oakway Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 Pet-pill problem known, suit says MICHAEL LIPKIN ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE Dr. Holt Pittman, a Helena-West Helena veterinarian, was stumped. At least 100 dogs a year, all taking Heartgard Plus, were still contracting heartworms, a parasite that causes lung disease in dogs, and possibly death. While some cases stemmed from owners’ skipping doses, many were coming from Pittman’s most diligent clients, he said. A lawsuit by a former employee of Duluth, Ga.-based Merial, maker of Heartgard, may answer Pittman’s concerns. Dr. Kari Blaho-Owens, Merial’s former head of “global pharmacovigilance,” alleges that Heartgard has been losing its effectiveness for years, and that Merial executives knew about it. She claims she was fired in July after refusing to destroy documents relating to Heartgard’s effectiveness. According to the lawsuit, filed last month in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, “Merial has been aware of a serious lack of efficacy” since 2002, even as it continued to market Heartgard as “100 percent” effective. Merial stopped calling Heartgard “100 percent” effective in 2006 after four years of FDA requests, according to the suit. The company did not explicitly state that contracting heartworms was possible while the pet, whether dog or cat, was under properly administered Heartgard, the suit says. It just changed the packaging to say “effective.” Blaho-Owens also claims the efficacy data Merial submitted for FDA approval of Heartgard weren’t consistent with post-approval reports Merial submitted to the FDA. Blaho-Owens found that about 20 percent of dogs treated with Heartgard regularly contracted heartworms. “There was no other explanation possible other than product failure,” the lawsuit said. Pittman said Merial blamed the problem for years on owners who forgot to give their dogs the beef-flavored medicine once a month. “We’ve known there’s been a huge problem for years, but what makes me mad is that Merial knew there was a problem, they had a researcher who knew there was a problem, and they were trying to cover it up,” said Pittman, who stopped recommending Heartgard Plus for his patients early this year. “If this was a human product, it’d be on the national news.” Some dog owners whose pets got heartworms while on Heartgard had their treatments paid for by Merial over the past eight years, Pittman said. Two dogs owned by Erin Collins of Helena-West Helena contracted heartworms within six months of each other last fall. The treatment was too dangerous for her 11-year-old Labrador, but Merial paid the $300 bill for her 3-year-old golden retriever-poodle mix. “Merial stood by their [promise by paying for the treatment], but I wouldn’t use it again. I’ve lost confidence,” Collins, 50, said. She has since switched to ProHeart 6, a twice-yearly injection by Pfizer. Merial denied in a news release that there were any problems with Heartgard.. “As a matter of company policy, we do not comment on the details of pending litigation or on employee-related issues. However, Merial believes we have acted appropriately and responsibly in all matters related to the allegations,” the statement said. “Merial stands by the effectiveness of our products.” The company calls Heartgard the No. 1 “veterinarian-recommended heartworm preventative” on its website. The Mississippi Delta in particular has seen an increase in heartworm infections in dogs taking preventives such as Heartgard, American Heartworm Society President Dr. Wallace Graham said. Heartworm larvae are carried by mosquitoes, which are plentiful in the Delta. “In the Delta, with the amount of mosquitoes we have, you have to hit them hard and keep hitting them. You’re just going to have so many larvae in these dogs,” said Dr. Andrea Allbritton, a veterinarian in Lake Village. But it’s not just the number of heartworm larvae that concern Delta veterinarians. There are a growing number of anecdotal reports suggesting heartworms in South-Central states are resistant to medication, said R. Kelly Schwalbe, a spokesman for the Companion Animal Parasite Council. Merial knew about this resistance too, Blaho-Owens’ lawsuit claims, and was working to add more drugs to Heartgard to make it more effective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumtoshelley Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 you mean to say I'm using a product that doesn't work. I've been using heartgard plus. Look like I will have to search for a new heartworm product, Anyone have some good surguestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akay Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 Thanks for this info oakway. Much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkhe Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 you mean to say I'm using a product that doesn't work. I've been using heartgard plus. Look like I will have to search for a new heartworm product, Anyone have some good surguestions? I use Advocate, which is a combined heartworm preventative which also works on fleas, mites and some other worms. I would recommend it, it comes in little squeeze tube things which you put on your dog's skin (high up between shoulder blades is suggested). You re-apply monthly, and it's worked for me - available from your vet or online, you won't find it in the supermarket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I use Interceptor Spectrum or Sentinal Spectrum. They work on heartworm and tapeworm as well as some other worms. Sentinal also works on fleas. They are chews as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dju Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 Hmm, is Heartgard specifically ineffective or is the active ingredient in Heartgard ineffective? It doesn't say anything about what makes it ineffective, so it's either a dosage issue or an ingredient issue, and if it's the latter, then there are a whole range of heartworm preventative products that will be ineffective.