Helpful Information

Floral City Veterinary Hospital keeps Heartgard Plus, Advantage Multi, and Trifexis in stock to sell at our office. These and several other good brands (Sentinel, Ivermectin Plus, etc.) are also available online through VetSource, our internet pharmacy. VetSource offers home delivery of 6-dose packs and 12-dose packs or, if you prefer, can ship just one dose on the same day each month.

Effectiveness:
All medications that carry a label for preventing heartworm disease are highly effective. Each has to prove this in order to be approved by the FDA. Beyond that, effectiveness depends upon the owner actually giving the heartworm prevention to the dog as directed by the manufacturer every four weeks.

Ease of Administration:
Most, but not all, dogs absolutely love Heartgard Plus; to them it is a chewable treat because it is made with real beef. No other product contains real beef.

Trifexis is also an oral medication but not as tasty as Heartgard Plus. Although it is chewable, most dogs seem to regard it as just another pill. Some dogs will vomit after swallowing it.

Advantage Multi is a topical liquid that is applied to the skin at the base of the neck. Unless you have difficulty using your hands, it is easy to apply and not very messy. The part that kills heartworms is absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream. The part that kills fleas stays on the skin and spreads to protect the whole body. The part that kills fleas can be washed off if strong shampoos are used.

Additional Benefits:
In addition to killing heartworm larvae, Heartgard Plus, Trifexis, and Advantage Multi also prevent most common intestinal worm infestations (except for tapeworms).

Advantage Multi and Trifexis both contain compounds that kill fleas, too.

Cost:
Prices vary and often there are special rebate programs as the manufacturers compete with one another (For example Trifexis offers a $50 rebate if you buy a year's supply).

Heartgard Plus costs the least because it does not have an additional ingredient to kill fleas. This allows more flexibility in choosing which product to use against fleas.