Here's a regional map.

You can click on tabs to see heartworm, lyme. Hover over your state and see #'s for your state, click on your state to find your counties numbers.

One note, I use heartguard for G & B (not the chewable, the other) and the tab I buy is the bigger tab which I cut in half, giving each 1/2. This is being done at my vet's rec as it is slightly cheaper.

Hmmm...now you are worrying me.

Couple of other thoughts: I don't adminsister heartworm or flea/tick meds during the winter.

I called the vet in April (when it began to warm) to double check if I needed to have them tested for heartworm before I began. They checked there records. For some reason, I had the testing done in December (I think I was taking them for their annual shots), and since it had been cold they said go ahead and start up.

Then, yesterday (coincidence?) I realized I had missed their May pill. I called the vet, because I had always been told once a month. They weren't even concerned, since I only missed one month they told me it would be safe to administer now.

Hmm.....

This is good information, but the points I am concerned about are 1) the difference in the information that we, as consumers, receive from our Vets about Heartworm prevention, as opposed to the information the manufacturers must report to the government about heartworm preventative products, and 2) Why haven't these manufacturers adjusted the dosages to better suit the growing sector of society that includes the owners of small dogs, who must regularly dose their small dogs with 2-5 times the amount of Heartworm preventative product called for and deemed safe and minimal for the 10-20 pound and up crowd?

And, while I'm here, let it be known that many of the topical flea and tick preventative products sold separately for dogs and cats are actually the same product, just the dosage is different. So, if you use a more accurate dose for your small dog, you would have enough product left to treat 1-2 cats, or 1-2 additional months to treat your small dog, or enough to treat an additional 1-2 small dogs (for us multiple/catdog people).

All I really want to do is treat my small dog with the minimum recommended amount of any product, and to treat my liver shunt afflicted rescue Yorkie with products that will keep her safe and not make her sick or kill her at the same time. I need to know what is safe, at the minimum dose for any animal I choose to treat.

I think you make a very valid point in this post, My boy is liver compromised and my little girl is still pretty litte. There is deffinately a market for lower dose medication. It would be great if we didn't have to OD our pets on heartworm and flea meds every month to keep them protected. Some pets are more tollerent, mine both are very sensitive, I am lucky to be in an area that is very low risk for HW but still I should be able to give them a dose that is correct to body their size and less threatening to Copper's condition.

As far as flea meds, my vet suggested to but half on Copper and the other half of the dose on Maddie. He told me that the minimal dose should easily keep both of them prtected all month long. I haven't seen a flea on them so I assume that it works just as well.

So there are Vets out there that are working within the guidlines set forth by the manufacturers, but able to adjust dosing to be safer for some of their tinier clientele. My vet did the same for me, so I can dose my dogs and my cats with the same product, just different amounts using my individual pets' exact weights and the manufacturers' recommended minimum dose ie: 2.7mg of Selamectin per pound of body weight for dogs. Even though the manufacturer claims this product is safe if over dosed by 10 times, or if ingested (this is a topical application) I don't want to apply a tube that is made to be a safe, minimum dose for a 10# or 20# dog to a 3# or 5# dog.

Yes this is exactly our case too, with the topical flea tick prescription mine actually have both my pets name on the one rx and says to 1/2 dose each:) my vet wants what is best for my pets (his words) and I am happy about this. Technically they are both still being slightly overdosed seeing how the rx is for a dog closer to 10lbs and their combined weight is about 7lbs but not nearly as much as they would be if I was giving them each the full ammount. We still are looking for a solution for the HW rx because it is not topical it is a little harder to find something that is either very gentle on their systems or not such a high dose. Maybe the manufacture will realize that there is a growing population of small dog owners who would like to carefully be on a preventative. Wishfull thinking;)

Great link thank you, I did want to tell you that you that certain pills can't be cut in half, they are not guaranteed to have the same ingredients in each half. It should say on your box. You could be overdosing one, and underdosing another. There are some brands you can cut in half.

