What type of heartworm medication do you use?

[Libra926]

If you select "other", please tell us which one you use.

 

[sheshistory]

I don't use heartworm medication. I try to give the boys as little medication as possible and since they are outside so little, I don't feel it's worth the potential health risks to have them on heartworm medication. If I lived somewhere cooler, I would probably feel differently.

 

[TessaAndSamson]

I have Samson on Sentinel because it helps prevent against fleas as well.

 

[Bella'sMom]

Thanks Libra!!! Now that you are a poll pro, I look forward to more! lol

 

[Weberbulldogs]

We use Interceptor as we have had a run in with whipworms and its the only one that claims to protect from them. so good so far

 

[KMARINO]

We use Heartgard, My vet says we live in Florida and even though Vegas is not outside to much, it is neccesary for him to be on it. Is a a chewable and he loves them, he takes 1 on the first of each month.

 

[Gertie's Mom]

I don't give heartworm meds. We live in Az. and I haven't seen fleas, ticks, or misquetos since we moved down here from Colo. Gertie is outside so breifly this time of year, I can't imagine she needs it. And I agree with jillh10, I don't want to give her a medication needlessly.

 

[Libra926]

We just started on flea meds. I've never seen a flea on any animal I've had in this house since 2002 (when we bought it new). Last week, I took O on a walk and a few days later I found a flea on her. So the next day I put O and Vegas on Frontline. As for heartworm....how do they get this? I don't have Vegas or Orion on any meds for this and it's never been suggested to me.

 

[TessaAndSamson]

They get heartworms from mosquito bites. It's deadly but treatable. Problem is you probably won't know they have it until it's too late or you have them tested for it. That scared me! So Samson gets his monthly treatment and is tested for it with his annual exam. I worry about it even more because we love to go camping and take the dogs whenever possible. Always run into mosquitos when we camp it seems!

 

[reallyrob]

I use interceptor for both of my dogs. My vet does the free heartworm test with the year supply of heartworm medication. Just on the interceptor, make sure that it is chewed up by your dog, or break it up and put it in food. My vet says that it is best in the food broken up.

 

[Libra926]

yikes. From mosquitos? Now do you treat for both heartworms and fleas? Or does the one medication work for both? We have mosquitos here, but I was unaware that how it was contracted.

 

[TessaAndSamson]

yikes. From mosquitos? Now do you treat for both heartworms and fleas? Or does the one medication work for both? We have mosquitos here, but I was unaware that how it was contracted.

The heartworm medicine I use, Sentinel helps with fleas as well. I do have k9 advantix but I don't put it on them monthly. Just when when we go places I think they might come in contact with fleas like camping. They never get fleas from anywhere around home so I don't think it's necessary to put it on them all the time. I know this thread is about heartworm but I swear by advantix. We were at the river and I didn't realize how many ticks were down there, looked at the dogs and they were covered! But the advantix kept them from actually getting bitten by any of them!

 

[TessaAndSamson]

Even if you don't give heartworm preventitve I hope everyone is at least getting a heartworm test done at your bullies annual exam. Most of the time it's not caught until it's too late unless you test for it. "Initially, there are no symptoms. But as more and more worms crowd the heart and lungs, most dogs will develop a cough." A friend of mine adopted a 5 year old male American Eskimo dog from the ASPCA. Wonderful dog, he was so nice, laid back, an awesome dog. My friend fell instantly in love with him. He didn't appear to have anything wrong with him. A couple weeks after she adopted him she took him to get his shots. Well the vet she took him to he had actually been to before with his previous owners. At like a year old he had tested positive for heartworm on a visit with his previous owners. They never treated it. Here he was 4 years later and the heartworm had become so advanced he had to be put down. My friend had only had him for a couple weeks but had already totally fallen in love with him, she was devastated. And of course really mad that someone neglected him so badly