"The dosages for Ivermectin are so minute and toxic that I prefer a formulated application over DIY. But that's just me."


Me too.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

"The dosages for Ivermectin are so minute and toxic that I prefer a formulated application over DIY. But that's just me."

Me too.

Ditto! When it comes to drugs and chemicals that we use on our animals, I believe the differences between species and what constitutes a safe and effective dosage for each can involve more factors than just the size/weight of the animal.

I go to a holistic vet--one that's enthusiastic about raw feeding, does minimal vaccinations, and even offers acupuncture and laser therapy. So this isn't somebody that takes "chemicals" lightly. And I trust her implicitly.

When I asked about using liquid ivermec as an alternative to the (by comparison) quite costly Heartguard chews for my pack of five for monthly heartworm prevention, she thought it was a great idea--both for the cost savings for me, and because it's pretty simple to do, and dosing wasn't extremely critical. For mine, based on their weight, the monthly dose is "one or two drops" (small dog) or "three or four drops." (big dog). I've been doing this for the last several years.

Unless the dog has the MDR-1 gene defect (which many collie-type breeds do), there is a quite high safety margin for ivermectin. (like, several mg per kg without effect.) Dogs being treated for demodex mites routinely get a large dose of oral liquid ivermec daily (I've done this with one of mine), without toxicity.

So--for sure, this is something that one should understand, and everybody has their own comfort zone about dosing medicines in general. But ivermectin, as a rule, is pretty safe stuff if you know what you're doing with it, and have a dog that isn't genetically intolerant. It is exactly the same medicine as in the brand-name monthly chews. Except instead of $10 a dose, one $10 bottle of ivermec liquid would last a pack of dogs their entire life.

All just my opinion (and experience.)

Tracy, as long as you are doing this with the guidance and full approval of your vet, I don't see any problem. I just wouldn't want to trust my own judgment on figuring out the proper dosage, etc. Getting those numbers from a vet, like you have, would make me feel a lot more comfortable. And I confess, I didn't know ivermectin had such a high safety margin.

One thing I'm wondering is if there is any concern about expiration dates/loss of potency, if you have a large bottle of the liquid that could possibly "last a pack of dogs their entire life"?

Yes, there's an expiration date on the bottle--but the labeled shelf life is several years. And I wouldn't use it past the expiration date. So, no, a single bottle wouldn't literally last most dogs a lifetime. I exaggerate. I think I'm on my second bottle--but a good deal of the first bottle was used on Cinco for mange treatment, and he was getting a pretty large daily dose of it for a couple of months.

Exaggeration aside, there is an extraordinary (gob-smacking, really) markup on the minuscule amount of medicine in a Heartguard chewable. I've spent thousands of dollars on those things in my lifetime, not to mention that they require a vet's prescription to purchase them. Yes, they are convenient and require no thought on the part of the owner--just buy them and feed them to the dog once a month. That convenience is worth something, I grant you. But for an owner of multiple dogs, that several hundred dollars a year is not a small expense. Especially considering that the active ingredient in them is a common item that can be purchased cheaply at any farm and home store.

Ivermectin is a toxin to invertebrates (hence, its use.) But one would have to go out of their way to overdose their dog with it, or be remarkably careless. The big caveat with it (or with any ivermectin med including Heartguard) is that SOME dogs are genetically intolerant of it and should never get it in any form at any dosage.

I admit, I'm a sort of DIY type. I make yogurt too. It's not for everybody.

Well, duh, of course there would be an expiration date on the bottle. (Head-slapping myself here.) Don't mind me. It's been one of those days.

I am somewhat envious of those of you who have multi-dog packs. I only have two, but I've always thought I'd like to have three or four or so, though I can imagine not only the extra work but the extra expenses that would be involved.

And I do remember the yogurt-making thread!

I make yogurt now, too. I have ever since that thread!