Interceptor--yes or no?

That is what I use on my goldens.  I made that awful mistake of putting my Hunter on ProHeart6 and lost him Oct. 16, 2003.  But I never had a problem with Interceptor and it does help control hook, whip, and round worms.  It is my vet's #1 choice.

I knew you'd the be the one to help me, Sandra. I actually asked the "girl up front" at the vet's office to make sure that I didn't get the "medication that kills dogs." She said that there isn't one to date, and that heartworm medication only kills if a dog is positive when she's taking it. No way and I knew that.
 
Thanks, Sandra. I actually put some flea and tick ointment on them about a week ago. I hope that doesn't interfere and if it does, then I'll wait until next month, when it's worn off before giving them pills.
 
I mean, honestly, I live in Idaho--we have had 1 documented case of heartworm so far here from dogs who live here (Idaho's had the Katrina dogs--most of them with heartworms already--that we took in).

This is the one I use also. Mine eat em up like a treat. Well all but Dilly. I have to pill him. He never likes taking medications for anything. lol

Willow also gets Interceptor with no problems.  I did have her on Heartgard at first which she liked so much more.  But, once I found out that the Interceptor kills one more type of worm I switched.  My vet prefers Interceptor over Heartgard but it really depends on the vet, the first vet we had used Heartgard. 
 
I do not give Frontline and Interceptor on the same day.  It's not scientific but I just don't like giving an internal parasite med and an external one at the same time.  It just seems like a little too much for me.  So, I give them at different times during the month. 

I feel like such a goof because I haven't had to do the flea/tick and heartworm before. Ever. Seriously, in Idaho it hasn't been an issue. I've seen one flea, once on Ellie, and never on my first dog. (Ellie had been at a boarding facility.) I didn't believe they existed. And I've held off on heartworm because we've never had a case here yet that was native to Idaho.
 
I'm trying to adjust to this, uh, new lifestyle with my dogs (and cats). Wow. We've been spoiled here; we really have been.
 
How far apart do you do the Frontline vs the pills? Like two weeks?

ORIGINAL: willowchow
I do not give Frontline and Interceptor on the same day.  It's not scientific but I just don't like giving an internal parasite med and an external one at the same time.  It just seems like a little too much for me.  So, I give them at different times during the month. 

our dogs are on heartguard plus and frontline plus, but we do the same as willowchow. i do heartguard on the 1st and frontline on the 15th. (sometimes i will miss it by a day or so, but that is the plan anyways) []

OK, I'm getting confused, you never needed it in Idaho before then why do you need it now? 
 
Are there no mosquitoes in Idaho?? 

That girl doesn't know what she is talking about.  there are reported reactions and deaths for every single one of the preventatives.  ProHeart6 lead the numbers by far and was only out 3 years.  Revolution is next, and that is as far as I remember.
 
I wish I didn't have to give to of them to my dogs, but here on the Texas coast, we do not have an option--either we have dogs on the preventiion and no heartworms or dogs not on prevention and heartworms.  My next door neighbors lost their cocker back in Jan or Feb to heartoworms.  I had tired and tried to get them to put their dogs on heartworm pills, but "they are inside dogs and not out in the mosquitoes."  Yeah, right, didn't they go out and go potty?  Wasn't the back and front door being opened and closed all the time with the kids running in and out?  Don't mosquitoes "hitch a ride" inside on people?
 
Both dogs ended up being diagnosed and they decided the cost of treatment was to much.  That pood dog's last month was awful.  He would walk a few feet and collapse gasping for air.  It was so sad.  And the other dog has not been treated.
 
And no, I never use Frontline the same time I use the Interceptor.  But only a few day's difference for me.  Interceptor only stays in the system less than 72 hours.  It is actually getting a once a month dewormer.  It kills any larve worms in their body during the time (I have read it can be as long as 72 hours, but is mostly 48 hours) and then their body is clear of it.  If they have a reaction to the pills,  it is clear of the body in 48-72 hours.  That is the big difference between it and the ProHeart6--it was in their body for 6 months and nothing could remove it.  As one told, her vet told her if the dog survived the 6 months, he should be okay.  He did not survive a week.  And many did survive the 6 months and live a year or two, but finally the siezures, autoimmune disease or gastric damage claimed their lives.
 
Also, try to never get all the vax at the same time.  I had never thought about it until my KayCee had tha severe reaction to her 2ed set of vax and we almost lost her.   My vet was almos sure it was the lepto, but no way of knowing for sure and he said she was to recieve rabies only from then on.  After that happaned, I started getting rabies weeks after their vax, and also cut out the lepto and the lyme as there have never been any cases of lyme down her and only one case of lepto.   Since her reaction 4 1/2 years ago, she has received only one vax other than rabies and that was a distemper only 1 1/2 years ago when we had a bad outbreak of distemper here.  I gave her benadryl before taking her in, they gave her the vax and held her in ICU all day to be on the safe side.
 
My vet has gone to the 3 year vax schedule, but last year he said Buck, age 10 at the time, never needed any more no matter how long he lived....except law required rabies.  The rabies vax he uses is good for 3 years but both our town and county say they have to be vaxed every year.  However, last year he did make KayCee's certificate good for 3 years and said if I have any problem, have them contact him as he can prove she is not a candidate for yearly rabies vax.  We are trying to get the law changed here in town to everuy 3 yers, then work on the county.  State law says every 3 years, but the dumb a$$es said each county and each city could make their own laws and city over rode the county and the county over rode the state.  Really makes sense to have a state law like that!

I forgot to add that the heartworm problem is spreading into areas never before seen in.  Somebody moves into the area or visits in the area and has a heartworm positive dogs.  Mosquitoes bite that dog and pick up the heartworm.  Then they bite a couple more dogs and those dogs become infectd and mosquitoes bite them and on and on.  It takes a while for  it to be become really noticible.  I can not say with certainty, but I believe wolves, coyotes and foxes can also become infected as a red wolf at a refuge died after being given ProHeart6 and it doesn't seem they would be giving it if the wolves were not in danger of heartworms.  The story is on the  [linkhttp://www.dogsadversereaction.com]www.dogsadversereaction.com[/link]  site.
 
It was thought for years that cats couldn't get them, but they do.  So any unproteced  (and infected) dog or cat moving into a "clean " area can set it off.

Thanks Sandra, Lori, Angel, and everyone else (have I forgotten anyone? if so, I apologize). I knew you'd know, Sandra.
 
Sandra's right--we do have mosquitoes, but no heartworm here--until a few weeks ago. Every year I've discussed, with the vet, the pros and cons and have decided against heartworm pills until this year. I guess the colder winters have kept those deadly parasites away.
 
Gosh, what a horrible story about your neighbors, Sandra. It would stay with me forever that I could have prevented such a crappy disease but didn't--and knowing that we have medication, and now the disease, is prompting me to move ahead with this.
 
I'm serious, though, Lori. It's been great not worrying about red ants, fleas, heartworm. Great. In my whole life (and I'm getting up there) I have seen only one flea, and that was the one on Ellie. I've never even given them flea medicine, quite frankly. I am doing that now, though.
 
Yet another goodbye to great days gone by . . .

I give Brown and Grey Interceptor. Years ago, Brown was on Heartgard Plus, but I changed when I started working for a vet...employee discount lol.