It Seems to be Killing Again

 Sandra, to be honest, I still wouldn't give that shot to any of my dogs, and I'm sorry that person lost her dog to something that was supposedly designed to help.  I often mention Hunter in my classes when students question me about something their vet said.  I always tell them to trust a good vet BUT to also do research to make sure that they understand the benefits and risks of any treatment or preventive.

From what I can tell, there is no upper age limit on the drug info materials.  The only contraindication I could find is that you should not give Proheart 6 to a dog that has had a previous reaction, but it also said that dogs with weight loss were more at risk.  And, vets are cautioned to make the drug info available to clients before administering this.  I would report that vet to the state licensing board. 

If you need a warning like this in big letters, it would seem to me that the monthly preventive Heartguard, or Interceptor if you have a herding breed, is less a risk than Proheart:

Warnings

Do Not Administer Proheart 6 Within 1 Month Of Vaccinations. Proheart 6 Should Be Administered With Caution In Dogs With Pre-existing Allergic Disease, Including Food Allergy, Atopy, And Flea Allergy Dermatitis. In Some Cases, Anaphylactic Reactions Have Resulted In Liver Disease And Death. Anaphylactic And Anaphylactoid Reactions Should Be Treated Immediately With The Same Measures Used To Treat Hypersensitivity Reactions To Vaccines And Other Injectable Products.

Just the fact it should not be given to dogs with any kind...foodenviromental, etc, says it all.  I belong to several golden retriever forums and a few all breed, tho bcause of my vision trouble I do not visit and read like I use to.  However, on every single one people are talking their dog being allergic to corn, to beef, to wheat, to fleas, to mold, etc, etc.   
Allergies abound. 

There are so many restrictions--do not give to dogs with allergies, to underweight dogs, ertc, that seems to really cut down on the amount odf dogs that  should have it.   When it came out the first time, it was declared to be safe for heartworm positive dogs, in conjunction with any vgaccines, antibiotics, etc.   Heck, it was suppose to be as safe as a bottle of store bought water.

But then they had to change the label --do not give to heartworm positive dogs.  Treat them first.  I can't recall the 2ed warning, but the 3rd, the one that was put on the day Hunter got his fatal injection, included death.

Many of us who lost or almost lost a dog/dogs to ProHeart6 are still in close contact.  We were so sad when we found it was being released again, but was glad to see that huge listing of warnings.  Also, the vets had to take a computer course in order to get it.  And even tho all during that first farce they denied those deaths/reactions was the fault oftheir product, this time they said it had been "reformulated" and the "residue thought to cause a few rections last time" had been remove.

Thank you for using Hunter's story.  It will be 7 years ago come Oct. 16 that I lost him and I still miss that sweet gnetle boy so much.  He had just turned 4 and never been sick til that poison started killing his liver and brought on the AIHA.  If his death saved/saves another dog, well, it will not have been in vain.

spiritdogs

The only contraindication I could find is that you should not give Proheart 6 to a dog that has had a previous reaction, but it also said that dogs with weight loss were more at risk. 

As I understand it ProHeart 6 is time-release and deposits in the fat tissues.  A dog that loses a weight would release more of the drug into its blood stream. 

So dogs with ProHeart 6 in their systems should never get sick and lose weight.  

I know from experience that dogs can do fine with certain vax or whatever, and then suddenly have a badrection.  It happened with my KayCee.  She had no problme with her puppy vax, nor her first set of annual vax, but we almost lost her to severe reaction after her 2ed set of annual vax at age 2 1/2.  Inm short order after she got them she was covered in huge hives, eyes swollen almost shut and temp 106.9.

The first time our youngest son was stung by wasp he had a little swelling.  The 2ed time his entire hand and arm swelled to his elbow--looked like Popeye.  The doctor said each time he was stung he would sell more and start to swell on the inside as well.  He had a weeklyshot for a year to "desensitize him" and they worked.

So it has crossed my mind that   it is entirely possible a dog got an injetion of ProHeart6 and had little or no reaction right then.  But when the next "dpse"
 was realeased a month later, a slight reaction, and possibily after the 3rd dose was release, he had a severe reaction or even died.  That woulod never be associated with an injection 2-3 months earlier.  So I wonder how many dogs this happened to the first round?  As it was the FDA said only 10 to 15% were actually reported to them. I know for fact there were 3 other dogs here in my little town that had reactions and NOT ONE OWNER BOTHERED TO REPORT IT TO THE FDA,  I tried to get them to report it but they wouldn't take the time.

The worst part about this whole thing is that it is just plain unnecessary to use this drug.  How is so much easier to take your dog to the vet every 6 months for a shot then to give them a pill every month or so??? We all survived giving our dogs a dailey pill years ago.  We have HW preventions that are tried and true.   Why put anything in our babys systems that are going to stay there for 6 months.......because what if they do have reactions...there is nothing you can do to get it back out.

One good note...I talked to a girl working the desk at a local Banfield...asked her how the sales are going with the PH6 since they started selling it a few months back...she said hardly none at all are getting it.  Of course she added her 3 dogs got it as they did when it was out years ago when she worked at a different vet.