Playing with flea preventatives is one thing. Playing with heartworm preventatives is quite another. Fleas do not kill...heartworms do! And I am sure that none of you who would think of cutting doses of Heartgard have considered thinking about how the doses are titrated in each half or quarter.
Sorry, but I am totally stunned that anyone would recommend something like that. I am also honestly shocked that anyone calls Heartgard a poison. I have heard of pups eating entire boxes of that stuff with no ill effects.
Please, anyone reading this thread, if you are considering using holistic treatments for heartworms, ask the people pushing that stuff to show you solid proven research results!
There can be side effects to anything. There are allergies to anything. Does that mean that you are going to stop protecting yourself, your children, and your pups from things that could potentially kill them?

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Great post! This disease is horrible, very painful to treat and so easy to prevent.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

I just noticed that I was misquoted in the above post. I did not, nor will I ever, recommend a link to holistic treatment for heartworms.
I do not ever want to feel that someone's pup died because they thought I recommended such a thing. :(

Of course Heartgard is poison. It is an insecticide. The same goes for Interceptor. A lot of drugs are terrible for you in large amounts though. That doesn't mean it is safe to cut back without solid proof that it is okay (like studies from universities, etc.).

The Heartgard Plus chew cannot be cut in half because the drug is unevenly distributed and half of it may contain the whole dose and the other half, nothing.

I talked to Novartis and they said that I could not cut the Interceptor tab. I have no way if they just want me to buy extra or what but until I get more information, I would fell unsafe doing so.

My point is that we should be careful in our wording because people who read this forum might think they are killing their pup and stop administering hearworm preventatives.

Some people believe every single word they read without understanding the context in which things are written....and without doing any research on their own.

Heartgard is not killing pups......heartworms are! Heartworms are a huge problem and they only exist in the pups because people have the mindset that the preventatives are dangerous or because they want to cut costs.
Unfortunately I see this all of the time. Matter of fact, I am leaving here shortly to meet a YT member who is transporting a little heartworm positive yorkie to me from Louisiana.

Here is an article by Jan Rasmusen, the author of Scared Poopless on heartwrom medication.

Heartworm Preventatives: Safety and Alternatives | Truth4Dogs

I consider Scared Poopless to be a must have for any pet owner. Not only is it full of important up-to-date information about everything from vaccinations to providing for your pet in your will, it is a delightful read. It is written from the perspective of the author's little Maltese, Chicklet.

Very interesting, thanks. Especially interesting was the info about Safeheart...and why on earth the FDA didn't approve it is beyond me. :rolleyes:

Interesting indeed in that they are recommending letting your pup get heartworms and maybe they can live with them. And...they also say that Benji lived to be old after undergoing the treatment. I hope all of you who promote this have seen first hand what the treatment is and have also checked the cost. I feel sorry for any pup who must have those awful shots. Yes, they can die from the worms dying off!

And..please note at the bottom of that website the following! They say to be an educated consumer and after reading some of the things I have read I wonder what the term really means to each person.

They are voicing their opinion and further letting you know that it may not actually be valid information...they give it for "educational purposes only" thereby thinking they are released from liability.
---------------------------

Most importantly, do not make decisions out of fear. Don’t let anyone, even your vet, intimidate or ridicule you. Be an educated consumer and a rabid advocate for your dog’s health.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational purposes only. Do not rely on this information without doing your own research including consultation with your own veterinarian. Do not buy or fail a product for treating heartworm without evaluating it carefully.

Yeah, I agree with this, and the site also started off by saying, " I am a researcher and holistic health advocate, not a vet." This just doesn't seem to be saying much of anything, sometimes we see the word, "holistic" and think it means something special, but anyone can use the term, it isn't the same as having credentials. I could call myself a holistic researcher.

Heartworms do kill, and fleas can also kill. I just (in Dec 08) adopted a Himilayan from the Humane Society. He was skin and bones and totally infested with fleas which caused extremely severe anemia and emaciation. He was in their ICU and they put him directly in a cat box and brought him to me in the reception area. I was worried about stressing him so I didn't even look at him until we got home. His fur was almost completely matted. I thought his skin was brown, (it is white). The flea poo and fleas were so thick it looked brown. I could feel 3 sides of each vertebra in his back, and ribs, hips and shoulders, there was no fat between his skin and bones ... absolutely none! He was as long as the cat box, 2 years old and only weighed 6 pounds, and had caught an Upper Respiratory Infection. I immediately took him to my Vet for a complete evaluation. He has since recovered even though many times I thought I would lose him but he pulled through and is now doing fine. Point: Fleas can kill.

