Quote:
Originally Posted by Melina
Does anyone know the difference between treating with Melarsomine (Immiticide) and Ivermectin? When I talked to my Vet on the phone, she only mentioned the Melarsomine, which I looked up and found out was the Immiticide. I'm trying to find out some information on Google right now, but I'm not finding anything in layman's terms. I want to be able to have some idea of what I'm talking about at the Vet's office tomorrow...
She did mention that the Melarsomine doesn't kill the adult worms, I think? Just the microfilaria? So it wouldn't be an effective treatment if Koda has adult heartworm, right?
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Melarsomine kills the adult worms, that is the arsenic based compound. It is injected into a back muscle, is quite painful and starts killing adult worms immediately.
The Ivermectin (heartguard) will NOT kill the adult worms, however it does shorten their lives. It is simply a standard heartworm preventive medicine.
Many vets will not even talk about a choice of using a slower method of ivermectin over about 18 months, and will always recommend immiticide treatment..
As I said if it's light case, and the vet says you can go the Ivermectin route, it would be the dogs activity level that would make my decision point.
If the dog is going to be getting a lot of hard exercise over the next year and a half the fast kill immiticide is probably safer.
Here is the clearest info page I have seen....
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body...treatment.html