats.

I wouldn't do this with Frontline because the formula is _not_ the same.

Janis


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## Guest (May 10, 2009)

Bearfootfarm said:


> The dosage you gave is for 1% Injectible Ivomec, given once every 4-6 weeks You cant accurately measure a tube of horse paste.
> 
> Ivomec should NOT be used on Collie breeds, and it will NOT treat tapeworms, but works great for everything else.
> 
> Safeguard 10% liquid can be used for tapeworms, at 1ML/5 lbs body weight, given 3 consecutive days.


Is the Ivomec injected into the dogs as with the horses or given orally?

.....Alan.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

A.T. Hagan said:


> Is the Ivomec injected into the dogs as with the horses or given orally?
> 
> .....Alan.


Give it orally. I like to mix it with a little sugar water.
Most of my dogs are so big they get a full ML or more, but you CAN give less if you only want to treat for heartworms


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> I've always used the paste but it is a pain in the you-know-what to measure.
> 
> I've wondered about the injectible (I use that on my goats) but wasn't sure if it was ok and whether or not the dosage would be the same.


I think it's also cheaper to use injectible, since a 50 ML bottle is only about $35-40, and will treat a LOT of dogs. Get a 1 ML syringe, and it will normally be marked in tenths.

The pastes are often 1.87%, so technically the dosage should be less, but it's just too hard to measure it with any accuracy.

About the Frontline, I've always heard it's the same product for dogs or cats, and only the amount used is different.

Frontline-for dogs and cats 8 weeks and older. *Give once monthly*.
Cats (all sizes): 0.5cc
Dogs 0-22#: 0.67cc
Dogs 23-44#: 1.34cc
Dogs 45-88#: 2.68cc
Dogs >89#: 4.02cc
Giving it monthly will help with ticks, but with just fleas you can do it every 6 weeks and still be protected. I normally just check the dogs after a few weeks, and dont retreat until I see signs of fleas. I have one dog that seems to be allergic to fleas, he for some reason he seems to attract the most.
The other dogs often go 6-8 weeks between treatments with no signs of reinfestation


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Does anyone know if Ivomec can be used on a PREGNANT dog?
One of my Maremma females may be about 4 weeks away from whelping, and I'm pretty sure she will need at least enough to prevent heartworms before the pups are due.

I'm thinking about just giving her 1/10th ML instead of her normal 1 ML dose
She doesnt show any worm symptoms, but mosquitos here are pretty bad when it's warm, which is about 9 months of the year


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## GoldenMom (Jan 2, 2005)

Bearfootfarm said:


> Does anyone know if Ivomec can be used on a PREGNANT dog?
> One of my Maremma females may be about 4 weeks away from whelping, and I'm pretty sure she will need at least enough to prevent heartworms before the pups are due.
> 
> I'm thinking about just giving her 1/10th ML instead of her normal 1 ML dose
> She doesnt show any worm symptoms, but mosquitos here are pretty bad when it's warm, which is about 9 months of the year


Here's what Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook has to say:

Ivermectin is considered safe to use during pregnancy. Reproductive studies performed in dogs, horses, cattle and swine have not demonstrated adverse effects to fetuses. Reproductive performance in male animals is also apparently unaltered.

Ivermectin considered Class A in dogs and cats: Probably safe. Although specific studies may not have proved the safety of all drugs in dogs and cats, there are no reports of adverse effects in laboratory animals or women.

Oh and dog and cat Frontline PLUS has the same ingredients but slightly different percentages of the ingredients. The dog formula has a couple of percentage points less of methoprene than the cat formula but the same percentage of fipronil. Because you would be using the dog formula on cats and not vice versa, it should be totally safe (you just might not get as good flea sterilization properties in the cats but the fipronil should kill them anyway). Plain Frontline (which you can still buy, but most of what is sold is Plus) is just fipronil and the dog and cat products are exactly the same


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Thanks!!


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## zant (Dec 1, 2005)

With 5 dogs buying Heartgard is 55$ a month....I found a place and bought a product called Heartz from Australia for 19.95-exact same chem formula as Heartgard...don't need a script either...I buy all my horse meds from Jeffers as they're 30m away...good place.


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