OVERLAND PARK, KS | February 28, 2002
Canine heartworm protection took a leap forward. Dog owners now have a new, superior weapon in their fight against deadly canine heartworm disease. ProHeart® 6 (moxidectin), which just received approval from the Food and Drug Administration last summer, is the first major advancement in heartworm protection in many years.
ProHeart 6, manufactured by Fort Dodge Animal Health, is a groundbreaking alternative to traditional monthly heartworm pills that are administered by dog owners. It provides six months of continuous canine heartworm protection in a single dose that is administered by the veterinarian, greatly improving the efficacy, accuracy and safety of the dose.
“Clearly, ProHeart 6 represents the future direction of canine heartworm protection,” said Steve Hoffman, Marketing Manager for Fort Dodge Animal Health. “With ProHeart 6, the veterinarian is in control, and protection is no longer dependent upon owners remembering to give the medication every month.”
Heartworm is a life-threatening canine parasite transmitted by mosquitoes that affects dogs in all 50 states. While research shows that America’s dog owners do understand the importance of protecting their pets from this deadly disease, adherence to properly administering traditional canine heartworm preventatives remains a serious problem for dog owners and veterinarians.
Heartworm Distribution Map
Source: Drs. Colin Johnstone, David H. Knight, and James B. Lok
University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
“Lots of people forget to give the monthly heartworm pill, including myself,” said Dr. Doug Wojcik, a veterinarian from Liverpool, New York.
Echoing this observation, Dr. Sonya Bankston, a veterinarian from Baton Rouge, Louisiana added: “With the monthly pill, people either forget to give it, or don’t come in for their refill.”
A recent survey indicated that one in three dogs owners miss the monthly heartworm dose by more than a month, and more than 80 percent had failed to give their dogs the monthly canine heartworm protection on the date it was due. Furthermore, 20 percent of those who missed a monthly dose eventually stopped giving the heartworm preventative altogether.
“Monthly heartworm products can only be effective when they are administered on time. Missed doses seriously compromise the ability of the products to control heartworm,” explained Hoffman. “ProHeart 6 virtually eliminates concerns about clients administering heartworm preventatives as recommended. Importantly, ProHeart 6 places control of this potentially fatal disease where it belongs, with the veterinarian.”
Both veterinarians and dog owners have been overwhelmingly enthusiastic about this new professional approach to canine heartworm protection.
“Our clients appreciate the fact that heartworm prevention can be taken care of in the veterinarian’s office, instead of trying to remember the monthly dose,” reports Duane Schnittker, DVM, of Brentwood, California. “ProHeart 6 relieves the client of one more thing to remember in their busy lives.”
ProHeart 6 (moxidectin) has been proven safe and effective in multiple U.S. field trials. It has been extensively tested in target animal safety studies in a wide variety of adult dogs, including heartworm-positive dogs, and collies with known sensitivity to ivermectin. Efficacy and safety studies were conducted by researchers from many leading veterinary schools of medicine in the United States.
Most veterinarians, like David Bressman, of Atlanta, Georgia, who have switched to ProHeart 6, have been very impressed with the results. “We’ve gone through 12 vials without seeing a single reaction. ProHeart 6 has become my primary form of heartworm prevention.”
According to Dr. John E. Kolenda, a veterinarian from Lisle, Illinois, the dogs in his practice have had no reaction problems.
“Dog owners rely on their veterinarians to provide the highest level of health care available for their pets,” said Hoffman. “ProHeart 6 provides year-round, superior protection against canine heartworm disease with just two visits a year to the veterinarian.”
A national survey of 2,500 dog owners revealed that more than 80 percent would switch to twice-a-year canine heartworm protection if it cost no more than their current monthly preventative.
Currently, the average dog already is taken to the veterinarian 1.8 times a year for wellness checkups, grooming, boarding, dental work and other procedures, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
ProHeart® 6 (moxidectin) is generally well tolerated. Use with caution in sick, debilitated or underweight animals. A small percentage of dogs showed mild, transient swelling or itching at the injection site. While rare, digestive, neurological or hypersensitivity reactions may occur. Read the package insert for more information. To obtain additional information, including a copy of the product labeling, dog owners should contact their veterinarian, or call 1-800-772-5040.
Fort Dodge Animal Health, a division of American Home Products Corporation, is a leading manufacturer and distributor of prescription and over-the-counter animal health care products for livestock, companion animals, swine and poultry. American Home Products is one of the world’s largest research-based pharmaceutical and health care product companies and a leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines.