Do you use Heart Worm Preventative?

[Gingergirlsmom]

I have gone back and forth on this and flea preventative for years. Do you give it to your yorkies? How often? Why or why not??

[donnarod]

I use HeartGuard because I don't want her to get heartworms.
Use Confortis for fleas because I don't want fleas on her.

[marcerella02]

In the past I used Revolution, but this year will be using Interceptor- which is JUST heartworm- not fleas or ticks. Layla isn't a woodsy gal- and isn't really outdoors that often. Should she get fleas I'd rather use a natural remedy to get rid of them. And we don't have ticks in this part of Ontario unless you are in the woods, and even if she did get one- i'd prefer to deal with it then- i like as few meds a possible so Interceptor was the best choice for us.

I've read a lot about heartworm as i HATE giving her the meds for it but i've heard that the treatment of heartworm (shoudl your dog get it) can kill them- if the heartworm doesn't first... especially with our little guys. So this is just something, as much as i hate, i give it.

[cpuff35]

Initially I was using Sentinel but just recently switched to Interceptor. Usually during winter I skip this med since they never go out during the cold. However, with the weather warming up I restarted their heartworm meds in April and will probably stop it around October/November when it gets cold.

[ltret0294]

Originally Posted by donnarod

I use HeartGuard because I don't want her to get heartworms.
Use Confortis for fleas because I don't want fleas on her.

Ditto for the Boys. Fleas are a year round pest in FL.

[Ashlea]

I use heartguard year round, as we have a problem with heart worms in this part of Missouri, and I use the $4 generic frontline from walmart for ticks, we don't go into the woods or anything, and so far we have had no flea problems!

[xoxodoglover89]

I use Heartguard all year round.

[stedmansmommy]

I have always used Interceptor all my life on any babies that I have ever owned. However, if I don't give my kiddos their Heartworm Preventative this month (which I DO plan to - hubby is going to go and pick it up for me this week), it will be the 3rd month that they've gone without it

Can I just ask though - what is "BAD" about giving a heartworm preventative? I'm honestly clueless...

Also, to those who only give a heartworm preventative during the warmer months, how do you do this? I mean, once you start giving the heartworm preventative to them and then you stop for so long (for so many months), don't you have to have them tested for Heartworms to be sure that they don't have them before you start them back on the preventative again? I have always heard that this was necessary after they had been off the preventative as if they WERE to have Heartworms when you started them back on the preventative, it could kill them.

[Symph2001]

I think I've seen too many dogs have to be put down on pet cops or at the local shelter because they have heartworms, something easily preventable, to ever NOT give her her treatment.

[kyancer]

I use it all year round for Sebastian. I had a cat die of heartworm when I was a kid. It was such a terrible way for him to die...I will never forget it. Also, my Aunt's dog now has heartworm, and they are treating her. Not only is it terrible for the dog to go through, but treatment for heartworm is incredibly expensive! So much easier to just use a preventative!

[fufufashions]

In Texas, we have mosquitos and fleas year round so all my girls get the Revolution which covers both. We like it because it is dosed by weight and with Princess being 3 lbs., i don't want to give her too much so she is on the puppy dosage. Mine have never had a reacation to the application and i like that i can bathe them soon afterwards. Although i usually bathe them right before application, I don't bathe them after application for about a week just to make sure.
if you pull up heartworms on google, there is a map that tell you if you area is prone to heartworms/mosquitoes.
KNOW Heartworms | Incidence Map
or
Heartworm Incident Map

Here are some maps of the known incidents. Texas is pretty heavy as well as all the states along the Mississippi River and coast line. Mosquitos breed in water so if you live near any water, you probably have them unless it is really cold where you live.

[cpuff35]

Originally Posted by stedmansmommy

I have always used Interceptor all my life on any babies that I have ever owned. However, if I don't give my kiddos their Heartworm Preventative this month (which I DO plan to - hubby is going to go and pick it up for me this week), it will be the 3rd month that they've gone without it

Can I just ask though - what is "BAD" about giving a heartworm preventative? I'm honestly clueless...

Also, to those who only give a heartworm preventative during the warmer months, how do you do this? I mean, once you start giving the heartworm preventative to them and then you stop for so long (for so many months), don't you have to have them tested for Heartworms to be sure that they don't have them before you start them back on the preventative again? I have always heard that this was necessary after they had been off the preventative as if they WERE to have Heartworms when you started them back on the preventative, it could kill them.

With any medication you have the potential risk of side effects. So far I have not had any issues but would like to limit the medication given especially if it's not needed during winter in NYC/NJ area. For folks living in Florida or other areas that is warm all year round, I would think heartworm meds are needed through out th eyear. According to Wikipedia -

Heartworms go through several life stages before they become adults infecting the heart of the host animal. The worms require the mosquito as an intermediate stage in order to complete their life cycle. Development in the mosquito is temperature dependent, requiring approximately two weeks of temperature at or above 27 °C (80 °F). Below a threshold temperature of 14 °C (57 °F), development cannot occur, and the cycle will be halted.[8] As a result, transmission is limited to warm months, and duration of the transmission season varies geographically. The period between the initial infection when the dog is bitten by a mosquito and the maturation of the worms into adults living in the heart takes 6 to 7 months in dogs and is known as the "prepatent period".

I did have Cassi/Ori tested for heartworm before resuming their heartworm meds. I usually have the test done in the beginning of April b/c that's when I start taking them out again for warlks. Once I have confirmation from the vet that the test is negative for heartworm I start giving their meds again. Also my vet won't refill a heartworm prescription unless they have a negative heartworm test.

[Yorkiegrl1983]

I recommend INTERCEPTOR for heartworm prevention!!! It is the best in our opinion. I dont recommend REVOLUTION, several dogs we have known have gotten heartworms while on this.

[zoeybear]

I have never given it to any pet. I don't think it is bad, it just isn't something I thought was a big problem in California. I have read that it is on the rise in cali though. My vet has never suggested it. We don't have fleas either so I dont have to use flea treatment.

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by stedmansmommy

I have always used Interceptor all my life on any babies that I have ever owned. However, if I don't give my kiddos their Heartworm Preventative this month (which I DO plan to - hubby is going to go and pick it up for me this week), it will be the 3rd month that they've gone without it

Can I just ask though - what is "BAD" about giving a heartworm preventative? I'm honestly clueless...

Also, to those who only give a heartworm preventative during the warmer months, how do you do this? I mean, once you start giving the heartworm preventative to them and then you stop for so long (for so many months), don't you have to have them tested for Heartworms to be sure that they don't have them before you start them back on the preventative again? I have always heard that this was necessary after they had been off the preventative as if they WERE to have Heartworms when you started them back on the preventative, it could kill them.

Some are hesitant to use it because it is a pesticide and can (in rare instances) cause death.

Sometimes vets make their clients test even if the dog is on it year-round since nothing is 100%.




We use Interceptor. Heartworms are way too dangerous to not protect against. I'd rather give her the piill that she does well on then give her arsenic injections if she were to get them.

There are some thtat I wouldn't even consider using though because there are too many reports that they are ineffective. Revolution is one of them.