Rebuttal article to Anti Heartworm Prevention

[Maximo]

I had to chuckle over his $58 fee for an online consult. My vet's fee for an exam is $55. Why not just go to the vet?

[jp4m2]

Originally Posted by Maximo

Not really barred from talking about animals. He was in violation of Texas law forbidding veterinarians from giving advice "unless he or she has first physically examined the animal." To me, this is rather broad. There are info websites where questions can be posed by pet owners and a licensed vet answers. The answers almost always include the advice that the person should take the pet to the vet.

For instance, a person will ask, "My dog is pooping blood. What does this mean?" The vet will respond with a list of possibilities and advise the person to take the dog to the vet. I don't see anything wrong with that.

Hines did start charging money for his online "services." I don't understand why he would want to risk such a thing, and I don't know how he would insure himself against liability.

I just want to be clear, that particle link was not for this doctors endorsement it was only because of the links he had that went to court documents. The links can be found other ways besides his site. Sorry if the impression was looking like an endorsement for his site, I just didn't wanto to search each individual link. I don't want my post to get side tracked, the point was Heargard may have a 20 percent failure rate and pet owners need to know that if it's true so they can test in addition to treating monthly.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by jp4m2

I just want to be clear, that particle link was not for this doctors endorsement it was only because of the links he had that went to court documents. The links can be found other ways besides his site. Sorry if the impression was looking like an endorsement for his site, I just didn't wanto to search each individual link. I don't want my post to get side tracked, the point was Heargard may have a 20 percent failure rate and pet owners need to know that if it's true so they can test in addition to treating monthly.

I understand, and I will read up on the potential failure rate. As you know, annual testing is required for all of the preventatives for the prescription and the guarantee offered by manufacturers. I've read in previous threads that quite a few people here test more than once a year.

[jp4m2]

Originally Posted by Maximo

I understand, and I will read up on the potential failure rate. As you know, annual testing is required for all of the preventatives for the prescription and the guarantee offered by manufacturers. I've read in previous threads that quite a few people here test more than once a year.

Yes, I see the testing is required. . I had put it in my first post that it was for the links but I think it wasn't clear to some so I felt I needed to clarify that.

The point was that Merial was claiming it was 100 percent effective but it's looking like it isn't so some pet owners are not happy when the testing is coming up positive for heart worms, and rightly so. I don't know if it's just Heartgard Plus or if it includes Heartgard too.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by jp4m2

Yes, I see the testing is required. . I had put it in my first post that it was for the links but I think it wasn't clear to some so I felt I needed to clarify that.

The point was that Merial was claiming it was 100 percent effective but it's looking like it isn't so some pet owners are not happy when the testing is coming up positive for heart worms, and rightly so. I don't know if it's just Heartgard Plus or if it includes Heartgard too.

While I wouldn't be surprised by proof of heartworm mutation resistant to the preventatives, there are so many variables as indicated in the article that could be contributing to dogs coming up positive for HW. We have to rely on pet owners that they absolutely sure they gave the preventative each month and that they were absolutely certain their dog did not vomit or expel the preventative (even the best pet owners can make mistakes), tests were given regularly (how reliable were the tests? were they snap tests done in the vet's office or sent to the lab?) and so on.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by P-Nut Mom

Our vet showed me a dog he had to hospitalize for heartworm last year. So sad! P & P are protected and will stay that way. Thank you for sharing this!

Our first trip to the vet with puppy Max, I met a man in the waiting room who was a sort of collector of stray dogs. He told me that a bunch of them were HW positive. It was so sad. There was no way that I was going to skip preventatives.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by jp4m2

I just want to be clear, that particle link was not for this doctors endorsement it was only because of the links he had that went to court documents. The links can be found other ways besides his site. Sorry if the impression was looking like an endorsement for his site, I just didn't wanto to search each individual link. I don't want my post to get side tracked, the point was Heargard may have a 20 percent failure rate and pet owners need to know that if it's true so they can test in addition to treating monthly.

