Heartworms and intestinal worms, such as hookworms, roundworms, etc. are harmful parasites that can greatly impact a dog’s health. Unlike fleas and ticks, which are external parasites, these worms live and grow inside your dog’s body, making them difficult to detect. If not addressed promptly, these parasites can pose severe health risks. Therefore, effective protection against them is important.
To keep your canine safe from heartworms and intestinal parasites, you need a quality treatment that is both effective and easy on your dog. Heartgard Plus and Advantage Multi are two popular products in this category. Many dog parents find it hard to choose between the two since they both are high-quality products that offer broad protection.
We will compare these two products to help you decide which one is best for your dog. By the end of this blog, you will have a better understanding of which product best fits your dog’s needs and lifestyle.
Let’s get started!
Heartgard Plus and Advantage Multi: Overview
To begin with, let’s get the basic information about these products:
Heartgard Plus
Heartgard Plus is a palatable beef-flavored monthly heartworm preventive for dogs aged 6 weeks and older. It contains two active ingredients: ivermectin and pyrantel. Heartgard Plus prevents heartworm disease and treats and controls common intestinal worms, including roundworms and hookworms.
Advantage Multi
Advantage Multi for Dogs is a monthly broad-spectrum treatment for dogs and puppies from 7 weeks of age and older and at least 3 pounds of body weight. It contains imidacloprid and moxidectin as active ingredients. The formula prevents heartworm disease, eliminates adult fleas, and treats flea infestations. It also treats and controls sarcoptic mange and intestinal worms, including roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms.
Heartgard Plus and Advantage Multi: Key Benefits
In this segment, we will look at some of the key benefits of Heartgard Plus and Advantage Multi. Let’s go one by one:
Heartgard Plus-Key benefits
- Palatable beef-flavored formula
- A single dose protects for one month
- Can be given to puppies and dogs from 6 weeks
- Made of two powerful ingredients, ivermectin and pyrantel
- Prevents heartworm disease
- Treats and controls intestinal worm infections caused by roundworms and hookworms
- Safe for use in pregnant or breeding dogs
Advantage Multi –Key benefits
- Monthly broad-spectrum treatment
- Suitable for dogs and puppies from 7 weeks of age
- Prevents heartworm disease
- Kills adult fleas on contact, preventing flea bites
- Treats and prevents flea infestations
- Treats and controls sarcoptic mange
- Treats and controls roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms
Heartgard Plus and Advantage Multi: Key Differences
Here are the features that distinguish Heartgard Plus from Advantage Multi:
Mode of administration: Heartgard Plus is a chewable tablet that should be given orally, while Advantage Multi is a topical treatment that is applied to the dog’s skin.
Active ingredients: Heartgard Plus contains Ivermectin and Pyrantel, while Advantage Multi is made of Imidacloprid and Moxidectin.
Parasitic coverage: Advantage Multi protects against fleas, sarcoptic mange, and whipworms, which Heartgard Plus does not cover.
Age: Heartgard Plus is recommended for dogs 6 weeks and older, while Advantage Multi is suitable for dogs from 7 weeks of age.
Safety: Heartgard Plus is approved for safe use in breeding and pregnant dogs, while the safe use of Advantage Multi has not been evaluated in these dogs.
Heartgard Plus and Advantage Multi: Comparison Table
The table below compares the key features of Heartgard Plus and Advantage Multi:

Which One is Best: Heartgard Plus or Advantage Multi
Advantage Multi and Heartgard Plus work well to prevent heartworms disease and treat and control hookworms and roundworms. If you seek your dog’s protection against these three parasites, either will work. Additionally, Advantage Multi also protects against fleas, whipworms, and sarcoptic mange. If you are concerned about these parasites, consider Advantage Multi.
Take your dog’s preferences into account when selecting a treatment. For dogs that are not fond of topical solutions, Heartgard Plus chews provide an easy-to-administer alternative. On the other hand, if your dog is a picky eater, a topical solution might be a better fit for heartworm and intestinal worm protection.
It’s important to consult your veterinarian before making any decisions about your dog’s treatments. A vet can offer the best solution based on your dog’s medical history and existing health condition.