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dlm1359

heartgard
do you really need it?
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Found [29] Posts :: Page 1 of 2
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Posted: 2:02:18 PM 5/31/2005
I have a friend that just asked me if she has her dog inside and does not take it out EVER, does she have to have heartgard? She has a little tiny poodle and it does not go outside litterbox trained inside. I did not know since I heartgard all my dogs so I was not sure. I said give me a few hours I am going to ask the experts! So guys and gals what do you think?
Posted: 2:05:18 PM 5/31/2005
Well I thought not with Rudy when I got him until I got chewed out by the vet. It is transferred by mosquitos and since a mosquito can get into your house anytime you open the door the dog has a chance of getting it. So Yes she still needs to treat with heartguard.

Nikki
Posted: 2:07:02 PM 5/31/2005
I am no expert but here's good information everyone should read IMO:

"The chemicals used to prevent heartworm are extremely effective and can save dogs from difficult, unpleasant and potentially dangerous treatment. However, many veterinarians recommend treatment schedules which result in far greater quantities of toxic chemicals being ingested by dogs than is really necessary or even advised by the American Heartworm Society (AHS).

Consider these easy steps you can follow to minimize the amount of medication you give your pets..."

Read the rest at:

http://www.mercola.com/2005/apr/13/pets_heartworm.htm
Posted: 2:09:54 PM 5/31/2005
A hearty aggreement with Nikki. We had a small chihuahua who was completely indoor die of heartworms recently. It was a sad thing because it could have easily prevented.
Posted: 2:18:05 PM 5/31/2005
Also, I see the post MS put up. If you are in a winter state you need not treat during the winter months. But then you have to have your dog retested every year which then costs about $25-30. You are better off just using the heartguard year round and not having to retest. Esp if its a small dog it's very inexpensive to treat compared with what it could cost if she doesn't. My 45lb dog a few years ago only cost me $5 a month for hearworm preventative.

Nikki
Posted: 2:26:59 PM 5/31/2005
I will tell her if anyone else has info that would be great! I know here you have to retest every year which is around 25-30 to test for heart worms before our vet will let us order heartgard. The heartgard for us costs about 36.00 a year for our chi's. We use it through spring, summer, fall and winter. I often wondered why is my vet making me test the dog for heart worms(other than to see if he has worms), but if you want the heartgard you have to have the yearly heartgard test. I wish sometimes I could just buy the heartgard without a test, but those are the rules!

***Edited By: holidayzbliss on 5/31/2005 2:29:57 PM***
Reason: added
Posted: 2:38:14 PM 5/31/2005
My friend told me thats what the rules are here in Hawaii too. You must do it yearly even if they are on the preventative year round. I don't know since Rudy isn't due for a refill yet. When we lived in NY you got the initial test then if you kept them on it year round you did not have to test again. If you took them off for the 3-4 months for winter then you had to retest. Either way you friend is def. safer just treating for $40 a yr or whatever than paying for heartworm treatment in the future if indeed her dog did get it.
Posted: 2:46:17 PM 5/31/2005
After seeing one dog die of congestive heart failure as a consquence of getting Heartworms, and another have to suffer through the arsenic derivative treatment of it, I am definitely in the boat that believes "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

If I lived in chicago I could see myself stopping treatment for 3 or 4 months out of the year, but here in Alabama my dogs get treated year round and tested annually.

I use Interceptor, and the company that makes it literally guarantees against heartworm infestation when the product is used monthly. But they also requiere that in order to hold up to that guarantee, the dog be tested annually.
Posted: 3:00:27 PM 5/31/2005
I'm in Ontario.. Our dogs are off for 6 months, but we have colder weather.

