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Originally Posted by gracie may  im not really sure on this one because im a fairly new owner of a yorkie, only because ive had a cat forever, but when and how do you give medicine for heartworms. is that done yearly or monthly or even at all, thanks for your input.  Gracie and  Kellie |
Heartworm med's are pesticides just as flea treatments are.......They are processed by the liver and kidneys so if your going to use these products, when it comes to administering them they should be used as little as possible to get the job done.....Space these products and any vaccines weeks apart so the body is not overwhelmed by all the chemicals.......
The transmission of heartworm larvae to a dog cannot happen until the temp. over 57 degrees for more than two weeks....this is a quote from a heartworm article.......
"If your goal is to provide full protection for your dog with minimal drug administration, you'll have to monitor the temperatures in your area. Mosquitoes may be capable of transmitting heartworm larvae to your dog around two weeks after your local temperature has stayed above 57 degrees Fahrenheit day and night.
Give the season’s first dose of preventative four to six weeks after that to destroy any larvae that infected your dog during that time. Thus, the first dose should be given six to eight weeks after daytime and nighttime temperatures first exceed 57°F. Continue to give the preventative every four to six weeks, with the last dose given after temperatures drop below that level on a regular basis."
This link has two maps that gives you a guide as to when to start the products and when to stop them...
Citadel Tibetan Mastiffs Heartworm Timing
The heartworm products protection lasts longer than the 30 days we are told. The vets tell you 30 days to make it easier for you to remember but the goal should be to give them as little as possible.....One dose is really good for 45 -60 days as stated by the FDA....
"The FDA approvals cite studies showing that Heartgard, Interceptor and Revolution provide protection beyond 30 days. If you are very good about remembering to give medications, and you can watch your dog after administering the pill to be sure that it is not spit out or later vomited, it may be safe to use heartworm preventatives less frequently than every 30 days. Dosing your dog every 45 days is a conservative way to stretch your dog's dosage schedule.
The original FDA approval for Heartgard states, “The target dose of 6 mcg per kilogram of bodyweight was selected from titration study 10855 as the lowest dose providing 100% protection when the dosing interval was extended to 60 days to simulate a missed-dose circumstance.”
The original FDA approval for Interceptor states, “Complete (100%) protection was achieved in dogs treated at 30 days post infection, with 95% protection at 60 and 90 days."
The original FDA approval for Revolution states, “Selamectin applied topically as a single dose of 3 or 6 mg/kg was 100% effective in preventing the maturation of heartworms in dogs following inoculation with infective D. immitis larvae 30 or 45 days prior to treatment, and 6 mg/kg [the recommended dosage amount] was 100% effective in preventing maturation of heartworms following inoculation of infective larvae 60 days prior to treatment.”