Trudy Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Looking at my options for a generic heartgard. Many have stuff for other worms and some have no extra stuff for extra worms. Obviously the ones without are cheaper. I like cheaper. We aren't out and about around other dogs and in parks and playgroups and stuff like that whey they are exposed to what comes out the ends of other dogs... just each other. And the ducks. And the squirrels. And the rabbits. And the birds. And the whatever else is in the back yard. Do we need to worry about the other wormy worms? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greybookends Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 I would say yes. If your dogs are like mine they will eat any kind of poop. Squirrel, rabbits whatever and these usually have worms so it is possible to get them that way. One of the joys of living in the south along with lots of wildlife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remolacha Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 It's been awhile, but I lived in Alabama as a kid (for a few years) and I recall hookworms being pretty well indigenous in the soil, so I think you want something for that. I know Heartguard doesn't prevent them, but it suppresses them if your dog is infected. I am sure more knowledgeable people will have opinions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 I've used Ivomec for years with nothing else to supplement and none of my dogs have ever gotten any kind of worms. Like you, they're not often exposed to any other creatures other than what comes into the back yard. They're all having yearly physicals now and none of them have worms. Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamsmom Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 I also use Ivomec. It's cheap and with a lot of dogs it's easier. I also haven't had any come up with worms except when Ivy came in and she already had them. Quote ~Beth, with a crazy mixed crew of misfits.~ Forever and Always missing and loving Steak, Carmen, Ivy, Isis, and Madi.Don't cry because it's ended, Smile because it happened.Before you judge me, try to keep an open mind, not everyone likes your taste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 If you're not around where other dogs are / have been, probably no need to worry about anything besides heartworm. Altho as noted, hookworm eggs are everywhere. I do like a monthly that handles hooks because once you get hooks, they are h.a.r.d. to get rid of. For prey they might catch or carrion -- none of the monthly wormers will handle those types of worms (mainly varieties of tapeworms); you'd always need an additional wormer, usually praziquantel. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MZH Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 I've been using Interceptor for a long time and have never had a problem with anything - including hooks - once I know the dogs are parasite-free to begin with. Tapes are another issue but that's kind of unlikely in your situation. I love that Interceptor works to hold hooks at bay. It's not likely to be your cheapest option though. I've had dogs with hooks and don't ever want this generation to get them. I figure the cost of the Interceptor makes up for the difference in treating the heart worms and avoiding serious illness from hooks. One of ours had pure blood from hooks even though he was treated religiously. (This was during the old days of daily Filaribits and frequent doses of Panacur.) I would always worry about hookworms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhead Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 (edited) Me too. I'd pay a lot of money for anything that could have kept Spencer from getting a seemingly permanent case of hooks. We use Interceptor too, and it keeps Shane hook-free and keeps Spencer's from getting worse. We still have to dose Spencer with Drontal two or three times a year, as the ones encysted in his body hatch. And if as Batmom says hooks are everywhere... Well, that tears it for me! Edited April 23, 2011 by greyhead Quote Mary with Jumper Jack (2/17/11) and angels Shane (PA's Busta Rime, 12/10/02 - 10/14/16) and Spencer (Dutch Laser, 11/25/00 - 3/29/13). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LindsaySF Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 (edited) Dogs don't need to eat poop to get worms. The worm eggs are in the environment/soil, they get stuck to their feet/fur, and the dog ingests them. (In the case of hookworms, it's larvae, and they penetrate the foot/paw of the dog, they don't need to be ingested). The flea tapeworm is transmitted by fleas, no poop or soil necessary there, just a critter for the fleas to hitch a ride on. If you don't go places where other dogs have been, then worm infection is not too likely. But if you go on walks in public places, beaches, woods, etc, anywhere where other dogs or wildlife frequent, then it's more of a concern. I use Interceptor (and Frontline Plus) monthly because I take my dogs into public places a lot, and I have a lot of fosters in and out of my house. Dog owners that keep more to themselves might not need to worry as much. I would still deworm the dogs every few months though, if you aren't using a monthly preventative with dewormer in it. Worms are notoriously missed on fecal exams, and the dogs can be shedding thousands of worm eggs into the environment without the owner realizing, so prophylactic deworming is a good idea IMO. ETA: As Batmom mentioned, if the dogs eat wild rabbits/rodents/etc, you should deworm for the Taeniid tapeworms, using Praziquantel. Those worms are transmitted by the dog eating infected raw