Hookworms On Heartgard

[Guest Hotdogs]

I had posted a concern for one of my pups that she was thin and wouldn't eat enough 'real' food (ie not treats). I've also read that some dogs just seem to 'regulate themselves' and will not eat after a certain amount of food and my dog is one of those and has really become an extremely picky eater.

But

In the beginning of the summer she went on a hunger strike. She refused everything that she normally enjoys (except for treats).

I introduced raw food into her diet and she began to eat again. She gained a few lbs. and had firm poo, so when I took her to the vet for her annual check up, I totally expected her stool sample to be normal. Instead, she tested positive for hook worms.

She has been on heartgard since I adopted her about a year and a half ago. I don't leave my dogs unsupervised in the yard, and they are just now figuring out that our yard is an ok place to use the bathroom, so the few times they did use the yard to poo, I've cleaned it up right away. So, my point is, there is no stool in our yard.

She went to our awesome dogsitter right at the beginning of the summer. Even though she is fantastic, she has a lot of fosters that come through her house and I'm wondering if she could have gotten them there. Could this have happened at some point in between doses???

We've gone to the dog park and I walk them in a really dog friendly park almost every day...so there are plenty of opportunities for her to be infected...

Although, my other dog's stool sample tested neg.

but

Here are my questions:

1. Is Interceptor (sp?) better for preventing parasites?

2. Has this ever happened to anyone who has had their dog for a while and has had them on preventive medicine?

3. Is it possible that she has had these worms since before I've adopted her?--sounds silly, but she has always had an extremely sensitive 'stomach' and has had boughts of bigD that would come and go.

 

She started her extremely picky eating habits about a year ago and she has been to a few vets (for more than one opinion to figure out why she won't eat) and she has been tested for tick-bourne diseases, kidney issues, you name it, but I really don't think anyone took a stool sample.

 

anyway...ok....finished rambling...

I just feel bad for my little gal and I am wondering if this could be the answer for her chronic eating/tummy issues and how it could have happened to her and if there is anything else I can do to prevent it from reoccuring.

 

Any thoughts, opinions?

[Guest laceyj]

Sorry to hear you're having to go through this. I've been there done that.

 

Here are my questions:

1. Is Interceptor (sp?) better for preventing parasites?

2. Has this ever happened to anyone who has had their dog for a while and has had them on preventive medicine?

3. Is it possible that she has had these worms since before I've adopted her?--sounds silly, but she has always had an extremely sensitive 'stomach' and has had bouts of bigD that would come and go.

 

In answer to your questions:

1 - I think both work about the same in this regard. They are affective in preventing infestation. Neither is sufficient in treating an infestation.

 

2 & 3 - Yes, it happened to my dog Scott. Your girl could have had them a long time. I'm sure your adoption group teated her with a wormer, however a general over all wormer will not necessarily fully get rid of all hookworms. She also can pick them up just about anywhere at any time. You will get the best results by using the correct medication for each type of worm.

 

The worms certainly can account for her upset tummy and poor eating habits, at least in part.

 

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

 

[Guest Kitty_cat]

Is she on the Heartguard Plus or regular Heartguard?

[Guest Hotdogs]

Thanks for the info

She is on reg. heartgard.

She seems to be doing well. I am supposed to take in another stool sample in a week to see if things have cleared up.

I've been thinking:

She is supposed to be given her heartgard on the 22nd of every month and she went to our dog sitter from the 20th to the 22nd. I gave her the heartgard on the evening of the 22nd after we picked her up. Do you think she was just more susceptible because of the timing? My other dog tested negative, and I think that may be because he takes his heartgard on the 15th of every month, so he had just had his dose for the month prior to going to the dog sitter. She had just taken in a grey from a neglectful situation and I vaguely remember her saying something about the poor pup having worms, just not heart worms (thank goodness). I really didn't give it a second thought because of the preventive meds. Not only that, but I sent frozen peanutbutter/yogurt treats with them to our dog sitter and I advised our sitter that she let them eat them outside b/c of the mess. Could she have eaten some poo along with her frozen treat?!

[6greyhounds]

She could of picked them up anywhere when we got Hershey she had whip worms and luckily I asked my vet to check her poo and he put her on an interceptor she is now on Heart Guard and no worms so far.

[Batmom]

Check your product label. IIRC, Heartgard doesn't protect against hookworms. The Plus version does.

[Guest MomofSweetPotatoes]

Right, heartgard doesn't protect, the plus does.

[6greyhounds]

She could of picked them up anywhere when we got Hershey she had whip worms and luckily I asked my vet to check her poo and he put her on an interceptor she is now on Heart Guard and no worms so far.

