Dog Community

Sharing Heartguard and Frontline

Posted : 8/29/2006 9:40:27 AM

Since I have two dogs now, is it all right to divide their monthly doses of Frontline plus(up to 22lbs) and Heartguard between the two of them. Dugan weighs 10lbs and Maddie is 4lbs. I thought giving Dugan 2/3 of the medication and Maddie 1/3 would cover their needs. Does anyone who owns two small dogs do this? I'm trying to cut the costs, but I don't want to neglect my dogs health.

sandra_slayton

Posted : 8/29/2006 11:19:18 AM

I know what you are saying about cutting costs. I have 3 golden retrievers, live on the Texas Coast and heartworm preventative is a MUST here. And this year has been exceptionally bad for fleas, so fortune on Frontline. The bigger the dog, the more each product costs.

However, I do not think i would divide the heartworm meds because if either dog is under dosed, it could be problems. I would still with full pill for each. But as for the flea stuff, i think that would be fine to divide it as a little misdosage would not really be a threat to either dog.

marlania

Posted : 8/30/2006 12:45:32 PM

I also live in a mosquito-infested area, and the rate of heartworm infection is really high here. So because of that, I wouldn't split their hw preventative, especially since both of my boys have had heartworms before we adopted them and have been through treatment since

Now, I would fine with splitting their Frontline. If you see it doesn't work, you can always go back to your original method. I used Frontline Plus for a long time, but I found that 1. it was expensive and 2. I really didn't need it every 30 days. So I switched to Frontline's spray, which has lasted forever. I use it when we're going around dogs we don't know or when we're going in the woods, to the beach (our beach is marshy lol), etc. I can also use the spray on my cats, too, so it's the best option for me.

cyclefiend2000

Posted : 8/30/2006 1:32:06 PM

our vet has told us in the past that the heartguard may or may not consistently have the medicine throughout the treat. therefore if you try to half it or split it in anyway, one portion may have all the medicine and the other have none or have the wrong percentages in each piece. [sm=2cents.gif]

sandra_slayton

Posted : 8/30/2006 1:40:14 PM

I am going to have to check out the Frontline Plus spray. I have not seen it at my Vet's and don't recall seeing it in Foster & Smith catalog either. That sounds like an ideal thing. I have used that Adam's spray before.

But back to the main question, I hope we have answered for you. One of our dogs, Honey, is a golden mix we adopted and then found had heartworms and had to be put thru the treatment. It is not fun and altho much safer now than 30 years ago when my dad lost his elderly English Setter to the TREATMENT rather than the worms, it is still very, very rough on the dogs. When Daddy's dog was diagnosed was the first time we had ever heard of heartworms.

Cindy Camery

Posted : 8/30/2006 1:54:24 PM

I've heard this before, but I'm not sure I really believe it. I thought it was just a way for these pet drug companies to make more money. Thanks for your input.