Can I Buy Heartgard Without a Prescription?

As a responsible pet owner, you know the importance of maintaining your pet's overall health. Not only does your pet need the basics like a healthy diet and exercise, but your pet also needs protection against dangerous internal parasites such as heartworms, roundworms, and hookworms. Using a monthly heartworm preventative like Heartgard Plus can help prevent heartworms while also controlling roundworms and hookworms.

Why is a prescription necessary to buy Heartgard?
When a drug is felt to be unsafe without proper medical/veterinary follow-up or monitoring, the medication is placed on prescription-only status by the FDA. There are a variety of different reasons for this; in the case of heartworm preventatives, there is potential danger if these medications are given to dogs that are heartworm positive. Veterinarians will usually require a heartworm test prior to writing a prescription for heartworm preventative medication.

What is the purpose of the heartworm test?
You can't tell from looking at a dog whether he or she has heartworms. Even dogs on regular heartworm prevention can get heartworm disease if the dog misses a dose or, unbeknownst to you, vomits or spits out their regular dose leaving the dog unprotected. Therefore, you will need to schedule a blood test with your veterinarian who can conduct a blood test to make sure that your pet does not currently have heartworms. The American Heartworm Society recommends annual heartworm testing.
It's important to never give Heartgard to any pet that has not been tested for heartworm disease. Heartworm preventative medication such as Heartgard cannot kill adult heartworms, but instead kills the baby heartworms known as microfilariae. A dog that already has a heartworm infection may experience a severe reaction as the medication kills off the heavy load of microfilariae circulating in the dog's bloodstream, which may result in serious heart failure or even death.

What is the difference between Heartgard and Heartgard Plus for dogs?
Heartgard is a beef flavored soft-chew given once a month to prevent heartworm disease; the active ingredient in Heartgard is Ivermectin. Heartgard Plus has the additional ingredient Pyrantel which treats and controls roundworms and hookworms.

How much does Heartgard cost?
The cost varies, depending upon the weight of your dog. Heartgard comes in three sizes: for dogs 1-25 pounds, for dogs 26-50 pounds, and for dogs 51-100 pounds. If your dog weighs more than 100 pounds, you will need to use a combination of sizes. You can also order Heartgard and Heartgard Plus in a 6 pack or a 12 pack, with additional savings if you order the more economical 12 pack.

Where can I buy Heartgard Plus for dogs?
Although Heartgard and other heartworm medicines require a prescription, at PetMeds®, we make the ordering process easy. Our pharmacy department will verify your pet's prescription for you by calling or faxing your veterinarian. Then, we'll deliver your pet's medication right to your door! Plus, all of our products have a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, which means you can always count on every product to be of the same exact quality as your veterinarian's office.