Heartworm Preventative Concerns

[boxerma]

I was wondering if anyone has had neagtive expericence with the heartworm preventative. My boxer boy Bingo is on the daily Filaribits and not only is it very hard to find a vet that will actually give me these daily ones, they push the monthly pills and combo pills and most act very indignant about my wanting the daily pills. I prefer the daily ones because I don't like the idea of a whole months worth of medicine in his body at once, I wouldn't take a pill like that!! But lately, he is resisting taking them and I have to slather them in butter or something like that to get him remotely interested. I am concerned in case we need to board him or trust this to someone else and he may not take them or they may not have the patience so I may be forced to go to the monthy pills. Can anyone give me feedback about their experiences? MUCH appreciated! Thanks

Proud mamma of 3 year old Bingo, floppy eared dark brindle baby

 

[JulieM]

I have not personally had a negative experience with heartworm meds but I know many people who have. If you do not want to give monthly meds, don't give them. Many people feel the dailies are far safer. As for boarding/etc. - just let them know he may need some "incentive" to take the pills. They should be experienced with all sorts of ways to give dogs pills. I don't know how bit the Filaribits are (been a long time since I've seen one, back in the days before they had monthly pills.) Peanut butter and cream cheese are also very good camouflage If you do decide to go to monthly, they really last longer than that and you can give them every 45 days.

Visit this site, http://www.heartwormsociety.org, for more information on heartworm disease and prevention, and information on the climate necessary for the microfilaria to be a threat. Most areas in the US do *not* need year-round preventive, although many vets promote this ($$$).

 

[boxerma]

Thanks for the info JulieM! Sorry it has taken so long to get back, our computer was down for about a week. Boy was I on withdrawl! I agree with what you said about the daily ones being far safer. I decided to stay with them but once again, played heck in getting the vet to give them to me...you'd think they would do what you wanted and were comfortable with but I guess that I will just have to go through that fight everytime. They keep telling me they aren't going to make them anymore, but I wonder how many have been told that by the actual manufacturer. OH well. The butter is working for the time being, and he actually is looking forward to them. Anyways, thanks for helping!

 

[patricia andrews]

heartworm prevention

I am not very rapt about giving my dogs pills every day forheartworm but have now put mine on the once a monthe Revolution one touch from pfizer which you put on back of neck once a month & it prevents ear mites heartworm sarcoptic mange & flease my golden had a suspicious patch on her back bit pimply & oily & as we live in rural area we have many foxes passing through, however the skin has cleared & my poodle who was a constant woory with ear mites seems to be cured, its a bit dear but Ithoroughly recommend it. The only downside is after 6 months of monthly treatment a blood test should be done for microfiliria of heart worm, just my 2 pennorthpatricia andrews

 

[Sabrina Jay]

I have also heard they will not be making the daily pills of HW medicine anymore.

This is kind of interesting that this post *popped* up...as I was talking to a friend (who works at a vets clinic) and my own vet regarding the daily HW preventative. Its been years since I have used the daily pills, so forgive me that I don't remember the actual active ingrediant. (which is different than what they use in the monthly). Our discussion was that with the daily HW preventative, the ingredient that is in those particular pills is NOT as safe as the monthly HW preventative.

Boxerma: I don't know what area of the country you live in, but Heartworms are a big problem and concern for most of the areas. (year-round), just because of the climates. If your winters do not get cold enough, then I would do the yearly preventative.

Last year, we were running 100% HW positive on rescues (boxers) coming in from the shelters, that we ended up with in our program. This year, we have also had several so far from the shelters and also from the Owner Surrendars.

Another good friend of mine, her son's 2 boxers just tested HW positive. Come to find out, her son had not given HW preventative to his 2 boxers for 2 years now. (and his boxers are housedogs)

The treatment for heartworms is worse and harder on them than giving them the preventative.

If I remember right, the daily pills do not do anything for intestial worms they could pick up. Something else to think about.

 

[JulieM]

Actually, except for the southeast US, heartworm is *not* a year-round concern, at least according to the American Heartworm Society (who, as you might guess, is devoted to studying heartworms). From their site:

A climate that provides adequate temperature and humidity to support a viable mosquito population, and also sustain sufficient heat to allow maturation of ingested microfilariae to the infective (3rd) larval stage within the intermediate host is a pivotal prerequisite for there to be heartworm transmission. Laboratory studies indicate that maturation requires the equivalent of an average daily temperature in excess of 64° F (18° C) be sustained for approximately one month . Furthermore, intermittent declines in temperature below the developmental threshold of 57° F (14° C) for a few hours retard maturation, even when the average daily temperature supports continued development.

Also,

The practice of some veterinarians to continuously prescribe monthly chemoprophylaxis exaggerates the actual risk of heartworm transmission in most parts of the country and unnecessarily increases the cost of protection to their clients.

In order for your dog to get heartworm, the mosquito must bite a dog with adult worms already in its system and take in the larvae. The larvae must remain in the mosquito long enough to go through one development stage (at the right temperatures), and then that mosquito must bite your dog. Once your dog is infected, it takes 6-7 months for the larvae to mature to adult worms, travel to the heart, and begin to reproduce. This is one reason yearly testing is essential - if the dog is infected in August, testing in March or April will reveal the infection before it is too extreme. If you're in a higher-risk climate, or if you decide not to use preventive, twice-yearly testing may be indicated.

Conventional heartworm treatment is pretty harsh, although early detection can make it safer, but there is also homeopathic treatment that is much safer.