Comments on: FDA, Fort Dodge bringing Proheart 6 back on the market

By: chuck

chuck — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:55:31 +0000

I think all you folks are crazy, if you look at the body of use outside the U.S. and the classification by the World Health Organization you will find moxedectin is safe. Does this mean there are not dogs that will have a problem? NO! It is a pharmaceutical product, just like vaccines a particular animal may have a negative response. It is impossible to predict these events. For all of you who post uninformed comments and are concerned by these companies products my suggestion to you is do nothing for your animal and see what nature has in store for your pet. I am positive you will not like what you get. Then you will go crying to the vet, most likely after hours for help. Look back in history, are pets living longer?

By: B

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:37:45 +0000

Likewise in Australia have a very bad rection to Proheart SR12 NEVER told about it and the Vet has no information sheet to give to patients only a promotional leaflet about complkiance Fort Dodge Australia very cnvinced this is a differnet product.I am not.
Dog has recovered from very severe analphylactoid reaction thus so far.
Where is this going if patients and health workers are wokring blind _ HOW DID THIS PRODCUT EVER GET THRU FDA?

By: slt

slt — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 15:48:08 +0000

Greg,
It sounds as if your Vet may not be in compliance with the Fort Dodge and FDA recommendations for this drug - bigtime. As such, I wonder whether he will report the adverse reaction if he himself didn’t follow protocols. I hope you will contact both Fort Dodge and the FDA with the details of your experience as you explained here. Unfortunately, since your Vet did not follow the protocols, I fear Fort Dodge will try to dismiss your dog’s reaction as having nothing to do with Proheart. Still, I hope you will at least provide them the information.
I hope Apollo is restored to health as quickly as possible.

P.S. I didn’t know Panacur (Fenbendazole) came as an injectable. I’m only familiar with it in oral form, given in daily treatments for a prescribed duration.

By: Greg Harlan

Greg Harlan — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 13:49:04 +0000

This is how I was informed on the risks of Proheart 6. I have two dogs, one is a Siberian Huskey and one is a White German Sheperd, I took Apollo at 1000 in the morning on Wednesday and Vader at 1500 that afternoon. When I brought Apollo I was told about the drug being back out and I asked about it, all that was told to me was that it only costs a dollar more that the chewable version so I decided sure why not since it is the same thing. Apollo gets his injection and the rest of his shots to include DHLP-P, Coronavirus, Bordetella, Deworm Fenbendazole (I have no idea why they gave them dewormer they don’t have worms)and Proheart 6. He was given a Fecal flotation and Occult heartworm test both turned up negative. I then brought Vader my Sheperd in the afternoon and he got the same shots, then I was handed a form to sign and on that form was all the risks and side effects of the drug, I then stated to the receptionist that if I knew this I would never have gotten the shot for either dog and stuck with the monthly chewable that they have had no problem with. So yes I was informed of the risks, after they got the shots. I never knew about this product and the controversy surrounding it before the 9th of July, the day they both got the shot. One point though is the fact that Vader is showing no symptoms of the side effects but Apollo has all of them. And one other thing, DEATH was not on the little sheet they had me sign, but it seems to be one of the side effects that I have seen doing my research on this product. I personally believe that the consumer should be fully informed to include the number of deaths that have occured from the use of this product and the number of survivors who have had no issues, that would be fair for the consumer to be able to make a more educated assestment before they pay to have thier dog poisoned. And for the people who are blaming the irresponsible pet owners for the problem of this product, I invite you to my house at 606 Dahlia Dr. in Beaufort, South Carolina and look at my Apollo and the tell me its my fault! I never had an issue with the chewable and I should have stuck to it, and I should have been better informed before I allowed it to be used on my boy. I was not properly informed and I doubt the majority of Vets out there are putting “DEATH” on the disclaimer or release form, they should also be telling the client that this is a limited release and “your dog is a Guinea pig for Fort Dodge”. Once again my personal number is 1(912) 308-8943 I will talk to anyone about this. Thank you. Greg Harlan

By: slt

slt — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 23:09:51 +0000

I am very sorry to hear this Greg and I hope your dog makes a full recovery. Did your Vet advise you on the possible risks with the product and have you sign a waiver in advance of the injection? Has your Vet reported the reaction to the FDA?

By: Greg Harlan

Greg Harlan — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 22:03:01 +0000

I took my dog to the vet for his 5000 mile check up and now he is in very bad shape. Why? Because I was informed of this 6 month heartworm medicine that would be more convienient to administer. Anyways, Apollo my Siberian Husky is down for the count, every symptom that I have reseached on this product today he has! He was given the injection on Wednesday July 9th today is Saturday the 12th and I just got him out of the hospital with some anti biotics to clear up a Kidney infection possibley caused by the Proheart 6 injection. I personally do not believe this product should be on the market for dogs, it is smply not worht the risk, and I urge people not to use it after what I have been going through the last 72 hours. Please get yourself informed before using it. My name Greg Harlan I live in Beaufort South Carolina (912) 308-8943 I will gladly speak to anyone about the situation I am in with my dog. Stay away from ProHeart 6!

By: Christie Keith

Christie Keith — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 05:13:46 +0000

As to comparisons of the different types of heartworm “preventive” (retroactive wormers), I prefer to use Interceptor at the “Safeheart” dose, which is an FDA approved dosage, prescribed by my veterinarian.

I no longer give my dogs heartworm medication since I’ve moved back to San Francisco, where we have no heartworm, but when I lived in Sonoma, that’s what I did. Info here:

http://www.fda.gov/cvm/FOI/1365.htm

Please note you cannot buy “Safeheart.” You can only use the reduced dosage of Interceptor. Print out the FDA information and take it to your vet if you want to discuss it — that’s what I did.

By: Christie Keith

Christie Keith — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 05:06:34 +0000

Hi, sorry I’m getting here so late in the day!

The issue with Proheart 6 vs Proheart 12 is not clear, but the SPECULATION I’ve seen, which may not be correct, is that the different size microspheres that allow the drug (it’s the same active ingredient) to be “time released” are responsible for the different side effect profiles in American dogs (Proheart 6) vs dogs in other countries (Proheart 12).

I don’t know what changes were made to the drug prior to this re-release, nor if they relate to the microsphere issue. I will put in a call to Fort Dodge tomorrow and definitely post what I find out!

By: Deb

Deb — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 23:58:07 +0000

Here Pat. The links are about halfway down the page.
http://www.dogaware.com/heartworm.html

By: The OTHER Pat

The OTHER Pat — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 23:02:15 +0000

See now, i liked the daily dosing regimen of Diethylcarbamazine (DEC) used in Filaribits, Carbam and Nemacide tablets. But I don’t know if you can even get those anymore.

So Christie - were they better, worse, or about the same as what gets put into our dogs’ bodies with the monthly dosages?