Heart Worm Preventative

• 08-16-2007 12:10 AM

  huskymom Joined on 09-10-2007 Thunder Bay ON Posts 5,184 Points 465

  Heart Worm Preventative Reply Contact I just realized I'm going to have to start my dogs on a heart worm preventative.  We will be moving to Dryden in the next couple of months and since it is 4 hours from there to the Manitoba border I think they should be on one.  Here in TBay there has not be an incedent of heartworm in so long that the vets don't even recommend it unless your dogs come in regular contact with dogs from Manitoba.  So recommendations anyone?  Should I start it before we move or will it be sufficient to start it once we get there and get to see my old vet?  I hadn't planned on taking my dogs to the vet here in the city again since my old Dryden vet is much more, shall we say economical? Candace

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• 08-16-2007 1:33 AM

  In reply to huskymom

  sandra_slayton Joined on 09-10-2007 Ingleside, Texas Posts 3,170 Points 0

  RE: Heart Worm Preventative Reply Contact Coming into  contact with other dogs shouldn't have anything to do with it.  Heartworms are passed by mosquitoes.  They bite an infected dog, bite a not infected dog and infect him.  I don't quite understand your vet's reasoning concerning dogs from elsewhere.  Is the mosquitoes you have to worry about.  The danger would be if infected dogs started coming to your area and there were lots of mosquitoes to bite them and pass the heartworms on.

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• 08-16-2007 1:40 AM

  In reply to huskymom

  janet_rose Joined on 09-10-2007 DFW area, Texas Posts 3,612 Points 330

  RE: Heart Worm Preventative Reply Contact huskymom: Should I start it before we move or will it be sufficient to start it once we get there and get to see my old vet? You can wait until you see your old vet.  Heartworm "preventatives" kill baby heartworms in the dog's system at the time the "preventative" is given.  There is no future action.   Heartworm "preventatives" prevent adult heartworms by killing baby heartworms.       I prefer Interceptor - one chemical that kills baby heartworms, plus roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms.  Heartgard Plus has two chemicals to kill baby heartworms, plus roundworms and hookworms (not whipworms).  Neither kills tapeworms.

  Filed under: heartworms, hookworms, whipworms, heartworm preventatives, Interceptor, roundworms, Heartgard Plus Post Points: 0

• 08-16-2007 12:52 PM

  In reply to huskymom

  Liesje Joined on 03-02-2007 Grand Rapids, Michigan Posts 6,745 Points 850

  RE: Heart Worm Preventative Reply Contact Chopper gets an absolutely miniscule amount of Ivermectin paste.  I know there is controversy about this, but to my knowledge the breeder has never had a problem doing it this way, her husband is a veterinarian, and she's been breeding and competing dogs for decades (and she's a second generation breeder).  We're just going to use that b/c it's been working.  Also, $8 for more than enough to last a year (it will expire before I can use even 1/8 of it) is nothing to complain about. I have one question though if I may use this thread - do dogs get heartworm prevenative all year or only when it's warm out? My Blog - http://24ft.dutchbingo.net My Site - http://liesrosema.com

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• 08-16-2007 3:48 PM

  In reply to huskymom

  sandra_slayton Joined on 09-10-2007 Ingleside, Texas Posts 3,170 Points 0

  RE: Heart Worm Preventative Reply Contact Mine get Interceptor year round.  But of course i live on the Texas coast and we have mosquitoes year round==as my son once put it, when we got duck hunting we should be taking cofree or hot chocolate instead of ice wate and wearing thermal underwaer instead of OFF mosquitoe srapy. .  I don't dare miss a month.  We adopted a just turned year old golden mix almot 5 years ago and she was heartworm positive.  had ot have her treated.

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• 08-16-2007 4:33 PM

  In reply to huskymom

  huskymom Joined on 09-10-2007 Thunder Bay ON Posts 5,184 Points 465	RE: Heart Worm Preventative Reply Contact My friends dogs are one it from April through I think November?  Crusher and Onyx have never been on it.  Thanks Janet, I will wait until I get to Dryden to see my old vet. Candace
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• 08-16-2007 4:36 PM

  In reply to huskymom

  huskymom Joined on 09-10-2007 Thunder Bay ON Posts 5,184 Points 465

  RE: Heart Worm Preventative Reply Contact ORIGINAL: sandra_slayton Coming into  contact with other dogs shouldn't have anything to do with it.  Heartworms are passed by mosquitoes.  They bite an infected dog, bite a not infected dog and infect him.  I don't quite understand your vet's reasoning concerning dogs from elsewhere.  Is the mosquitoes you have to worry about.  The danger would be if infected dogs started coming to your area and there were lots of mosquitoes to bite them and pass the heartworms on. Well this raises questions as to motive, but still we will be 4 hours closer to where there is a known heartworm problem, so I think getting them on a preventative is still a good idea.  Candace

