Virbac expands Iverhart Plus recall to 34 lots

Product testing has revealed that 16 lots of Iverhart Plus Flavored Chewables were below ivermectin potency levels prior to the product’s expiration date. As a result, Virbac Animal Health is voluntarily recalling 34 lots of the heartworm preventive—the 16 that failed testing and another 18 “out of an abundance of caution,” according to a letter the company sent to veterinarians and their teams in August.

This recall is an expansion of an earlier announcement this spring in which six lots of Iverhart Plus were recalled due to potency concerns. The affected products may fail to fully protect dogs in the upper 10 percent of each designated weight range against heartworms, Virbac states. The recall does not affect Iverhart Max products.

The Iverhart Plus Flavored Chewables recalled are:

> Large, 51 to 100 lbs., with lot numbers 111394, 120091, 120127, 120207, 120256, 120289, 120300, 120305, 120306, 120363, 120377, 120379, 120434, 120464, 120651, 120658, 120678, 120824, 120831, 121110, 121150, 121283, 121386

> Medium, 26 to 50 lbs., with lot numbers 120090, 120301, 120378, 120450, 121282

> Small, up to 25 lbs., with lot numbers 120092, 120397, 120398, 120798.

Virbac is instructing veterinary clinic personnel to examine inventory and isolate all Iverhart Plus Flavored Chewables from the lots recalled to prevent dispensing any recalled product, then contact distributors regarding disposition of recalled products. Distributors will provide a voluntary recall response form for veterinarians to record requested information regarding the recall, and they will issue a credit or replacement product.

Veterinarians are encouraged to call Virbac Technical Services at (800) 338-3659, ext. 3052, to discuss testing recommendations for potentially affected pets.