Heartworm Meds

[pstinard]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

I think all heartworm preventions are chewable. Heartguard is just one of the brands. Most combo pills like Trifexis have been found to be dangerous. Callie does not do topicals well and I hate them because they are so gross. It all ends up in the blood stream so for fleas and ticks I use nexguard and love it!

I think you mentioned earlier that topicals leave an oily residue. With Bella, Revolution dries up and leaves a hard residue that is more like superglue, which we gently break up with our fingers and comb out after a few hours. It is itchy for her while it's drying, but other than scooting around on her back for a couple of minutes, she hasn't had any other bad reactions. It is expensive, though.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by pstinard

I think you mentioned earlier that topicals leave an oily residue. With Bella, Revolution dries up and leaves a hard residue that is more like superglue, which we gently break up with our fingers and comb out after a few hours. It is itchy for her while it's drying, but other than scooting around on her back for a couple of minutes, she hasn't had any other bad reactions. It is expensive, though.

I never used revolution but I used frontline and Advantix and both made her lethargic and act like she wasn't feeling well. When they came out with nexguard and our vet said she was using it with no issues I jumped on that and have had no issues like with the topicals. I put Joey on it when he reached 4 pounds and he has done very well on it and he can be kinda sensitive. My grandfather had a hard time remembering not to pet where the topicals were also. It all gets in the blood stream anyway. I had heard some issues with topicals making dogs feel like they had things crawling on them maybe that's what's going on with Bella.

[pstinard]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

I never used revolution but I used frontline and Advantix and both made her lethargic and act like she wasn't feeling well. When they came out with nexguard and our vet said she was using it with no issues I jumped on that and have had no issues like with the topicals. I put Joey on it when he reached 4 pounds and he has done very well on it and he can be kinda sensitive. My grandfather had a hard time remembering not to pet where the topicals were also. It all gets in the blood stream anyway. I had heard some issues with topicals making dogs feel like they had things crawling on them maybe that's what's going on with Bella.

It just goes to show that each dog is different. Thank goodness that there is a diversity of treatments to choose from! The story about topicals making dogs feel like they have things crawling on them almost makes me want to put some Revolution on the back of my next to see what's going on (just kidding! ) For Bella, the itching/creepy feeling lasts for just a couple of minutes and then she's fine, with no other side effects.

[Parrilj]

My dog is only 4 pounds full grown. The heart worm medication is for dogs up to 25 pounds. That seems like a lot of medication for such a small dog. Does anyone know of a heart worm medication for smaller dogs?

[TxVicki]

I give mine Sentinel, that is labeled for 2-10 lbs.
I order it from Dr. Fosters and Smith. When you place an order with them they will ask fro your Vet info and then will contact your Vet approval.

I give mine Sentinel.The one I use is labeled for 2-10 lbs. I buy a year's supply.

Novartis Sentinel® Tablets for Dogs (milbemycin oxime/lufenuron)

[pstinard]

Originally Posted by Parrilj

My dog is only 4 pounds full grown. The heart worm medication is for dogs up to 25 pounds. That seems like a lot of medication for such a small dog. Does anyone know of a heart worm medication for smaller dogs?

Revolution (a topical) also makes a dose for dogs under 5 pounds.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by Parrilj

My dog is only 4 pounds full grown. The heart worm medication is for dogs up to 25 pounds. That seems like a lot of medication for such a small dog. Does anyone know of a heart worm medication for smaller dogs?

I have given it to my dogs who are varied sized for many years. It isn't "dose based" like medications. IF it were too much for the smaller ones, they wouldn't sell it that way.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by pstinard

It just goes to show that each dog is different. Thank goodness that there is a diversity of treatments to choose from! The story about topicals making dogs feel like they have things crawling on them almost makes me want to put some Revolution on the back of my next to see what's going on (just kidding! ) For Bella, the itching/creepy feeling lasts for just a couple of minutes and then she's fine, with no other side effects.

That is true, it's like humans and human meds what might work for you might not work for me.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by Parrilj

My dog is only 4 pounds full grown. The heart worm medication is for dogs up to 25 pounds. That seems like a lot of medication for such a small dog. Does anyone know of a heart worm medication for smaller dogs?

It honestly is safe my pup has taken it since he was 4 pounds. Interceptor and Sentinel breaks it down smaller.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

It honestly is safe my pup has taken it since he was 4 pounds. Interceptor and Sentinel breaks it down smaller.

Yes, but the point is it is different treatments all together. You cannot compare them. What Sentinel uses cannot be given at the same amount to a 4lb dog and a 25lb dog...


People do that with human meds as well. So much is not understood about medications. I hear people all of the time comparing one drug that is dosed at like 1 mg to another drug that is dosed at like 100mg and they say...omg that is a lot of medicine. They just don't understand you cannot go by those numbers.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

Yes, but the point is it is different treatments all together. You cannot compare them. What Sentinel uses cannot be given at the same amount to a 4lb dog and a 25lb dog...


People do that with human meds as well. So much is not understood about medications. I hear people all of the time comparing one drug that is dosed at like 1 mg to another drug that is dosed at like 100mg and they say...omg that is a lot of medicine. They just don't understand you cannot go by those numbers.

Oh I know that I was just saying those are other heart worm meds that do their meds in smaller weight groups.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

Oh I know that I was just saying those are other heart worm meds that do their meds in smaller weight groups.

I realize that ... I am just trying to emphasize that it is only a "mind" thing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Heartgard dosing. (I know that *you* know that)
Choosing another one just because it is marked for under 10 lbs means nothing except in someone's head really.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

I realize that ... I am just trying to emphasize that it is only a "mind" thing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Heartgard dosing. (I know that *you* know that)
Choosing another one just because it is marked for under 10 lbs means nothing except in someone's head really.

Heartguard has been around a very long time if something was wrong with it they would have figured it out by now. I remember giving heart guard to our first dog when I was 8.

[Mizliz27]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

Heartguard has been around a very long time if something was wrong with it they would have figured it out by now. I remember giving heart guard to our first dog when I was 8.

My Vet gave us Interceptor Plus (2-8lbs). Is this brand safe?

[pstinard]

Originally Posted by Mizliz27

My Vet gave us Interceptor Plus (2-8lbs). Is this brand safe?

Interceptor Plus (2-8 lbs.) contains Milbemycin Oxime (2.3 mg) and Praziquantel (22.8 mg). Trifexis (5-10 lbs.) contains 140 mg spinosad and 2.3 mg milbemycin oxime. They both have the same amount of milbemycin oxime in common, but the other ingredient is different. I don't know which ingredient in Trifexis gives dogs the bad reactions. Does anyone know or have any recommendation?