Heart Work Meds For Older Dogs

[brindlehound]

My housemate's 2 greyhounds, who live with his ex-wife are currently not on heart worm medications. The vet apparently told them that the girls don't need it any longer due to their age and the fact that they're not outside all that often. They live in a town setting although they do visit once in awhile.

 

Has anyone else been told this by their vet?

 

I would like to emphasize that I don't plan on stopping Magic's heart worm med no matter what the vet says. We live in a rural area where there are more risk factors for heart worm. During warmer weather, we leave the door to the fenced-in yard open so he can come and go as he pleases.

 

I'm not sure if it makes a difference in what others have been told but the girls are 11 and will be 12 in May. Magic is 10 and will be 11 in January.

 

Thanks.

[TheFullHouse]

We live in the south and ours get heart worm preventative until they pass away. All it takes is one bite from a mosquito.

[GeorgeofNE]

Actually, I was shocked when MY vet told me this!

 

His theory? If George (age 9) were to contract heartworm, he would likely die of something else long before the heartworm killed him.

 

 

I guess there may be people so strapped for cash they'd consider stopping the meds to save money if they heard this, but frankly, I was shocked. And I said, "No thanks, I think I'll continue with the Heartgard Plus."

[krissn333]

Wow, that is shocking!

 

We did have one case at the kennel where we did not do Heartworm preventative. She had an underlying medical issue and the Heartworm meds could have messed with something. That was nearly 10 years ago now though and I can't remember all of the circumstances.

 

Mine all get preventative for Heartworm.

 

I'm not sure why my iPhone keeps capitalizing Heartworm but I'm too lazy to fix it

[KF_in_Georgia]

Recently there has been a severe shortage of the drug used to treat dogs with heartworms. Vets are having to make judgment calls on which dogs get treatment, which dogs don't.

 

Treating to prevent heartworms has to be a better option than hoping that your dog gets on some vet's short list of dogs to be treated.

 

And every preventable case of heartworms that happens because of careless owners or clueless vets is one more shelter or rescue dog that won't be able to be treated.

 

First of every month around here...

[Guest KennelMom]

Our dogs get HW preventative right up until we lose them. I don't like the idea of "banking" on them dying before the heartworms would kill them. That's just terrible and I'd fire any vet who suggested I play russian roulette like that.

[Guest Swifthounds]

Having had hounds live well into their double digits, I can't imagine making such a choice. Sure, something else might kill them, but by the time a heartworm infestation is 6 months old, it's already bad enough to cause serious heart and lung complications that can be very painful. Even a treatable ailment can be fatal when your heart and lungs can't function properly.

[Finnsliz]

My Wink is no longer on heartworm meds. She has started having reactions to imunizations, combinations of meds, etc. At 12.5 we feel the risk of heartworm is secondary to the immediate reactions she has developed to most medications and my vet agrees. We applied natural insect repellent on her this summer. luckily she doesn't react to pain meds.