Help Sentinel Heart Worm medication

[rictor13]

Maddie is prone to getting bug bites and we go into the woods together hiking.

Our immediate area doesn't see many cases of heart worm. maybe 3 to 5 cases per year in our area. We want to do everything for our baby girl and was wondering what everyones thoughts were on using heartworm medication like sentinel etc.

I have heard that heart worm medication is very toxic and can shorten their lifespan, but if it prevents a deadly disease like Heart Worm....

I am torn .... help.

 

[gmacleod]

You're right to be concerned - on both counts. And it's good to see someone properly considering the issue from both sides of the coin. There is absolutely nothing to be gained (and much to be lost) from firing insecticide into your dog constantly, with no reason - and at the same time, you need to be aware of when there *is* a reason and thus when it would be the lesser of the two evils.

Fortunately, in the case of heartworm, there are very definitive temperature/weather conditions that *must* be met before your dog is at risk. That is, heartworm larvae can only develop to adult stage and infect your dog under very particular conditions. Thus, you can make the logical choice of NOT just giving your dog year-round insecticide, but rather monitoring if/when he is at risk and introducing the heartworm medication only at that point.

DO do a search of the forums here - there are many previous threads on the need for heartworm meds that have good information and opinions in them. There are also a few on the specific meds that give you a bit of an idea of how dogs tolerate them etc.

The American Heartworm Society's veterinary guidelines have this to say about the specific conditions that *must* exist for heartworm to develop:

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 infective, third-stage larvae (L3) within this intermediate host is a pivotal prerequisite for heartworm transmission to occur. Laboratory studies indicate that development and maturation requires the equivalent of a steady 24-hour daily temperature in excess of 64°F (18°C) for approximately one month. Intermittent diurnal declines in temperature below the developmental threshold of 57°F (14°C) for only a few hours retard maturation, even when the average daily temperature supports continued development. At 80° F (27° C), 10 to 14 days are required for development of microfilariae to the infective stage.

And

Under the most favorable conditions, these estimates [of heartworm transmission season] range from less than four months in southern Canada to potentially all year in the subtropical zones of southern Florida and the Gulf Coast. The model predicts that heartworm transmission in the continental U.S. is limited to six months or less above the 37th parallel, i.e., Virginia-North Carolina State line.

The above, and just about anything else you want to know about heartworm can be found at: http://www.heartwormsociety.org/article.asp?id=48

 

[rictor13]

Thank you.

Thank you for the very informative response. It is much appreciated.

Will check out the resources that you noted as well as the other threads.

Thanks again.

Glenn

 

[harley03]

We give sentinel, as suggested by our vet, starting late spring/early summer (just gave one last week) until September/October. Basically during the months we typically see mosquitos. We don't give them during the winter months.

 

[kayboxer]

I use Heart Guard starting in May and go until the weather is colder, usually October or November. I use Frontline only during the summer months, I just gave them their first does about two days ago. I usually stop the same time I stop the Heart Guard. I hate using it but I don't want to see them infested with fleas and ticks either. We have both in our area. I've looked at the natural sprays too. I did a lot of reading on Advantix and read too many bad things about it (it also repels mosquitos where as Frontline doesn't). It is the type of pesticide used in it that is so dangerous. No pesticide is safe, but that one seems to cause the most problems from everything I have read so, my personal decision was not to use it although now I worry about West Nile. I wish there were more we could do as pet owners.
I know this sounds crazy but my dad was reading where Listerine (the old fashioned kind) repels mosquitos. He was also told that by several people. I don't know if you have to rub it on your whole body or just dab a little here and there. I though about trying it on the dogs, like between the shoulder blades and under the chin in the neck area, places they can't lick it off, and see if it actually works. It has to be better than those pesticides and anything is worth a shot, we already are having horrible mosquito problems. :(

 

[silly24boxer]

I am going to look for a pet spray formual with neem oil in it. I have heard lots of go results from this product and it is not toxic to pets. I am going to try my hardest not to use insecticides or over vacinate.

 

[Sablegirl]

Living in the Ohio Valley area I'm not willing to take any chances of trying anything that isn't a proven heart worm preventative. Sable takes Heart Guard and eats just as if it is some great treat.