Heartworm strikes fear into loving pet owners hearts as soon as the temperatures start rising. Most pet owners use a monthly heartworm preventative to avoid the risk of the parasitic disease. Now, beyond fearing heartworms, we need to pay close attention to the drugs we use to prevent it for fear that those medications may cause illness themselves.
In 2001, a new heartworm preventative, marketed under the name ProHeart 6 was released. Unlike once monthly preventatives, ProHeart 6 was to be administered every six months by injection at the vet’s office. The drug became extremely popular, due to its convenience (one shot could protect for an entire heartworm season). The drug was distributed by Fort Dodge Animal Health, a division of the drug giant Wyeth Pharmaceutical Company.

Unfortunately, the drug directly caused the deaths of between 500-600 dogs and adverse reactions such as seizures, extreme lethargy and uncontrolled bleeding affected between 5,500 - 6,000. The FDA pressured ProHeart 6’s manufacturer to pull the drug from the market in 2004.

According to an article in today’s USA Today, ProHeart 6 market, released under an (moxdectin) is back on the FDA required risk minimization plan that requires veterinarians who want to purchase the drug to register with the company and participate in an e-training program before they can obtain the drug. These types of programs are reserved for a small number of human drugs…this is the first animal drug to be marketed under such a program.

Watch out for veterinary offers of ProHeart 6 and please make sure to do your research before switching to a new heartworm preventative.

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