I forgot to Give Tucker his Heartgard!!!

[kjc]

When Heartworm meds first came on the market, it was given as a daily dose, to keep the dog free of heartworm. Researchers have learned that the heartworm really doesn't hurt the dog until it reaches the dog's heart and multiplies. This takes 7-9 months to happen. Therefore, the medication developed for the dog has to kill the heartworm babies (larvae)as they are growing in the dog's skin (tissue), which happens after the dog is bitten by an infected mosquito. Not all mosquitos are infected with heartworm. They live and grow in the dog's skin for 2 months. This is called the 'Tissue stage', and is a good time to get rid of them. If you give them one dose of heartworm medication formulated to kill tissue stage larvae at least once every 2 months, you are killing the tissue stage larvae living in your dog's skin. The companies that make the Heartworm medicine decided it would be easier for people to remember once a month than to remember once every other month, and if one forgets, you still are safe by a month.

If you live in an area where there are many heartworm cases, it is more likely that your dog will end up being bitten by an infected mosquito at some point in his life. As long as he gets a dose of heartworm meds at least once every 2 months, the heartworms will never get to his heart. There may be days when live larvae are present in his skin. As long as these are killed before they reach his heart (within 2 months), he will be fine.

The goal is not to keep medication in the dog to kill the HTW Larvae all the time, but to give the medication once a month to kill the larvae before they leave the dog's skin to travel to the dog's heart, where the damage occurs.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by kjc

When Heartworm meds first came on the market, it was given as a daily dose, to keep the dog free of heartworm. Researchers have learned that the heartworm really doesn't hurt the dog until it reaches the dog's heart and multiplies. This takes 7-9 months to happen. Therefore, the medication developed for the dog has to kill the heartworm babies (larvae)as they are growing in the dog's skin (tissue), which happens after the dog is bitten by an infected mosquito. Not all mosquitos are infected with heartworm. They live and grow in the dog's skin for 2 months. This is called the 'Tissue stage', and is a good time to get rid of them. If you give them one dose of heartworm medication formulated to kill tissue stage larvae at least once every 2 months, you are killing the tissue stage larvae living in your dog's skin. The companies that make the Heartworm medicine decided it would be easier for people to remember once a month than to remember once every other month, and if one forgets, you still are safe by a month.

If you live in an area where there are many heartworm cases, it is more likely that your dog will end up being bitten by an infected mosquito at some point in his life. As long as he gets a dose of heartworm meds at least once every 2 months, the heartworms will never get to his heart. There may be days when live larvae are present in his skin. As long as these are killed before they reach his heart (within 2 months), he will be fine.

The goal is not to keep medication in the dog to kill the HTW Larvae all the time, but to give the medication once a month to kill the larvae before they leave the dog's skin to travel to the dog's heart, where the damage occurs.

Excellent post explaining how it all works, thank you!

[Alissa Landry]

My 1 yr. old Yorkie starting acting strange when I started using the 9-20 lb k9 and I atributed it to something else he had gotten into b/c he likes to chew just anything, but now when I try to apply his meds each month he doesn't allow me to. I have to hold him down. The first symptom I noticed was him shaking profusely, and panting. Then I noticed him trying to roll around the floor trying to remove the meds after application. After reading all of your comments I am just horrified and feel terrible that I put him through this! I will NEVER give him this medication again and it SHOULD be taken OFF the market!

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by Alissa Landry

My 1 yr. old Yorkie starting acting strange when I started using the 9-20 lb k9 and I atributed it to something else he had gotten into b/c he likes to chew just anything, but now when I try to apply his meds each month he doesn't allow me to. I have to hold him down. The first symptom I noticed was him shaking profusely, and panting. Then I noticed him trying to roll around the floor trying to remove the meds after application. After reading all of your comments I am just horrified and feel terrible that I put him through this! I will NEVER give him this medication again and it SHOULD be taken OFF the market!

I'm not sure what medication you are talking about? What brand was it? Did you tell your vet about his reaction? I'm allergic to certain medications and they cause an extreme reaction in me, but they work beautifully for other people, they don't need to be "taken off the market." You must tell your vet about this reaction, you have other choices and if you live in Louisiana, you really need a good heart worm medication.