Six Month Heart Worm Preventative

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Food and Drug Administration has approved the
first long-term injectable drug to prevent heartworm in dogs.

One injection provides six months of heartworm protection, the agency
said Thursday.

The new drug, ProHeart 6, provides an alternative to current
heartworm drugs that involve pills taken daily or monthly.

Heartworm is a parasite transmitted by mosquitoes that can be deadly.
In its adult stage the worm infects the heart and major blood vessels
of the animal.

The disease occurs in all 50 states with the highest rates of
infection within 150 miles of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Coast
from Texas to New Jersey, and along the Mississippi River and its
major tributaries, FDA said.

ProHeart 6 is made by Fort Dodge Animal Health, Fort Dodge, Iowa.

The drug will be available by prescription from a licensed
veterinarian. It is approved for use in dogs 6 months of age and
older and also treats existing hookworm infections, FDA reported.