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Online Pets Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Other alternatives for Heart worm are: Sentinel Spectrum: Prevents heart worm. Controls roundworm, whipworm, hookworm & tapeworm. Long term flea prevention. Controls flea allergy dermatitis. Advocate: Prevents heart worm. Controls intestinal worms & larvae. Controls demodectic mange & sarcoptic mange, ear mites & lice. Kills fleas (adult & larvae). Does not treat tapeworm. Revolution: Prevents heartworm. Kills fleas (adult, larvae & eggs). Treats ear mites & sarcoptic mites. Does not treat any intestinal worms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peigirl Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Ok I want a straight heart guard tablet, not the flavoured chew type for my sensitive tummies. What are my options? I've been using Heartgard the last 5 years and have no idea what's available these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 Just another heads up. This has been brought to my attention http://news.vin.com/vinnews.aspx?articleId=18763 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 (edited) Bummer, this is the product I use Any heartworm prevention that does not do fleas too? I need to do fleas/ticks so currently use Advantix for this, don't want to double up on meds. Edited July 4, 2011 by Kavik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 (edited) I am rather angry about this ... I have used this product for a many years on my dogs ... and now with a couple of packets in the cupboard I am looking for another product. I feel like I have wasted lots of money (this product isn't cheap) and put my dogs at risk of something that is preventable. So not happy ... so should I now be getting my dogs tested for heartworm before starting them on something else? Edited July 4, 2011 by Tilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Bummer, this is the product I use Any heartworm prevention that does not do fleas too? I need to do fleas/ticks so currently use Advantix for this, don't want to double up on meds. Interceptor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskedaway Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Bummer, this is the product I use Any heartworm prevention that does not do fleas too? I need to do fleas/ticks so currently use Advantix for this, don't want to double up on meds. Interceptor Does interceptor come as chews or a tablet? And is it just Heartgard that's affected, or is it also Valuheart, the generic version? (I use Heartgard for one dog and Valueheart for the other due to the little one's refusal to eat any tablets even if they're chewable.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Does anyone know about just plain HeartGuard, not the Plus variety? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Here is an article back in April 2010 - http://news.change.org/stories/heartgard-sued-over-resistant-heartworms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninahartland Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I use heartworm pills from Woolworths (Homebrand even,lol) 100 pills for about $3, only thing is you have to remember to give daily .I get the bottle out with their breakfast dishes so no chance of forgetting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9angel Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I use Advocate. I buy it online. It is much cheaper than the vets/shops charge. Because I have so many dogs, I buy the 6 x 4.0ml (=24mls) and just divide dosages. It's very effective. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Advocate-Dogs-Over-25kg-6-pack-/120723540838?pt=AU_Pet_Supplies&hash=item1c1baf0b66 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted July 5, 2011 Author Share Posted July 5, 2011 (edited) I use heartworm pills from Woolworths (Homebrand even,lol) 100 pills for about $3, only thing is you have to remember to give daily .I get the bottle out with their breakfast dishes so no chance of forgetting. I ask of genuine curosity....why do you give your dogs a daily dose of poison?. When it is only necessary to give it once a month to get rid of the micro filaria. edited to ask do you have dogs that can not take the mectin in most monthly's Edited July 5, 2011 by oakway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyCresties Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Bummer, this is the product I use Any heartworm prevention that does not do fleas too? I need to do fleas/ticks so currently use Advantix for this, don't want to double up on meds. I use Milbemax on my lot, and a separate flea treatment. http://www.ah.novartis.com/products/en/milbemax_dog.shtml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 (edited) Bummer, this is the product I use Any heartworm prevention that does not do fleas too? I need to do fleas/ticks so currently use Advantix for this, don't want to double up on meds. Interceptor Does interceptor come as chews or a tablet? And is it just Heartgard that's affected, or is it also Valuheart, the generic version? (I use Heartgard for one dog and Valueheart for the other due to the little one's refusal to eat any tablets even if they're chewable.) Interceptor comes as chews. They are not very palatable though, even my labrador rejects them! It is not clear whether it is the formulation of heartguard or the active ingredient (ivermectin) that is the problem. Also, not clear whether it is only north america that is affected- ie their heartwoms are becoming resistant. Edited July 5, 2011 by aussielover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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