Sorry I should of said Heart Guard Plus - another grey that was rescued about the same time as she was had hook but she was at a farm and the farmer fed her until he got hold of Pam

[Guest Hotdogs]

Regular Heart Guard doesn't protect against all that other nasty stuff?

I'm beginning to wonder about one of the vets at my pups' office: I asked specifically if it protected them from other parasites, b/c I wanted to know if I should switch and he said it did.

That's good to know.

I'm actually on vacation right now and don't have their heart guard med with me, but I'm pretty sure it is the reg. kind. If not, I am definietly switching.

My poor girly-girly

[Greylover97]

In my experience even Heart Guard Plus isn't fail safe. Carolina still managed to pick up hookworms even on Heart Guard Plus.

 

 

[Anne]

If you dog is on heartguard plus, and you bought it from the vet, won't they pay for treatment for worms? They used to, not sure if they still do????

 

[Guest longdogs]

The Heartgard Plus may actually be controlling the hooks. It is entirely possible your dog came with hooks and equally likely she is being re-infected from the environment. Heartgard Plus can only kill the worms in the adult stages and there may be a constant stream of larvae to reinforce the population. It doesn't work well against established hooks either. Normally you need to zap the established population with a more powerful wormer, then keep them in check with the Heartgard. You may never get rid of them completely. A negative test result is also not a guarantee of no infection.

Edited July 31, 2008 by longdogs

[Fudge]

We use Interceptor because I was always told by our vet that it prevents a wider range of parasites than Heartguard PLus. :bl

 

This is from Interceptors website, interesting it says ADULT hookworms.

 

"INTERCEPTOR Flavor Tabs are effective in preventing heartworm disease. INTERCEPTOR Flavor Tabs are also approved for the removal and control of adult roundworms and whipworms and for the control of adult hookworms (Ancylostoma caninum)."

 

Heartguard website, does not mention whipworms.

 

HEARTGARD Plus is highly effective against heartworms, and treats and controls 2 species of roundworms and 3 species of hookworms.

Edited July 31, 2008 by Fudge

[Guest longdogs]

This is from Interceptors website, interesting it says ADULT hookworms.

Only adult worms can be controlled by either of these products. The same is true for most other wormers, however Interceptor/Heartgard are fairly low dosages and are unlikely to be as effective (at killing adult worms) as Panacur, Drontal etc.

[Guest jerseygirl]

We use Interceptor because I was always told by our vet that it prevents a wider range of parasites than Heartguard PLus. :bl

 

This is from Interceptors website, interesting it says ADULT hookworms.

 

"INTERCEPTOR Flavor Tabs are effective in preventing heartworm disease. INTERCEPTOR Flavor Tabs are also approved for the removal and control of adult roundworms and whipworms and for the control of adult hookworms (Ancylostoma caninum)."

 

Heartguard website, does not mention whipworms.

 

HEARTGARD Plus is highly effective against heartworms, and treats and controls 2 species of roundworms and 3 species of hookworms.

 

Our vet told told us recently when we suspected whipworms that Interceptor will only guarantee that your pup will not show symptoms of whipworm. So I guess *control* means that it doesn't prevent infection, but it will control the levels/keep them from doing harm (?). Jersey is on Heartgard Plus, and the vet mentioned that her Heartgard rep would reimburse for whipworm treatment if that was the diagnosis (even though they Heartgard doesn't control them). I would imagine they'd still reimburse for hookworm, roundworm, etc treatment as well (if purchased through your vet).

 

 

[Guest MZH]

I agree with Longdogs.

 

You need to give Panacur to stomp on the infestation. Then the Heartgard Plus or Interceptor can do it's control job.

 

Hooks are notoriously hard to get rid of so you may need to give Panacur more often than you'd thing, ie, during flare ups.

 

Marcia in SC, not a vet but has dealt with enough parasites to know about the little

Edited August 1, 2008 by MZH

[Guest Hotdogs]

I did purchase the Heart Guard from our vet, so I'll check into being reimbursed. Thank you, another thing that's good to know.

She was given two doses of Panacur a week apart, I just gave her a second dose last Tuesday.

 

She may have hookworms forever? :!!

 

How will I know when she's having a 'flare up'? She didn't have diarrhea and was eating well when the hook worms were detected.

I saw what I think was the larvae in her poo after her first dose of Panacur But I haven't seen anything unusual.

What symptoms should I be looking for?

She has a nice coat, her eating habits can be frustrating at times, I'm sure this may be a symptom. I've read that listlessness is a symptom, but in the summer, she gets a little over heated easily, as she has a black coat--so how can I differentiate between being tired and hot from being listless...she's seems happy and playful and always interested in walks when I pick up her leash.

She has milkshake poop occasionally, but what greyhound doesn't?

