Heartworm Preventative

[Guest ellieb]

Due to another thread, I became curious about the frequency of heartworm preventative.

[Guest DoofBert]

Vet recommends same day each month as it it easier to remember... He did acknowledge that every 45 days is ok, too.

[Guest Snowy8]

My friend Cynde (HHDesigns) and I send an email to remind each other that simply says: HeartWorm...on the first of the month.

[Guest BlackandBrindle]

I try and do it once a month, but it usually ends up being a little more than that. I also have them tested once a year, although they are on preventative all year long.

 

 

We don't live in an area that is high in heartworm cases, but my vet says that it's increasing so why take the chance...

 

 

I know some people who only test every six months and don't put their dogs on preventative, but it's Heartguard Plus all around for us

Edited June 28, 2007 by BlackandBrindle

[winnie]

We give our two greys Interceptor on the 1st of every month. This schedule was suggested by our greyhound adoption group - our vet didn't express an opinion either way.

[Guest KennelMom]

We have our email calendar set to remind us every 30 days, but it's usually anywhere from every 30-40 days by the time we actually get it out and dose everyone. We give it year round.

[RileysLegacy]

I give Interceptor year round, every 45 days. I've honestly never asked my vet if he agrees with this because it is effective for 45 days. The reason most people do it every 30 is so they remember.

[gracegirl]

No heartworm preventive needed in WA state. If I ever travel with the dogs, I'll check with the vet first. Fenway is still on his 6 months of heartworm preventative (every 30 days) because he's from Kansas. He'll get tested in the spring, and we'll be in the clear after that.

[Guest Nutmeg1]

Every month, year round.

[MarcR]

I give the girls Interceptor once a month, every month around the first. I also have them tested as part of their routine annual check up (belt-and suspenders, I guess). I set a reminder in Outlook.

[Jiffer]

We give Heartgard from June until November (during mosquito season). Ours get it on the first of the month.

We have no reason to give it in the winter months here.

[Jackandgrey]

We give Heartgard from June until November (during mosquito season). Ours get it on the first of the month.

We have no reason to give it in the winter months here.

Same here!

[RobinM]

We don't need it for where we live, however, our newly bought vacation home has ticks in the area so we will use it year round, most likely.

[Guest crazy4greys]

I use interceptor year round. It was recommended because I always have a foster and it prevents a lot of the worms.

[Batmom]

Folks might want to review the incidence of heartworm in the United States -- there certainly is heartworm in WA, PA, NY, etc.

 

http://www.heartwormsociety.org/download/incidencemap.jpg

 

 

[Hubcitypam]

We don't need it for where we live, however, our newly bought vacation home has ticks in the area so we will use it year round, most likely.

Ticks are creepy nasty critters, but they don't have anything to do with heartworm. It's spread by mosquitoes.....

 

I think some vets in the <5 cases per clinic per year are on that map don't push it...in fact, I had one tell me I was crazy for asking for Heartgard when I was in one of those areas. I know Elaine told me that in Albuquerque it is heavily recommended on the "wet side" of the mountains and not so much on the "dry side"...and that map would bear that out. However, with something as serious as heartworms better to be safe than sorry.

Edited June 29, 2007 by Hubcitypam

[Guest Spiff]

Heartworm is not endemic to Germany, so noone gives heartworm preventative here unless they plan to travel to places where it is!

 

When we lived in the CT/RI, Spiff got Sentinel year round.

Edited June 29, 2007 by Spiff

[Guest KennelMom]

Folks might want to review the incidence of heartworm in the United States -- there certainly is heartworm in WA, PA, NY, etc.

 

http://www.heartwormsociety.org/download/incidencemap.jpg

 

And that map is the average number of cases per reporting clinic in 2005. It wouldn't cover dogs who die from heartworm disease/complications but are never diagnosed. They just die. And cases from clinics that don't report. It's so easy to prevent and relatively inexpensive, if there was even a miniscule chance of heartworm infection our dogs would be on preventative.

 

I remember our old vet talking to us about TBDs and many vets believe they don't exist in their area but research is showing they are more widespread than previously believed - in part due to the mobility of Americans (we love to travel with our dogs!). So dogs are probably dieing from TBDs but not counted in statistics b/c it isn't even considered to begin with. Just wondering if that may also be the case with heartworm disease in some areas.

 

For those who live in low incidence areas, do vets include HW testing as part of an annual exam?

[Guest Ola]

Our vet doesn't recommend heartworm preventative because of the low incidence of it in our area. I do however do an annual heartworm test.

[Guest LolasMom]

We use Interceptor on the first of every month. In addition to heartworm prevention. my girl had a very bad case of Hookworm when she came to me and this will kill any nasty bugs that may have hatched over the last months time.

[Madeara]

We have our email calendar set to remind us every 30 days, but it's usually anywhere from every 30-40 days by the time we actually get it out and dose everyone. We give it year round.

 

 

Same here and then I adjust the next month. Dogs are tested every year.

 

I use the Generic.

[Guest CampWhippet]

Revolution every 60 days, year round.

Edited June 29, 2007 by CampWhippet

[Guest MountainHounds]

Mine get their preventative every 30 days or so from May through November, I don't give it to them in the non-mosquito months and I re-test every spring. Kamin is on Interceptor and Praxis on Heartguard (Kamin gets his through the vet school, Prax through the vets' office and they don't carry the interceptor) My vet didn't think there was any reason to put Kavana on it this year, so he's not getting either.

[Guest lvmydogz]

We give it year round, on a certain day each month and yes it is recommended here in Florida.

 

I think this sometimes depends on what part of the country you live in too, though.

 

Oh & yes, they are tested *every* year as well.

 

 

 

Michelle (Jojo, Jani & Cody's momma)

Edited June 29, 2007 by lvmydogz

[Guest BooMooandDoo]

No heartworm preventive needed in WA state. If I ever travel with the dogs, I'll check with the vet first. Fenway is still on his 6 months of heartworm preventative (every 30 days) because he's from Kansas. He'll get tested in the spring, and we'll be in the clear after that.

Yep. . we don't do Heartworm prevenative either. . I love the land of no mosquitos