I am not recommending cutting doses of Heartgard or any product than is not cuttable. I am recommending that for the folks who do have small dogs that experience difficulty taking the megadoses of product deemed safe for animals up to 10-20 pounds to consider discussing a plan with their vet to change to a product that can be reduced safely to be as effective and more appropriate for the smaller animal's weight.

Parasiticides - an agent or preparation used to destroy parasites.

If the side effects or allergies are life-threatening, do discontinue use of the product and consult your Vet or Doctor. There may be alternative products/medications that will do the job safely, and your Vet or Doctor should be your first point of contact if any medication, product or food causes an unexpected result in a pet or a human. Either could require emergency medical treatment, so don't dose your pet when you won't be around to watch them for the day, as they cannot tell you how they are feeling ... they can only show you through their behaviors.

I live in Illinois currently and during the summer months i give interceptor to my dogs every month don't miss a dose. but during the winter months i really don't worry my dogs are inside and there are no mosquitoes. i find it silly to give it to them during the cold winter months that we have in Illinois.

Cold Weather Mosquitos
 

I live in Baltimore County, Maryland. It ususally drops to 20 degrees for 2-3 months here on a yearly basis, sometimes colder. Three years ago, when West Nile Virus was causing panic, I went outside in 17 degree F weather and saw with my own eyes a flock of mosquitos flying around near a tree where my dogs like to hang out in the yard (usually in warmer weather). So do that at your own risk. At least treating every other month would still stop a heartworm infection in it's tracks.

I'm confused. I can't remember if I gave my yorkie her heartguard this month. Should I just wait until the 1st of next month , or take a chance of double dosing? She is 4 lbs, 2 years old and the love of my life. We live in Anguilla ,( a Caribbean island ) She only gos out in the day on the terrace with me. Does anyone know or have had this problem in the past?

Heartworms are transmitted by mosquito bites. I would call up your vet's office and ask for advice.

Thank you .i will

IMHO, I would wait till the 1st of next month and resume dosing, if you can't figure out if you dosed her or not using your vet clinic receipts.

From: http://www.heartgard.com/SiteCollect...s-for-Dogs.pdf


If the interval between doses exceeds a month (30 days), the efficacy of ivermectin can

be reduced. For optimal performance, the chewable must be given once a month on or

about the same day of the month. If treatment is delayed, whether by a few days or

many, immediate treatment with HEARTGARD and resumption of the recommended

dosing regimen minimizes the opportunity for the development of adult heartworms


.

From: 01 Heartworm: The Parasite - VeterinaryPartner.com - a VIN company!



Infecting a New Dog
When a dog is bitten by an infected mosquito, the L3 is not deposited directly into the dog's bloodstream. Instead, it is deposited in a tiny drop of mosquito spit adjacent to the mosquito bite. For transmission to occur, there must be adequate humidity to prevent evaporation of this fluid droplet before the L3’s can swim through the mosquito bite and into the new host.
Once safely inside the new host, the L3 will spend the next week or two developing into an L4 within the host's skin. The L4 will live in the skin for three months or so until it develops to the L5 stage and is ready to enter the host's circulatory system. The L5, which is actually a young adult, migrates to the heart and out into the pulmonary arteries (if there is room) where it will mate, approximately 5 to 7 months after first entering the new host.

Note: All commercially available heartworm preventives act by wiping out the freshly delivered L3’s and the L4’s living in the skin. The ivermectin products are also able to kill the younger L5’s.

Ask your vet! :)

Thank you all so much. Here you can buy Heartguard at the store. I will search for my receipts again. From now on I will write it down. Seems getting old means losing
Your memory.

What store?

Every where I have been you need a prescription so kinda interested to know what store?

She lives in the Caribbean, maybe the heartgard is readily available.

It says sparks,Md USA