She vomits more frequently than she should, I think. The 'good vet' in our clinic suggested trying pepcid ac for a while to see if that helps and it has, but maybe that's b/c her hookworms are under control now.

so confused

[RobinM]

Our 4 have hookworms right now too.

[Guest MZH]

I did purchase the Heart Guard from our vet, so I'll check into being reimbursed. Thank you, another thing that's good to know.

She was given two doses of Panacur a week apart, I just gave her a second dose last Tuesday.

 

She may have hookworms forever? :!!

 

How will I know when she's having a 'flare up'? She didn't have diarrhea and was eating well when the hook worms were detected.

I saw what I think was the larvae in her poo after her first dose of Panacur But I haven't seen anything unusual.

What symptoms should I be looking for?

She has a nice coat, her eating habits can be frustrating at times, I'm sure this may be a symptom. I've read that listlessness is a symptom, but in the summer, she gets a little over heated easily, as she has a black coat--so how can I differentiate between being tired and hot from being listless...she's seems happy and playful and always interested in walks when I pick up her leash.

She has milkshake poop occasionally, but what greyhound doesn't?

She vomits more frequently than she should, I think. The 'good vet' in our clinic suggested trying pepcid ac for a while to see if that helps and it has, but maybe that's b/c her hookworms are under control now.

so confused

 

Interesting points to cover.

 

1. Panacur is supposed to be given for 3 days and then again for 3 days in 3 weeks. I don't know that giving it a week apart is bad but my understanding of it is that the life cycle of the parasites is 3 weeks, so if anything is still alive then, the second dose will clean up most or all of what the first 3-day dose didn't. Why you got it for only 2 days and a week apart, I also don't understand.

 

2. Flare ups: my "hooky" dog would get diarrhea --sometimes bloody -- and vomit. It happened every August plus at other scattered times. This was before the days of monthly heartworm meds. He got Panacur so often I bought a one-pound jar and administered it whenever he got sick. It worked for a while -- until the next flare up. Yes, I believe we never cleared him of hooks. I doubt that this will be the case with your dog but sometimes you have to give Panacur more than the usual 3 days and again in three weeks.

 

If I were you I'd ask why the Panacur was given the way it was. It sure ain't the way the manufacturer recommend; it's way underdosed. A friend has a dog who got it for three days every three weeks for months. It finally cleared that way.

 

I'd be very interested in hearing why the vet prescribed the dose that way. Would you let us know?

 

Marcia in SC

[Guest das1075]

I just found out today that Coda has hookworm. I've had him for 6 months with no problems. Then in the last couple of weeks he's had reoccurring diarrhea. We went to the vet today bc he was becoming lethargic. My vet said that Heartgaurd has such a low dosage of the hookworm preventative that it only works for a week after the heartgaurd pill is administered.

 

 

[Anne]

I don't foster right now, nor do my dogs get out to a dog park anymore since they are all seniors.

BUT when I did foster and when my dogs got out and about a lot, I wormed my dogs every 6 months. Period. It never hurt them and this way I figured that they were pretty much protected. This was in addition to their monthly interceptor. Never hurt them and my vet approved.

You might want to consider it.

[Guest Hotdogs]

I'll ask my vet why the panacur was administered this way...I'll let you know. I'll ask my vet about worming them periodically (the good one). I keep an eye out for unexplained Diarhea and vomitting. My boy has the same symptoms too, occasionally D. Is it possible that he has hook worms too and they just weren't detected in his stool sample? Should I be worming him too, if there are no side effects?

 

[Greylover97]

I requested from the vet a supply of the panacur for Jake too. It is better to be safe then sorry.

[Guest MZH]

I'll ask my vet why the panacur was administered this way...I'll let you know. I'll ask my vet about worming them periodically (the good one). I keep an eye out for unexplained Diarhea and vomitting. My boy has the same symptoms too, occasionally D. Is it possible that he has hook worms too and they just weren't detected in his stool sample? Should I be worming him too, if there are no side effects?

 

YES that your boy may also have them. They are notorious for being missed on fecals.

 

It really wouldn't hurt to worm both. Many folks give their dogs Panacur prophylactically, especially if they go where lots of other dogs go.

 

Marcia in SC

[Guest LindsaySF]

The Heartgard Plus may actually be controlling the hooks. It is entirely possible your dog came with hooks and equally likely she is being re-infected from the environment. Heartgard Plus can only kill the worms in the adult stages and there may be a constant stream of larvae to reinforce the population. It doesn't work well against established hooks either. Normally you need to zap the established population with a more powerful wormer, then keep them in check with the Heartgard.

Use some Panacur, and continue the Heartgard Plus.

 

If one dog is infected, chances are your other is as well. I would deworm them both.