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• 08-16-2007 5:22 PM

  In reply to huskymom

  sophia Joined on 09-10-2007 Posts 442 Points 0

  RE: Heart Worm Preventative Reply Contact ORIGINAL: Liesje I have one question though if I may use this thread - do dogs get heartworm prevenative all year or only when it's warm out? If you end up using Interceptor follow the directions in the package insert of when to start and end it: Package insert: INTERCEPTOR must be given at monthly intervals, preferably on the same date starting within 1 month of the begin of the transmission season and continuing until 1 dose after its end. Where heartworm transmission is not seasonal INTERCEPTOR is given throughout the year. Dogs living in heartworm-free regions and travelling to heartworm risk areas should be treated within 1 month of the beginning of the exposure to transmission. If necessary administrations should be repeated monthly until 1 administration after the end of the exposure risk. http://www.ah.novartis.com/products/en/cab/interceptor.shtml

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• 08-16-2007 8:01 PM

  In reply to huskymom

  Liesje Joined on 03-02-2007 Grand Rapids, Michigan Posts 6,745 Points 850

  RE: Heart Worm Preventative Reply Contact Thanks for answering my question!  I gave Chop her monthly dose today and I'll probably stop Nov - April b/c it is cold and snowy here from Oct - the end of April.  I'll definitely keep up when it's warm.  Usually about 1/3 of the dogs in our shelter are heartworm positive so it is a real threat here. My Blog - http://24ft.dutchbingo.net My Site - http://liesrosema.com

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• 08-16-2007 8:49 PM

  In reply to huskymom

  calliecritturs Joined on 09-10-2007 Central Florida Posts 6,951 Points 1,955

  RE: Heart Worm Preventative Reply Contact Liesje -- I've said this in other places, but I'll try to say it 'short' here.   Because today, it's so prevalent for trucks to bring produce 'north' all times of the year you really have to be aware that all it takes is for a mosquito to go 'dormant' while being brought north in some trucker's load, and then those bananas, apples or whatever get into the store and come home with you.    All it takes is that mosquito to fly around and bite your dog *before it dies* in January to make your dog a carrier of microfilaria.    All it takes is for your dog to walk thru that slushy sidewalk during a spring thaw that includes fresh 'leavings' from another dog (particularly if they've taken a nice deep sniff) and parasites can transfer.  So what happens if that dog is a visitor from Florida?    The northern states and territories often feel kind of this "it doesn't happen here" attitude - but the reality is that it's so often NOT looked for that there can be cases raging that no one even suspects are heartworm.  An old dog 'coughs' and people think it's heart and "just her time".  It can take a good long while for vets to really get with the program and realize there are more heartworm positive dogs up there than they assume there might be.  Because typically a dog WITH heartworm won't show 'signs' of the disease until 2-4 years have passed (and by that time they are "old and sick").    Not trying to scare you to death -- but heartworm is insidious.  10 years ago I scoffed -- my dogs were "indoor dogs" and they couldn't GET it ... right?  WRONG.    Now the reality down here is about 95% of shelter dogs ARE heartworm positive.  Even puppies now are being born heartworm positive.  And unfortunately Katrina and the other hurricanes did more than their share of spreading heartworm positive dogs around *sigh*.   Even if I lived in the frozen north I'd still be giving Interceptor year round just because the risk is so great.   I'm not trying to scare anyone to death -- but when I hear people say they feel so protected by the cold it just makes me cringe.  I come from a mega heartworm area -- but it only makes me more aware of how easily it has spread everywhere.

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• 08-16-2007 9:29 PM

  In reply to huskymom

  Liesje Joined on 03-02-2007 Grand Rapids, Michigan Posts 6,745 Points 850

  RE: Heart Worm Preventative Reply Contact Thanks, Callie.  I have no qualms about using it year-round if that's what is being done.  This is my first dog of my own so I know very little about such basic things.  The supply of the drug I got would last us more than 5 years, but it expires after a year so cost/amount is no issue for me.  If it's safe to give year-round, I will do that. My Blog - http://24ft.dutchbingo.net My Site - http://liesrosema.com

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• 08-17-2007 1:15 PM

  In reply to huskymom

  huskymom Joined on 09-10-2007 Thunder Bay ON Posts 5,184 Points 465	RE: Heart Worm Preventative Reply Contact Me too I think... thanks Callie. Candace
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