meat. ~Lindsay~ Edited April 24, 2011 by LindsaySF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MZH Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Your dog's poop can have tapeworms waving at you but the fecal can be negative! I almost passed out when I saw that but the fecal the next day was negative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LindsaySF Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Your dog's poop can have tapeworms waving at you but the fecal can be negative! I almost passed out when I saw that but the fecal the next day was negative. Fecal exams look for microscopic eggs, and in the case of tapeworms, those eggs are contained in the tapeworm segments (called proglottids) inside big egg packets. (The segments are those white "grains of rice"). So unless the person doing the fecal exam actually crushes up one of those tapeworm segments and mixes it with the fecal examination solution, no eggs will show up under the microscope. If there don't happen to be any tapeworm segments in that particular fecal sample (tapeworms shed segments periodically), or the piece of feces the examiner uses for the test does not contain any segments, voila, negative fecal sample. My parasitology professor had never even seen a tapeworm egg "in person" until I brought in a sample from my cat (just adopted from an animal shelter) and crushed a proglottid for him. He was so excited, he saved that sample in sterile solution for future classes. Ahhh school memories. ~Lindsay~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickchick2000 Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Pay extra and get the good stuff. Our bulldog turned up positive for whipworms just last week. She hangs out in the front yard all the time and she's been known to snack on poo that does not belong to her or Milky Way. Apparently sometime in the last few months she got into a bad pile. Had she been on a preventative that protected against whips she would have been fine but she wasn't. The preventative we use only does heart and roundworms. I never thought much about it until now. From next month on both ours will be on Interceptor. Quote Alicia and Foster Yoshi ( pit bull) Always in my heart: WV's Milky Way 6/25/2000- 4/22/2013, Hank ( St Bernard/Boxer) ???? - 10/3/2017 and Sweet Pea (English bulldog) 2004 - 6/19/2019 www.etsy.com/your/shops/MuttStuffnc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MZH Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Your dog's poop can have tapeworms waving at you but the fecal can be negative! I almost passed out when I saw that but the fecal the next day was negative. Fecal exams look for microscopic eggs, and in the case of tapeworms, those eggs are contained in the tapeworm segments (called proglottids) inside big egg packets. (The segments are those white "grains of rice"). So unless the person doing the fecal exam actually crushes up one of those tapeworm segments and mixes it with the fecal examination solution, no eggs will show up under the microscope. If there don't happen to be any tapeworm segments in that particular fecal sample (tapeworms shed segments periodically), or the piece of feces the examiner uses for the test does not contain any segments, voila, negative fecal sample. My parasitology professor had never even seen a tapeworm egg "in person" until I brought in a sample from my cat (just adopted from an animal shelter) and crushed a proglottid for him. He was so excited, he saved that sample in sterile solution for future classes. Ahhh school memories. ~Lindsay~ Lindsay, I tried to PM you but it wouldn't go through so here it is. How about putting together an awareness piece on parasites for the Greyhound Articles website in your "spare time"? It wouldn't have to be anything formal - just your thoughts on each nasty parasite would be good - as if you were writing a post. (No pressure, no deadlines.) I think it would help several thousand people! I'm glad I wasn't drinking coffee when you wrote about opening the packet. Marcia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WhiteWave Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 We had a problem with tapes recently and I put the dogs on Iverhart Max which does all worms since it contains Ivermectin, pyrantel, and praziquantal (sp). It was $34 for 6 pills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MZH Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 We had a problem with tapes recently and I put the dogs on Iverhart Max which does all worms since it contains Ivermectin, pyrantel, and praziquantal (sp). It was $34 for 6 pills. That's good to know; thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissn333 Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Other than doing meet and greets and seeing my parents' two greys, my dogs don't see other dogs either and we had a tough time with hookworms last year. As mentioned, it's in the soil. Our vet said that short of eliminating something like the top 3 inches of our yard, there is no way to kill them in the soil. So, we stopped doing just Ivomec and are now using the Iverheart that has the pyrantel in it. Joe's Pet Meds has a great price. Quote Kristin in Moline, IL USA with Ozzie (MRL Crusin Clem), Clarice (Clarice McBones), Latte and Sage the IGs, and the kitties: Violet and Rose Lovingly Remembered: Sutra (Fliowa Sutra) 12/02/97-10/12/10, Pinky (Pick Me) 04/20/03-11/19/12, Fritz (Fritz Fire) 02/05/01 - 05/20/13, Ace (Fantastic Ace) 02/05/01 - 07/05/13, and Carrie (Takin the Crumbs) 05/08/99 - 09/04/13. A cure for cancer can't come soon enough.-- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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