# Ok to cut heartworm pill in half?



## dkolack (Nov 24, 2008)

Queso's monthly heartworm pill says it's for a 25 pound dog. We usually cut it in half and do one with breakfast and the other half with dinner. *But I'm wondering if we can just skip the other half - she's only 6 lbs???*

Originally we had tried to give her a whole pill but it made her sick and she threw it up, that is why we do halvsies now.

Thanks for any advice.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

No you cannot. The medication is not evenly distributed in the tablet. It also voids the guarantee the company provides on the product (if given properly and heartworm tested annually, they pay for treatment if the pet were to test positive). Heartgard chews must be chewed up by the dog. Interceptor pills can be chewed or swallowed whole.


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## Sugarbaby (May 21, 2008)

don't they have pills for smaller dogs???? that sounds like to many pounds for a small dog of that sort...they say the smaller the dog the more problems you have but i really and not sure about that..That is what my groomer says and vet..

hope all is ok


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## deedeeb (Feb 17, 2008)

Interceptor/Sentinel has a 1-10# size, Heartgard just has 1-25# and Iverhart Max 6-12#
My vet recommended Interceptor over HG because it covers a wider variety of worms. Personally I'd just change brands.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

QUOTE (DeeDeeB @ May 8 2009, 11:59 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=773633


> Interceptor/Sentinel has a 1-10# size, Heartgard just has 1-25# and Iverhart Max 6-12#
> My vet recommended Interceptor over HG because it covers a wider variety of worms. Personally I'd just change brands.[/B]


I agree. We use Interceptor.


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## CloudClan (Jan 31, 2007)

QUOTE (JMM @ May 8 2009, 10:56 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=773611


> No you cannot. The medication is not evenly distributed in the tablet. It also voids the guarantee the company provides on the product (if given properly and heartworm tested annually, they pay for treatment if the pet were to test positive). Heartgard chews must be chewed up by the dog. Interceptor pills can be chewed or swallowed whole.[/B]



While I often trust Jackie's advice as least as much as many vets I know, I have to say that we were told by our vets in GA and our vets here in MD to cut the pill in half for Cameo as she was only 3 pounds. They also told us here that we could give a larger half to Cadeau. 

What Jackie said is also what the vets told me. The company does not gauarntee it if you do not give the whole pill and the medicine may not be properly distrubuted through the pill. However, my vets (and again this is my vets in GA and here in MD) encouraged me to give less of the HeartGuard chew to Cameo especially given her size. The theory being that it may not be equally distributed, but it is highly ulikely that the majority of the medication would all be in just one half of the chew. 

Once upon a time we used interceptor with Cameo, but stopped and I know there was a reason, but I no longer recall what it was. I don't know wether to blame my faulty memory on the fact that this is finals week or age. :huh:


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

I don't use Heartgard and do not generally recommend it for Maltese. It is contraindicated for dogs with seizures (common in the breed) and liver disease (common in the breed).


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## fredsmama (Apr 21, 2009)

QUOTE (JMM @ May 8 2009, 04:06 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=773748


> I don't use Heartgard and do not generally recommend it for Maltese. It is contraindicated for dogs with seizures (common in the breed) and liver disease (common in the breed).[/B]



So what do you use? I was given Heartguard for my Fred. In Louisiana there are too many mosquitos not to use some sort of Hearworm preventive. Thanks


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

I use Interceptor.


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## Moxie'smom (Dec 16, 2007)

I use interceptor too


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## kathym (Aug 5, 2006)

Baci gets interceptor its for smaller dogs .


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## EmmasMommy (Jun 2, 2008)

We use Interceptor for our Maltese AND our Shelties.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

QUOTE (JMM @ May 8 2009, 05:06 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=773748


> I don't use Heartgard and do not generally recommend it for Maltese. It is contraindicated for dogs with seizures (common in the breed) and liver disease (common in the breed).[/B]



I'm just curious.....

I know Heartguard/Ivermectin can lower the seizure threshold which is why Lady only gets Interceptor, but why is Interceptor safer for dogs with liver disease than Heartguard?


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

QUOTE (LadysMom @ May 9 2009, 08:12 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=773940


> QUOTE (JMM @ May 8 2009, 05:06 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=773748





> I don't use Heartgard and do not generally recommend it for Maltese. It is contraindicated for dogs with seizures (common in the breed) and liver disease (common in the breed).[/B]



I'm just curious.....

I know Heartguard/Ivermectin can lower the seizure threshold which is why Lady only gets Interceptor, but why is Interceptor safer for dogs with liver disease than Heartguard?
[/B][/QUOTE]

This is all a conundrun!! The puppy info sheet that Tonia sent with Claire said that she does not recommend that Sentinel, Revolution or Program be given to Maltese. She recommends Heartgard or Interceptor and Advantage. When I asked her why, she said the non-recommended ones can raise the liver enzyme level in Maltese. She gives straight Ivermectin. From what I've read about Ivermectin I know I won't go that route but I may switch from Sentinel to Interceptor.


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## Maglily (Feb 3, 2009)

Is there a concern with using Sentinel....Jodi has been on this for 2 years. From what I remember the protocol (as per the vet) was to start with Interceptor (one or 2 pills) and then continue with Sentinel.

I may need to switch Jodi to something safer.


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## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

I use Interceptor for both boys, I use the up to 11lbs for Koko as he is 5½lbs but the vet said I can give it once every 6 weeks instead of every 4 weeks and he has never tested positive, she has never recommended cutting them in half.
I do the same with Scooby except he has the up to 22 lbs because he weighs 11½lbs.
I have used Interceptor from the beginning with both boys and so far with great success.


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

QUOTE (Scoobydoo @ May 9 2009, 08:54 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=773949


> I use Interceptor for both boys, I use the up to 11lbs for Koko as he is 5½lbs but the vet said I can give it once every 6 weeks instead of every 4 weeks and he has never tested positive, she has never recommended cutting them in half.
> I do the same with Scooby except he has the up to 22 lbs because he weighs 11½lbs.
> I have used Interceptor from the beginning with both boys and so far with great success. [/B]


Janet, what do you use for fleas? I think I'm going to switch to Interceptor so will need something for fleas, now.


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

i use sentinel...same product for heartworms as interceptor just has insect growth inhibitor and sterilizes fleas. covers whipworms which ivermectins do not. also dont advise splitting any heartworm meds. getting heartworms around here is too high risk and giving a dose for a larger lb dog is very safe and getting heartworms is not so u can pick ur battle


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

QUOTE (Dr.Jaimie @ May 9 2009, 11:39 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=773962


> i use sentinel...same product for heartworms as interceptor just has insect growth inhibitor and sterilizes fleas. covers whipworms which ivermectins do not. also dont advise splitting any heartworm meds. getting heartworms around here is too high risk and giving a dose for a larger lb dog is very safe and getting heartworms is not so u can pick ur battle[/B]


Jaimie, I'm relieved to know that you give Sentinel. It's such a great (i.e. easy) pill .. in that everything is all in one. I've been using it for a very long time. I was surprised to read that Tonia was not recommending it and I'm not sure where she got the info. If it was something that breeders have been discussing or if it was from her personal experience.


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## dkolack (Nov 24, 2008)

Thanks for all the replies. I always learn so much here.

We're using Heartguard which is what our vet gave us. Financially, we will need to use up this pack and then ask about switching to Sentinel. 

For now, we have split the pills and are giving them one in the morning and one at night. That seems okay, right?


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## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

QUOTE (K/C Mom @ May 9 2009, 09:11 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=773956


> QUOTE (Scoobydoo @ May 9 2009, 08:54 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=773949





> I use Interceptor for both boys, I use the up to 11lbs for Koko as he is 5½lbs but the vet said I can give it once every 6 weeks instead of every 4 weeks and he has never tested positive, she has never recommended cutting them in half.
> I do the same with Scooby except he has the up to 22 lbs because he weighs 11½lbs.
> I have used Interceptor from the beginning with both boys and so far with great success. [/B]


Janet, what do you use for fleas? I think I'm going to switch to Interceptor so will need something for fleas, now.
[/B][/QUOTE]

Sher I use Frontline Plus for fleas, always have and I split one between the two, I have never seen a flea on either Scooby or Koko yet so I am happy to continue using it.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

I don't have any issue with using Sentinel...I just don't think its a very effective if you really have fleas and ticks where you take your dogs. It doesn't kill fleas.


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## Maglily (Feb 3, 2009)

I am also relieved to know that you use Sentinel Dr. Jaimie. And JMM thanks for clarifying your point about Sentinel not killing fleas...good to know. 
Thanks for posting.


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