Cider's on Sentinal starting tomorrow.
Posted: 3:13:18 PM 5/31/2005
I live in Wisconsin. Does that mean I don't have to do it year round? My vet says to, but you know maybe I don't have to since it is always cold here till about June then only is warm for a few months if that. Either way I have to retest do you think it is smarter to just do those 4 months or year round? Hmmm my question for my friend now turned into a question for me! HA!
Posted: 3:18:27 PM 5/31/2005
I can see leaving off giving hte med from like november/dec to march or april if you live in the northern states with 'real' winters depending on how cold the winter actually is. An unusually warm fall or spring might indicate it's time to start the dog back up. It doesnt' hurt the dog (and you're only out $30) for the heartworm test so I see no reason *not* to test annually if it gives you peace of mind.
Posted: 3:38:21 PM 5/31/2005
"If you are in a winter state you need not treat during the winter months. But then you have to have your dog retested every year which then costs about $25-30. You are better off just using the heartguard year round and not having to retest."

Um, I think I'd rather pay $25-30 as opposed to putting unnecessary chemicals and medications in my dog's body!!
Posted: 3:45:51 PM 5/31/2005
You definitely do not need to have a pet on year round heartworm medication if you live in WI. Did you read the link I supplied above? I can't even believe your vet recommended that. I'm in MN and mine only recommends May thru Oct and I don't even do it that long.
Posted: 4:09:02 PM 5/31/2005
I use ivermec which is basicly the same thing. In the true winter months IF it is below 30 I do not treat them. The moment the temp rises over 40 for two days in a row I dose them, even if it drops back down for another 6 weeks.

So this year I did not give in Jan, Feb. I dosed in march because the temp was dancing around up and down. I started the pups in april.
Posted: 4:17:37 PM 5/31/2005
MS I am not argueing with you. I def would not want my pet taking meds that could hurt him. But, I am originally from PA and have lived all over the US and you never know what the temp is going to be. I've seen snow on Halloween and 60 in february and then 3 ft of snow again in April. You just never know and I'd rather be safe than sorry and treat all year. I live in Hawaii now so I do have to treat all year here.

Nikki
Posted: 5:32:00 PM 5/31/2005
What Icy said is very valid. I've been in Colorado in June when the nights are in the 30's and the days in the 60's and we're always fighting off mesquitos. Here in Texas we do it year round of course and most vets recommend testing annually. I would rather give my dog a monthly pill that only stays in their system for 24hrs. or so than have to submit her to uneccessary harsh chemicals that they use to treat the heartworm disease itself.
Posted: 5:37:07 PM 5/31/2005
yeah when we had the samoyed when I was a kid that got treated for heartworm, it turned his coat yellow :P It was weird.
Posted: 5:38:50 PM 5/31/2005
msmom- yes I read your link that is why I was thinking why in the world am I doing this year round? I don't know why he told me to do it year round.

Minniyar - is interceptor something you can get from your vet instead of heartgard, or do you order it in a magazine?

Icy same question only for Ivermec?

I never heard of these I am just wondering where to get them I would like to look up on them.

Thanks everyone for all your help I am so happy to know a good place to go to when you have questions!
Posted: 5:40:29 PM 5/31/2005
here in new jersey we give it year round. some winters are bad and others are mild . there is no telling. if a client uses it year round then we require testing every 18 months to 2 years. if they stop they have to test yearly.

i agree with ginger. i would much rather give them the heartworm med then risk the medication that is given to treat heartworm disease. the medication to treat is a lot safer now then in years past. but the major concern is the worm burden dying and clogging the heart.
Posted: 5:46:57 PM 5/31/2005
There are actually quite a few heartworm preventatives on the market you can get through your vet. Iverheart plus, Sentinel, Program, Interceptor, Heartguard, etc.

Interceptor is another brand of heartworm preventative, that also prevents hookworms, roundworms and whipworms. It's active ingredient is Milbemycin Oxime.

Many herding breed dogs in particular (collies for example) have been shown to have a strong sensitivity to the acitve ingredient in Heartguard, Ivermectin.

When we got Bowen, we had no idea of what breed he was, and thus went with Interceptor to be on the safe side. As it protects against 1 more species of worms that is common in our area (whipworms) than Heartguard does, we've stayed wtih it for all our dogs.
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Found [29] Posts :: Page 1 of 2
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