Sorry for the multiple posts -- wanted to add one more thing that I wonder about: where are people buying their heartworm preventatives? I know there was a problem with buying Frontline online. There were some bogus products being sold from fairly well-known websites (this was/is happening with human pharmaceuticals too). I also worry about how these things are stored before being sold, or what happens to them in transit.

[kjc]

Originally Posted by megansmomma

The guy you are linking had his Veterinary LICENSE SUSPENDED 12 years ago

http://online.wsj.com/public/resourc...ents/board.pdf

and he's been barred from talking about animals
https://www.courthousenews.com/2013/04/10/56537.htm

Where did you get 12 years from? His suspension was up March 25, 2014 and he was only suspended for 1 year... In the 2nd link it states he is suing the board:

" BROWNSVILLE, Texas (CN) - The Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners unconstitutionally suspended a 69-year-old veterinarian for giving free advice on the Internet, the longtime vet claims in Federal Court.
Ronald V. Hines, D.V.M., sued the nine members of the Texas State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners in Federal Court."


He started charging $8.50 in 2003 and last year raised it to $58. He will waive his fee for anyone who cannot afford it. Still cheaper than a few other vets I know of that do phone/email consultations.

[kjc]

Originally Posted by Maximo

Sorry for the multiple posts -- wanted to add one more thing that I wonder about: where are people buying their heartworm preventatives? I know there was a problem with buying Frontline online. There were some bogus products being sold from fairly well-known websites (this was/is happening with human pharmaceuticals too). I also worry about how these things are stored before being sold, or what happens to them in transit.

Since this issue cropped up, I only buy them from my vet, or since I've been aware of the problem.

[kjc]

Originally Posted by bchgirl

I no longer give my HW preventive. I rely on the test alone. And if you research it heartworm is not a common problem in most states.my own vet has treated 5 cases in 15 years.

Wow! That would work... how often do you test them?

[107barney]

Originally Posted by bchgirl

I no longer give my HW preventive. I rely on the test alone. And if you research it heartworm is not a common problem in most states.my own vet has treated 5 cases in 15 years.

Probably because all his clients use hw meds.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by kjc

Wow! That would work... how often do you test them?

How would that work? Your not preventing it by doing it that way. It's very unsafe.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by bchgirl

I no longer give my HW preventive. I rely on the test alone. And if you research it heartworm is not a common problem in most states.my own vet has treated 5 cases in 15 years.

Did you ask your vet what percentage of his clients even test for heartworms?? That IS a common problem. And, what percentage of his clients would treat for heartworms...I can tell you that MANY people do not test or treat.

Relying on the test alone is putting your pups at high risk. I hope that you are aware of that fact and know what damage is done by heartworms.

If you have not previously, I highly recommend reading this website:

American Heartworm Society

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by 107barney

Probably because all his clients use hw meds.

And, that as well. For his "stats" to be reliable indicator of what your pups' risks are, you would need to know how many clients he has, how many use HW prevention, how many don't use HW prevention AND how many even TEST for heartworms.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by bchgirl

I no longer give my HW preventive. I rely on the test alone. And if you research it heartworm is not a common problem in most states.my own vet has treated 5 cases in 15 years.

Originally Posted by kjc

Wow! That would work... how often do you test them?

Actually, no, that will not work!


From the following link:

American Heartworm Society | FAQs


QUESTION: How do monthly heartworm preventives work?

ANSWER Whether the prevention you choose is given orally, topically, or by injection, all approved heartworm medications work by eliminating the immature (larval) stages of this parasite. This includes the infective heartworm larvae deposited by the mosquito as well as the molted fourth larval stage which develops inside the animal. Unfortunately, within 2 months, immature heartworm larvae can molt into an adult (fifth) stage, which cannot be effectively eliminated by preventives. Because heartworms must be eliminated before they reach this adult stage, it is extremely important that heartworm preventives be administered strictly on schedule (monthly for oral and topical products and every 6 months for the injectable). Administering prevention late can allow immature larvae to molt into the adult stage, which is poorly prevented.