My dog accidentally got a double Heartgard dose. What to watch for?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
My wife gave my 8 and 1/2 pound Shih Tzu mix her dose of Heartgard yesterday the 7th and I accidentally not knowing gave her another dose this morning is there anything we should really watch out for?
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on July 7th, 2019
Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. She likely will not have a problem as this medication has a wide safety margin. I would recommend monitoring her for any vomiting, diarrhea or neurological issues such as muscle tremors. I hope this information helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on February 16th, 2020
Heartgard is a very safe medication and with the amount Willi ate, he should be fine. In one study, dogs that received 10 times the recommended dose, showed no signs of toxicity. If you begin to see any signs such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, seizures, etc. then bring him in to be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. I hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
We accidentally gave our golden doodle an extra dose of heartwoerm ivermectin?
If it was Heartgard, there is no cause for concern. It is an extremely safe product and very difficult to overdose. If it was a different preparation of ivermectin, a double dose may not be cause for concern unless your dog is sensitive to it or carries the MDR1 gene. Typically, a non sensitive dog requires dosing around 2000mcg/kg before clinical signs become apparent. See your vet for an exam as soon as you can if you are concerned. Bring the container of ivermectin with you. Treatment for ivermectin toxicity is supportive in nature. Monitor for vomiting, excess salivation, ataxia (wobbly gait), dilated pupils or tremors.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I've given my dog two doses of heart worm medicine only 4days apart. He's a German Shepherd, 3 years old, 71 pounds, in great health. Heartgard Plus, dose 272 msg Ivermectin and 227 mg Pyrantel.
The good news is that Hartgard is a relatively safe drug, and it is difficult to overdose dogs with the medication. Typically, toxicity is worried about when the dog ingests 10-20 times the recommended dose. Your dog should be just fine :-)
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My 20lb pug I I accident Y gave the Heartgard plus 50-100lb dose.
Heartgard is a very safe medication and with the amount Willi ate, he should be fine. In one study, dogs that received 10 times the recommended dose, showed no signs of toxicity. If you begin to see any signs such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, seizures, etc. then bring him in to be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hi there, I have a 2 year old german sheperd who takes Heartgard Plus heartworm prevention medication. She takes her dosage on the 15th of every month. I left her today and came back and she had gotten into the box and eaten 3 pills that were still i
Heartgard Plus has a very high margin of safety, so I would not expect this to cause any serious problems. I would recommend monitoring her for the next day or two to make sure that she's acting normal, but otherwise you shouldn't need to do anything different :) You can go ahead and give her next dose on April 15th as scheduled.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
We have Heartgard Plus for two size dogs. I accidentally gave our 40 lb. cattle dog a dose for dogs 50-100 lbs. will this hurt our cattle dog?
While this is not good, it is unlikely that your dog will suffer any ill consequences, especially if she has been treated with Heartguard before and did not have a reaction. Ivermectin has a relatively large safety margin.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Max ate his normal heart guard dose, but he accidentally ate a little bit more of a second dose that was meant for another dog we have. Picture are below of what he ate. I was wondering is he in danger? Also, does it still work the heart guard even t
Hello, thank you for using Boop by Petco. I understand your concern but Max should be just fine. It does not appear that he got an overdose. If he was a breed with a known sensitivity to Ivermectin I would be more worried (herding dogs, collie breeds, etc). Here is a link to Ivermectin toxicity so you can know what to watch for but I don't think he will have any issues. Usually they will present with neurological symptoms. As always, if you are worried you should take him to your vet for an exam. ( http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/dog-diseases-conditions-a-z/ivermectin-toxicity-dogs ) The treatment will still be effective. Don't worry about that! Hope this helps. Best wishes. If you have more questions please feel free to post again.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My 105lbs dog ate 4 chewable ivermectin/pyrantel heartgard medicine for 51 to100lbs dogs what should I do?
Toxicity can occur if a dog is given an excessive dose of the medication (10 to 20 times the recommended dose). Your dog has consumed roughly four times the recommended dose. If your dog has ivermectin toxicity, you may see any of the following symptoms: Lethargy Depression Drooling Vomiting Dilated pupils Loss of appetite Disorientation Tremors/Seizures Blindness Trouble standing Slow heartbeat Difficulty breathing Coma Ivermectin toxicity cannot be reversed. If the drug was given within the past 4 – 6 hours, your veterinarian may induce vomiting and/or give your dog activated charcoal to help minimize the amount of ivermectin that is absorbed. If it has been less than 2 hours since your pet ingested the foreign material, you can induce vomiting by giving an oral dose of hydrogen peroxide, about 1 cc per pound. One tablespoon is about 5 cc. A turkey baster will work if you don't have a syringe. Longer than two hours and it will have already moved into the intestines.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I have a 65 lbs mixed breed dog. she usually takes sentinel spectrum once a month. through a miscommunication, she took it twice in 3 days. do i need to do anything?
Hello, sorry to hear about Hillary. Reports of side effects and adverse reactions with this medication are very rare and are associated with GI signs such as (vomiting, a decreased appetited, and nausea). Hillary should be able to tolerate this double dose, however if you note any of these signs persisting over 3-5 days, then have your veterinarian evaluate Hillary. You may resume her normal dosage next month. Hope this helps and best of luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My 13mo old 10 lb. shorkie just ate 6 tablets of Tri-Heart Plus for dogs up to 25 lbs.I haven't been able to locate a vet that is open this time of n.
You did exactly the right thing by calling around to vets to ask for help right away. It's always best to check when you aren't sure, and are worried about your pet. The Triheart dose that we give dogs for heart worms has very small doses of the two medications that are in it. Ivermectin is one of the medications that is in the Tri heart. The dose is 68 micrograms. Veterinarians use this medication also to treat dogs with skin mites and use a dose over 100 times the dose in one heart worm preventive tablet. Therefore, even if she would have eaten two or three boxes of the Triheart she should be very safe and there is not any risk of an overdose of the ivermectin. The other medication is called pyrantel pamoate which is used for deworming of intestinal parasites. This medication has a very large safety margin also, and can be given at 10-20 times the normal dose without any risks of toxicity. Therefore, just like with the ivermectin in the Triheart Plus, I would not expect any potential
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I gave my schnauzer who weighs about 18lbs a trifexis pill tonight first time she's taken it. And then accidentally gave her a hHeartgard up to 25lbs. Will this hurt her? thank you
Thanks for using Boop by Petco! I'm sorry to hear Pepper had a mixup with her medications. Fortunately, those drugs do not typically interact negatively with each other and theoretically should not cause any issue. I would monitor for any vomiting, inappetence, excessive sedation, incoordination, etc. for 24 hours but wouldn't anticipate that you would see any signs. If you are concerned or she begins acting abnormally, I would recommend reaching out to your regular veterinarian or ASPCA poison control for further advice.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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