Interceptor Plus vs. Iverhart Max Comparison

Interceptor Plus

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Iverhart Max

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Revolution Plus for Cats

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Prevents Heartworm Disease

Roundworms

Hookworms

Whipworms

Tapeworms

Fleas

Other Parasites

Kills 3 species of ticks commonly found in cats, and treats and controls ear mites.

Safe for Breeding, Pregnant or Nursing Pets

The safety of Interceptor Plus has not been evaluated in dogs used for breeding or in lactating females.

The safe use of this drug has not been evaluated in pregnant or lactating bitches.

N/A

Age/Weight Requirements

Over 6 weeks of age and weighing more than 2 lbs

8 weeks of age or older and weighing at least 6 lbs

8 weeks of age or older, weighing at least 2.8 lbs

Rx Prescription Required

Dosage

Monthly

Usage

Video

Coming soon

Veterinarian Review (Michael Dym, VMD)

Interceptor plus ia a wonderful chewable monthly heartworm preventative pill that is easy to administer and comes in a convenient range of four weight categories. In recent years we have been seeing increasing amounts of beef allergies in our animal patients. Many of the heartworm preventative medications over the years have been made with beef flavoring, which can be a problem in many allergic dogs. There have been also increasing demands by clientele to include additional monthly protection against other intestinal worms, especially tapeworms, which are often carried by fleas and/or transmitted from the feces of other animals, and which may cause hidden digestive tract disease in affected animals. With the addition of praziquantel, this product provides this additional protection. The versatile main ingredient milbemycin, not only prevents heartworms, but treats, controls and prevents most other intestinal worms, including roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms, with the latter parasite, being very difficult to rid dogs of, making prevention a key for this pesky intestinal parasite. Most dogs readily accept this tasty chicken-flavored chew, with only a rare dog having a mild digestive tract reaction in my experience. Given the broad spectrum coverage and efficacy of this complete monthly worm preventative, I give this product an overall rating of a 4.5 (out of 5), with an ease of administering of 5 (out of 5).

As I also mention under my product review for Iverhart plus, it is truly wonderful for me to see a reliable more economic generic available for animal guardians that is certainly comparable to the more expensive brand name monthly heartworm preventatives. With this Virbac product, not only are clients getting the reliable heartworm prevention record of ivermectin, but also the additional preventative benefits and control of other internal parasites of the digestive tract, including roundworms, hookworms, and in this case tapeworms as well. It is exciting to see the inclusion of praziquantel in this combination product to broaden the spectrum of coverage of Iverhart plus against tapeworms. Tapeworms are among the most common frustrating parasites seen in dogs and cats, especially when there is any risk of flea exposure. Iverhart Max stands alone in having this added benefit of tapeworm control. Even for only this additional benefit, as well as the ones I mention under Iverhart plus , I highly recommend this reliable generic product and alternative to the other more expensive monthly heartworm pills that dont offer this protection against tapeworms. The only negative issue I have seen is the occasional pet who develops digestive upset from one of the ingredients, in which case I would change to a different monthly alternative. The only other possible limitation with this product is that it does not protect or prevent against whipworms, which in certain areas of the United States can be an intestinal parasite that can sometimes cause acute or chronic inflammation of the colon and diarrhea. But in my experience, whipworms are not as common as I used to see in my earlier days of veterinary practice. Thus my overall rating of this product is a 5. Its effectiveness a 4 and its taste a 4 as well.

A significant limitation of the original revolution product for cats is that it did not cover any species of ticks, which is especially important in those cats who go outside and/or live with dogs where there is increased chance of tick borne infections such as Lyme disease, Ehrlichia and Anaplasmosis in dogs, not to mention the risk of tick born disease exposure in people whose cats bring ticks in to the home. With this new formulation clients get protection against 3 species of ticks. The American Heartworm Society has published that one in 4 cats diagnosed with heartworm disease are indoor only cats, so that especially in Southern, warmer clients, heartworm disease prevention may become as important in cats as dogs. And it takes only a few heartworms to cause significant disease in cats, who seem much more sensitive on exposure to this parasite than even dogs are. This versatile product not only kills fleas before they eggs, but gives additional 6 in 1 protection again ticks, round worms, hookworms, as well as ear mites. THe product is quite quick drying, easy to apply, and not messy or greasy like many other topical formulations. The only down side as to efficacy is in those cases where there is a severe flea infestation affecting multiple animals in a household, where I have found some of the other products a bit more effective in those cases in both dogs and cats, however the vast majority of flea infestations are easily taken care of with this product. Because of the addition of the Sarolamer ingredient for tick control, I would not use this product if there is any history of neurological disease or seizures in the cat. The only other rare side effect I have seen is lethargy and because of its easy to use formulation, only very rare contact sensitivity. With all this being said, I give this product an overall rating of a 4 out of 5 with an ease of application of 5.

Our expert panel consists of licensed veterinarians and the knowledgeable staff of PetMed Express, Inc. d/b/a 1-800-PetMeds. Neither the Company nor any of its employees or consultants make any warranties, expressed or implied, or representations about the accuracy or completeness of the content or the content of any site or external sites. Likewise, no legal liability or responsibility is assumed for the accuracy or completeness of any information, or usefulness of products discussed. While every effort has been made to accurately represent the qualities and characteristics of each product, which for the most part were taken directly from the websites of the manufacturers, we are not responsible for any errors. The information presented is for educational purposes only and is intended to be a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise and professional judgment of your veterinarian. The information is NOT to be used for diagnosis or treatment of your pet. You should always consult your own veterinarian for specific advice concerning the treatment of your pet. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, allergic reactions, drug interactions or adverse effects, nor should it be construed to indicate that use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective for your pet. It is not a substitute for a veterinary exam, and it does not replace the need for services provided by your veterinarian. Note: Any trademarks are the property of their respective companies.