Major Heartworm Med Rant!!!!

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by BrooklynBlues

I didn't say she couldn't comment, I said she wasn't qualified. She can comment all she wants, at the risk of sounding ludicrous.

And yes, your vet gets very real financial incentive from the pharma companies in the form of PROFITS they make by selling the heartworm medication. The study quoted is published in a medical journal. You can pick and choose to attack any blogger you want. These are hard facts. Any vet, if pressed, will admit that the monthly dose is only "needed" so that people won't forget to give it to their dogs. Read: it's not needed at all, unless you don't know how to use a calendar.





So you consider medical journals kool-aid, and a FAQ written by the pharmaceutical companies not kool-aid. You basically admit that you can't read a real piece of research (or maybe you can and are afraid that you'll be proven wrong). All is clear with you, Ma'am. Good night.

First off my vet has no problem giving me a prescription for heart worm meds and doesn't make a dime off of that so good luck convincing me my vet is lying to me. Also I am sure Ladyjane has read much research on heart worms I know I have and still do not have your opinion. Just because people don't have your opinion doesn't mean they haven't done research and read some study's. It's funny how you didn't do research about getting a puppy from a reputable breeder yet you know all there is to known about heart worm hmmmm....

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by Euro

I live in the Caribbean and I never skip heartworm meds. I do however
Cut the for 22 lbs heartguard in two, as my yorkie is 4 lbs and my
Chihuahua is 4 1/2 lbs. This was my vets recommendation. it seems to me
that testing every 4 months would be much more expensive and certainly
much more stressful to both dog and owner. Hey, that's just my thought.

The problem with that is the medicine is not evenly dispersed in heart guard.

[BrooklynBlues]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

First off my vet has no problem giving me a prescription for heart worm meds and doesn't make a dime off of that so good luck convincing me my vet is lying to me.

Stop twisting my words. No one said your vet was lying. I said vets had a financial incentive to sell the meds, because they profit from them handsomely (obviously she'll write you a prescription to buy the meds elsewhere--she's required by law to do that). Vets were bombarded by the pharma companies when these meds were first introduced to convince them to recommend monthly "prevention," and the promise of easy money certainly helped, until it became a common practice. This happens to pretty much all new drug categories (for animals and humans). Some pharma campaigns are successful, and some aren't. The heartworm campaign was massively successful.

It's funny how you didn't do research about getting a puppy from a reputable breeder yet you know all there is to known about heart worm hmmmm....

Look, lady, first of all, you have no idea where I got my puppy from. If you want to start another argument about breeders, go open a new thread or reply to a bunch of existing ones on that topic.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by BrooklynBlues

Vets were bombarded by the pharma companies when these meds were first introduced to convince them to recommend monthly "prevention," and the promise of easy money certainly helped, until it became a common practice. This happens to pretty much all new drug categories (for animals and humans). Some pharma campaigns are successful, and some aren't. The heartworm campaign was massively successful.



.

I suggest you read the package insert on Heartgard....but in case you don't have the time to do that, I will paste some of the information below. I don't see any "bombardment" here.

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


HEARTGARD Plus should be given at monthly intervals during the period of the year when mosquitoes (vectors), potentially carrying infective heartworm larvae, are active. The initial dose must be given within a month (30 days) after the dog’s first exposure to mosquitoes. The final dose must be given within a month (30 days) after the dog’s last exposure to mosquitoes.
When replacing another heartworm preventive product in a heartworm disease
preventive program, the first dose of HEARTGARD Plus must be given within a month(30 days) of the last dose of the former medication. If the interval between doses exceeds a month (30 days), the efficacy of ivermectin can
be reduced. Therefore, 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 Plus and resumption of therecommended dosing regimen will minimize the opportunity for the development of adult heartworms.

Monthly treatment with HEARTGARD Plus also provides effective treatment and
control of ascarids (T. canis, T. leonina) and hookworms (A. caninum, U. stenocephala,A. braziliense). Clients should be advised of measures to be taken to prevent reinfection with intestinal parasites.

[BrooklynBlues]

ladyjane, you're great at copying and pasting, but at least now we're getting somewhere. Did the part about "during the period of the year when mosquitoes, potentially carrying infective heartworm larvae, are active" deliver any message at all to you or did you ignore that part?

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by BrooklynBlues

ladyjane, you're great at copying and pasting, but at least now we're getting somewhere. Did the part about "during the period of the year when mosquitoes, potentially carrying infective heartworm larvae, are active" deliver any message at all to you or did you ignore that part?

I believe if you go back to my previous posts you will find that I am VERY aware of that fact. YOU are the one who suggested no heartworm prevention at all, testing every 4 months and THEN if a positive test, give prevention which of course is ludicrous. (to borrow one of your favorite adjectives). THAT is the reason I bothered to post on this thread in the first place...to hopefully educate YOU and certainly to warn others of the dangers of that practice.

