Thanks all for info and thoughts! MuffinsMom

Yea Muffinsmom I didnt see where you were for. You definitely need to keep using the heartworm and flea meds. I can get away with it here cause its so cold.

This is a picture of heartworm disease:

Omg, thats horrible! Never seen anything like that. Thought it was like diabetes or something! Thanks!

I started Rocky when his weight hit 2 lbs 4 onces. My vet said Rocky had to be a least 2lbs to take the heatworm prevention. Rocky did not require a blood test because he had just turned 3 months old and he was on his 3rd round of shots. He did not like the pill at all, but he ate it when I hid it in some cheese. He loves cheese!!!

Heartguard is great, and it is fairly CHEAP, as I recall. Since heartworm is spread via mosquitos, you only need to use it in mosquito season. Up here in Maine, we use it April-November. HOWEVER, if we travel South, even for a few days, I give Edie her Heartguard that month.

I give Edie Heartguard on the first of every month. Here is something interesting my vet told me----Heartguard is not a preventative....it works AFTER the exposure. So if we go to Florida in the middle of February, Edie gets her Heartguard on March 1, not Feb. 1

OH--Edie loves Heartguard. It is a tasty treat.

Mine get it year round in GA.

I just came from the vet. My understanding is that you need to have a blood test done first to make sure there is not already a heartworm infection. Then when the test comes back negative you start the heartgard or whatever. In my case he said I could get away with testing each spring and just using it in the warmer months. I will probably just do in year round to be safe.

hmmm now I dont know what to do lol!

I live in NJ and its cold here, my vet wants Gucci to take it year round, its not expensive. I don't give the flea medicine after Sept. Gucci gets the heartworm the begining of each mt. and I sneek it in a tiny piece of cheese and she eats it right up. Why take a chance....

Muffin Mom - IMHO this is not even a question and I live in a state which we have had few reported outbreaks. All 10 of my dogs are on Heartworm medicine. If you go to the website you can see a map but why would you take a chance. My gang loves the chews and I don't have to worry about them. You have to take the test prior to starting the program because if your dog has heartworms then you could already be killing him as another year will have gone by and the worms are eating your dogs heart.

http://www.heartwormsociety.org/GeneralInfo.htm

Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal condition caused by parasitic worms living in the arteries of the lungs and in the right side of the heart of dogs, cats and other species of mammals, including wolves, foxes, ferrets, sea lions and (in rare instances) humans.

treatment of canine heartworm disease is usually successful, prevention of the disease is much safer and more economical. There are a variety of options for preventing heartworm infection, including daily and monthly tablets and chewables, and monthly topicals. All of these methods are extremely effective and when the drugs are administered properly on a timely schedule, heartworm infection can be completely prevented.

Due to the temperature dependent nature of the heartworm life cycle, use of heartworm preventives may be considered seasonal in some of the northernmost parts of the United States. The heartworm preventive season which veterinarians will employ depends upon their knowledge of the heartworm life cycle, the transmission pattern in their region, and the individual client’s activity profile. Before starting a preventive program, all dogs that could possibly be infected with mature heartworms should be tested.

Go to your vet and have the test done but you do not have to by the meds from the vet just have him write out a subscription for you and then surf the net. Many companies offer all the different kinds and at much cheaper prices than a vet will and you just need to send in a copy of your prescription.

Sadly to say 40 years ago we had a dog get heartworms and the treatment almost killed her. She was a beautiful English Black Lab that my father was going to breed. After this we could not breed her as it would have been to hard on her heart.

Yes, please get the blood test when you go into the vets you have to make sure that he's clean if not the medicine can kill him. If he's infected it kills the worms and they die and plug up the heart and veins causing death. It's not that expensive and the medication is well worth the $$$. If you start worrying about money now, just think of what it would cost to treat heartworm, it's just not worth it. I use Heartguard and the boys just gobble it up, and here in Michigan, I still do use it year round. In Texas you should too. The larva can develope in the cold months, there are mosquitoes here as late as November. I just won't risk it, neither should you...

Ok so even though he has only been outside 2 days for 30 minutes, I should still get him tested? I havent even seen any mosquitos lol. Sorry I am stubborn. Not money issue but just hassle if its really not a big deal if he doesnt go outside and I dont see mosquitos. KWIM? I think the vet did actually say I go back in 3 weeks for something but dont remember for what! Reminder in the mail. Thanks all!

Excuse me, we are talking about the health of your dog!

Hopefully this is not what you really meant.

I will refrain from what I was gonna type