Heartworm preventative question
|
|
| Probably no t- but check with your vet. Most of this answer has to do with local weather and bug patterns. |
| We use it year round because of our weather. It's never cold enough to kill the buggers. If you haven't had them HW tested since Feb, you need to do it again before you start them on meds. |
Beaureguard's Mom wrote: We use it year round because of our weather. It's never cold enough to kill the buggers. If you haven't had them HW tested since Feb, you need to do it again before you start them on meds.
Not necessarily in New York we can test in February and with a cold spring start hw in May. I really always ask the vet. |
| We give year round and still test them every year. If you stop in winter, by all means test every year. |
| This is one of few reasons I can be glad I live in a cold climate. It's cold enough to snow today... we had some mosquitos flying around for a couple of days, but they'll all be killed off during the cold spell again this week.
The heartworm life cycle is dependant upon the temperature of the mosquitos environment to complete it's life cycle and it simply does not stay warm long enough here for it to do that. We get some hot weather in June, but by July it begins cooling off again at night, and by August we often have frost warnings at night. Same for fleas, I haven't even seen one in years. I keep a box of Advantage on hand just in case I do see one, then I would treat all the dogs and cats with one, possibly two doses of Advantage. The less chemicals for my dogs the better IMO. |
The way I understand it, the reason you test right before beginning the HW pills is that if, by chance, the dog becomes infected since you last tested and you give it a HW pill, it could be fatal.  |
| but there is an incubation period etc. assuming you have no mosquitoes in february and march being bitten in april is not an issue - hyothetically, not a vet. as i said before you always need to ask the vet that did the last test. |
| We keep our dogs on Heartworm prevention
year round for the same reason Tammy stated(too warm) Plus, it also serves as a monthly intestinal dewormer!! A mature heartworm will not show up on a test until 6 mos after being infected.... Although Microfilaria(baby heartworms) can be detected soon after. Heartgard and Revolution are safe for hearworm positive dogs but, Interceptor and Sentinel are not.(not sure about Multi) Of course the vet can advise you on what the best approach is for your baby! |
Donner's Mom wrote: Heartgard and Revolution are safe for
hearworm positive dogs but, Interceptor and Sentinel are not.(not sure about Multi) That's interesting, Kathy, I didn't know that some HW meds were safe to use if HW positive. I learn something new every day around here. So, if they're only in the larve stage, theortically, you could give them the Interceptor or Sentinel and it would not be a problem? |
| I guess you could but, I would not wanna chance it!
When we get in a new pupper after HW testing I always opt for Heartgard until the next negative heartworm test. If they are a weak positive for heartworms sometimes a vet will recommend Heartgard for 6 months to see if that will do the trick! After all Heartgard is the Microfilaria treatment. It does not have a residual effect, it kills off the wormies once a month when you give the pill. (YUCK) The one thing I did like about the Pro Heart Injection (that I never used) was it did in fact have the residual and killed upon infection! (Of course I have no idea the medical terminology to all this but, this is the way I understand it!) |
| I have been using interceptor but after reading some of the things here, I think I'm going to switch to revolution.
I'm going to get them rechecked. Next year I wont make the same mistake. Have to take Sophie for her rabies shot so might as well make it doggie vet party. |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|