As for messages, I hope you are getting some because, in my opinion, the life of your pet could very well depend on it.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by BrooklynBlues

By the way, I love that ignorant people think medical journals are "holistic" and are quick to call everything a conspiracy theory. ONE of those links happens to be by a pro-holistic blogger, the rest aren't. I am pro-science and couldn't care less about holistic approaches.

If you take every medicine your vet (or human doctor) prescribes you for LIFE without doing your own research and seeking multiple other opinions, you are a sad, pathetic human being and are the reason pharmas are able to manipulate masses into buying crap medicine and making it a standard practice.

Hahahha....you are the one who is talking about conspiracy theories. And, you don't think that Dobias is holistic? hmmm

If you are pro science, then I suggest you retract that statement you started out with about heartworm prevention.

As to your ignorant comment....

[BrooklynBlues]

Stop calling it heartworm prevention. There is no such thing. There is only heartworm killing, and that can only happen after the dog has heartworms, not before. Get it through your head already.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by BrooklynBlues

The heartworm medicines are a scam. The educated way to deal with the heartworm threat is to test your dog for heartworms three times a year (i.e. once every 4 months).

If the test results continue to be negative, there is no reason to give the dog heartworm medication EVER.

If a test is positive, give your dog a regular dose of ivermectin, and that will take care of the larvae. Remember, 4 months is not enough for adult heartworms to develop, so the treatment will be the same as the so called "preventative."

More reading: Are drug companies honest about heartworm?

THIS is dangerous to pets. Period. I am not going to waste any more time with you and this nonsense of yours. You are just playing a little game now and I am not going to play with you. Hopefully no one else will either.

[BrooklynBlues]

No, you are dangerous to pets. You just said that medicine should only be given during the months when heartworm mosquitos are active. That period is only 3-4 months in the vast majority of the United States.

So yes, 3 tests a year will catch any and all infections that will happen to the dog.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by BrooklynBlues

No, you are dangerous to pets. You just said that medicine should only be given during the months when heartworm mosquitos are active. That period is only 3-4 months in the vast majority of the United States.

So yes, 3 tests a year will catch any and all infections that will happen to the dog.

You cannot possibly be this misinformed. If a dog is infected during one of those tests, it most likely will need heartworm treatment....>REAL POISON.

Like I said, DONE. Just a total waste of time. I have said enough on this thread to help others make their decisions without simply believing what YOU posted. I can see telling you is a waste of time and energey but it is not a waste for others who read these threads..

[ladyjane]

For people who are truly interested in what is used for heartworm treatment....here you go.....THIS is poison and for me, I will continue to prevent this from happening to MY pups. I find it mind boggling that anyone would subject their pets to this:

American Heartworm Society | Canine Heartworm

Adult Heartworm Therapy (Adulticide Therapy)
There is currently one drug approved by the FDA for use in dogs for the elimination of adult heartworms. This drug is an organic arsenical compound. Dogs receiving this drug therapy will typically have had a thorough pretreatment evaluation of its condition and will then be hospitalized during the administration of the drug.

[Ellie May]

Vets make money on drugs. That's not news.

If they really felt that heartworm cure pills were not necessary most of the time then they would not give them to their own dogs.

If you wait until a test is positive it is too late to clear the larvae with one dose. Again, that is slow kill and is not appropriate.

Dogs in Michigan (a 7-11 month state) were testing positive when this protocol was followed. You can do your calendar calculations if you choose but the fact is they do not take into account resistance, changes over the past 15 years, environments where mosquitos have survived out of the cold, and clinical experience.

It does not have to be goven every 30 days, but every 60 is sometimes not enough. So when do you suggest? The minute before it is too late? I don't cut it that close because it is not safe. BUT there is no mass panic here if we are a bit late.

[JMuedog]

Reminder: repeatedly calling members ignorant for disagreeing with your views will not be tolerated on this forum. Members are to remain respectful of one another when debating topics.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by BrooklynBlues

Stop twisting my words. No one said your vet was lying. I said vets had a financial incentive to sell the meds, because they profit from them handsomely (obviously she'll write you a prescription to buy the meds elsewhere--she's required by law to do that). Vets were bombarded by the pharma companies when these meds were first introduced to convince them to recommend monthly "prevention," and the promise of easy money certainly helped, until it became a common practice. This happens to pretty much all new drug categories (for animals and humans). Some pharma campaigns are successful, and some aren't. The heartworm campaign was massively successful.



Look, lady, first of all, you have no idea where I got my puppy from. If you want to start another argument about breeders, go open a new thread or reply to a bunch of existing ones on that topic.

Well just pointing out the facts....... It seems by your posts you really don't know much about dogs so I don't know why you would about this.......honestly it sounds like you don't