There are are more drugs than just ivermectin that cause problems for dogs that have copies of the gene for MDR!, including some that are more dangerous that ivermectin.įor example, there have been a lists of over the counter drugs and doses that make it around the internet that include the antidiarrheal loperamide (Imodium). The level of tolerance for some drugs varies with one or two copies, but not all which brings the second thing that people need to know. That means any dog who has it can pass it on to offspring and they are affected no matter if they have one or two copies. The mutation itself predates the isolation of breeds by registry ( ) That means that even if it originally came from a purebred in its ancestry, a dog could be mixed for generations and still have a copy of the gene and be affected. Two other critical things people need to know – First this is not a purebred problem – MDR1 inherits as a dominant fashion – and there are effects from one or two copies. This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged American Shepherd, Australian Shepherd, Border Collie, Collie, English Shepherd, german shepherd, ivermectin, MDR1 gene, Miniature, Old English Sheepdog, Shetland Sheepdog, Silken Windhound, Skye Terrie, Whippet. To our knowledge, the Aussie did make a complete recovery, but there was never a time early on when death wasn’t a realistic outcome for the dog.īe aware, ask questions, and run the gene test on your dog if his or her breed warrants it. The dog became critically ill within a short time, and it was quite literally touch-and-go for the dog for weeks. Few of us would think to ask in advance of taking our dogs to go herding when the last time was that the sheep were treated with drugs. Unbeknownst to anyone other than the owner of the sheep, the sheep had been treated the day before with Ivermectin. The dog and his owner attended a sheep herding session, and as is often the case, the dog found the sheep pellets to be tasty morsels. ![]() A rancher, farmer, or sheep owner would reasonably treat their stock with large animal formulations, and how this impacts a dog is best illustrated by what happened to an Australian Shepherd last year. You might think to yourself, “Who on earth would do that?”Ī rancher would. There’s one more thing – a hugely important thing – for breed owners to know. Dogs, especially those with the MDR1 mutation, should never be given large animal formulations that contain ivermectin. Collie-type mixed breeds are at risk, too. Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine first discovered the MDR1 mutation, and in 2010, developed test procedures to identify dogs with the mutation. Sensitivity to Ivermectin is not a given, but the owners of certain breeds need to be aware that their dogs are more at risk. ![]() The gene mutation allows the drug to build up in the brain where it can cause neurological reactions, including tremors, disorientation and blindness. We shudder to think how many dogs it took before it was realized that certain dog breeds with the MDR1 gene (the P-glycoprotein gene) can be lethally sensitive to ivermectin, the active ingredient in a product like Heartgard. Ivermectin was discovered in 1975, came into medical use in 1981, and was first used for dogs in 1982. It is, in fact, on the World Health Organization’s list of the most important medications needed in a basic health care system. It never hurts to remind folks that certain breeds are sensitive to certain drugs, and during this time of year when the climate turns warm, it’s especially important to talk about Ivermectin, an effective medication for humans used to treat any number of maladies in humans, including fighting parasites, head lice, scabies, river blindness, and strongyloidiasis.
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