Quote:
Originally Posted by Lawman  Thanks guys..We plan to keep him on the Heartguard but will likely skip the blood test..What I read about heartworms and my real life experience differs greatly..I raise sheep and have 5 Great Pyrs that protect them..They are not on heartworm prevention except about once a year I will give them a horse wormer that will also kill heartworms..I realize there is risk doing that but I've never had a problem and furthermore I have friends who have had their old Great Pyrs tested who have never had preventative and tested clean..In fact a vet told one of my friends he has never known a Great Pyr to have heartworms..Not sure what to think of this..I'm well aware there are all kinds of risks in life and life itself is all about risk assessment..I would like to hear if any of you have ever had a dog contract heartworms while on a properly administered regiment of heartworm prevention. |
I love great pyres!! Gorgeous dogs. Well the prevalence of heart worm is different region by region and you just might live in a low area. Also I know that they have a double thick gorgeous coat and that just might offer some protection. Just remember you have a rare breed as do I, and there can,t be too many vets with vast experience, hence nobody has seen a great pyr so therefor none have shown heartworm
. Just guessing here.
There are some stats available on heartworm positive tests when on the Meds. But I can tell you you don't want to go through treatment of a heartworm positive dog. As love to dream said there can be shortages of the adulticide medication and you just have to wait until it becomes available. There is the cost of the hospital stay the Meds and the real risk of life threatening complications. My gal survived treatment and died from cancer about four months later.... I still think with no proof at all the two were linked somehow. And btw we were not compliant with her Meds..