More than one parasite is killed by Interceptor; heart worm, two kinds of roundworm, hookworms and whipworms.

Interceptor Flavor Tabs by Novartis are for both dogs and cats. Interceptor only protects against heartworms, adult roundworms and adult hookworms in cats, however.

Heartworm disease can be deadly if not treated, so it is crucial to have your dog on some type of heartworm preventative medication.

The incidents of dogs reacting poorly to Interceptor were very low in trials.

Likewise, Interceptor tested on cats at ten times the recommended dosage caused no side effects (although you should take precautions to ensure that your cat does not become over dosed at home!)

In the few cases of side effects, the following symptoms were reported depression/ lethargy, vomiting, ataxia, anorexia, diarrhea, convulsions, weakness and hypersalivation.

Interceptor heartworm medication is comprised of milbemycin oxime in dosages varying according to the weight of the pet.

The packaging is color coded according to the weight range. The 2.3mg dosage for dogs 2-10 pounds is in brown packaging. 5.75mg for dogs 11-25lbs is green, 11.5mg for dogs 26-50lbs is yellow, and the 23.0mg dosage for dogs 51-100 is packaged in white.

Interceptor Flavor Tabs are a convenient way of packaging the medication into a yummy snack for your dog.

Interceptor for dogs should be given monthly and the owner should watch carefully to ensure the entire dose has been ingested.

In the unlikely case it hasn't, the dose will need to be made up.

Puppies less than four weeks of age, or weighing less than two pounds, should not be given Interceptor heartworm preventative medication.

Once dogs have reached the minimum age and weight requirements, they should have a negative heartworm test prior to starting on Interceptor heartworm preventative treatment.

Heartgard Plus, Iverhart Plus, and Sentinel are Interceptor's major rivals.

All four brands come in a flavored tablet for easy dispensing.

Lufenuron, a compound used for flea control, has been added to Sentinel to make it an effective flea treatment as well as a heartworm preventative medication.

Heartgard and Iverhart contain ivermectin to control heartworms and pyrantel for treating intestinal worms.

Enterceptor and Sentinel include whipworms in their spectrum of influence, whereas Heartgard does not, but it does control more species of hookworms than its rivals.