My dog ate ivermectin – what should I do?

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: Pet Poison Helpline

Call a vet now

Call your vet or the nearest emergency vet right now. Ivermectin can be toxic to dogs.

What to do now

What to do right now

Note what was eaten, how much and when.
Bring the packaging.
Keep your dog calm.
Remove what is left.

Don't

Do not make your dog vomit unless a vet tells you to.
Do not give any human medicine.

Why it can be dangerous

Ivermectin is an avermectin drug used in veterinary medicine.^[1] It is commonly used as an active ingredient in monthly heartworm preventatives for dogs and cats.^[1]

Signs to watch for

drooling
tremors
seizures
ataxia
death
coma
dilated pupils

Where it is found

heartworm medication
equine dewormer
monthly heartworm preventatives

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

OkPaw is on Android now – an iPhone version is on its way.

Common questions

What is ivermectin?

Ivermectin is an avermectin drug used in veterinary medicine.^[1]

Where might ivermectin be found?

It is commonly used as an active ingredient in monthly heartworm preventatives for dogs and cats.^[1]

What should I do now?

Call your vet or the nearest emergency vet, and note what was eaten, how much and when.

Sources

Pet Poison Helpline

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

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