Correct dose of IVOMEC 1%
Moderators: Pike Ridge Beagles, Aaron Bartlett
Correct dose of IVOMEC 1%
Every place I look I find different mixture calculations for mixing Ivomec 1 % for dogs as a heartworm preventative. Mathematically they all seem too high. I am only able to find 1 posting that I agree with. It is as follows. Ivomec 1% has 10mg per ml of ivomectin. 10mg = 10000mcg. Heartgard has; 26-50lbs = 136mcg ivermectin and 51-100lbs = 272 mcg ivermectin. So in mcg, as is the measurement in heartgard, each ml of ivomec 1% contains 10000mcg of ivermectin. Therefore, .1ml (1/10) would have 1000mcg of ivermectin. Which would be too much for a 50-100lb dog according to heartgards 272mcg dose of ivermectin. Diluted to 10 parts 1ml of 1% ivomec plus 9ml propylene glycol 10000mcg per ml becomes 1000mcg per ml. That now makes it were .1ml would have 100mcg of ivermectin. So a 51-100 lb dog could take .3ml(3/10)and get 300mcg. This is the most mathematically correct post and mixture that I have found. If anyone knows why or why not that this is or isnt true please post a reply?
Last edited by Joe.R on Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Joe, you are correct, and most who give .1 cc per 10 lbs. are overdosing IF they are treating for heartworms. .1cc per 10 lbs. is actually the dose for treating sarcoptic mange- or scabies.
ANYWHO, because Ivermectin is RELATIVELY safe, and because syringes are SO TINY, and because most aren't sure of the EXACT amount they are giving (did the dog spit it out, did they put it on bread and the dog puke or cough some up etc etc etc) Most have "just accepted" the .1cc per 10 pound rule. And, because that dose is only given monthly, and because of reasons mentioned about about how much the dog ACTUALLY ingest, the .1cc per 10 pound rule works for most.
In all actualilty, a monthly dose of about 0.05 cc would probably work FOR HEARTWORMS for ANY size beagle. But how would you measure it, and how could you be sure they were getting the FULL DOSE?
IF I used Ivomec I'd use it subcutaneously and use a TINY syringe and poke everyone with .05 of a cc. (probably have to use an insulin syringe, and given the thickness of ivomec, I'm not even sure THAT would work)
Given orally in the 1% solution is just too messy for me, then again,
I'm too lazy to bother with ivomec, but many have used it for YEARS even at the higher dosage with no ill effects.
But as far as your math, you are correct, to just cover heartworms MOST are using way to much. And I'm not familiar with "cutting" the ivomec with other products.
ANYWHO, because Ivermectin is RELATIVELY safe, and because syringes are SO TINY, and because most aren't sure of the EXACT amount they are giving (did the dog spit it out, did they put it on bread and the dog puke or cough some up etc etc etc) Most have "just accepted" the .1cc per 10 pound rule. And, because that dose is only given monthly, and because of reasons mentioned about about how much the dog ACTUALLY ingest, the .1cc per 10 pound rule works for most.
In all actualilty, a monthly dose of about 0.05 cc would probably work FOR HEARTWORMS for ANY size beagle. But how would you measure it, and how could you be sure they were getting the FULL DOSE?
IF I used Ivomec I'd use it subcutaneously and use a TINY syringe and poke everyone with .05 of a cc. (probably have to use an insulin syringe, and given the thickness of ivomec, I'm not even sure THAT would work)
Given orally in the 1% solution is just too messy for me, then again,
I'm too lazy to bother with ivomec, but many have used it for YEARS even at the higher dosage with no ill effects.
But as far as your math, you are correct, to just cover heartworms MOST are using way to much. And I'm not familiar with "cutting" the ivomec with other products.