Heartworm meds/test
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We use heartguard, and usually year round…though some years I will skip a month or two in the worst of winter...but then must retest in the spring. My vet will let us skip the test for every other year if they have been on continual preventative.
Most of the US has a heartworm population...but just in the last 10 years or so has it spread to the west coast to the point that people are being advised to use a preventative...at least that is my understanding. Apparently there is an up and coming heartworm that is effecting cats now.
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How about the Heartguard Plus? Is hook worms and round worms a problem encountered much?
I don't see much of a problem with round or hook, so I just go with the straight Heartguard. One of mine did have a reaction to the Heartguard (but I think it was the plus) so we switched her to Interceptor. I have not had any problems with any of mine on Heartguard that were living with me.
Again, it is not a wide problem in No. California, but I have heard the same as Andrea… so I would rather be safe then sorry...
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I don't remember the med I use, but I think it's Heartguard Plus. I figure with the daily visits to the dog parks, especially after seeing the dogs there, I'd rather protect from too many worms than too few. Medjai has to go smell everything and I want to make sure he doesn't catch anything.
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I don't remember the med I use, but I think it's Heartguard Plus. I figure with the daily visits to the dog parks, especially after seeing the dogs there, I'd rather protect from too many worms than too few. Medjai has to go smell everything and I want to make sure he doesn't catch anything.
It does become a personal choice… and there is a risk to picking up worms at dog park... so I think you have made a good choice... I don't go to dog parks so not as concerned about that happening....
When I first started with my B's I did use the Plus... and never had a problem but then decided that it was not a concern about round and hook worms... now tape on the other hand... is a concern. Of course the Plus doesn't cover that... and mine would get tape from catching and eating "critters" in the yard... or at lure trials...
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We use Heartguard Plus year round, still have to get tested yearly. Even with that, Topper got hookworms a few months ago. He had various symptoms, we were not really thinking worms but he pooped right outside the vets and I picked it up and still had it in the bag so asked them to test it. After a long look they found hooks. Topper was obviously feeling better within 48 hours of treatment. We do often go to dog parks, but if you read info on hookworms, they are at beaches, most anywhere that has moist dirt!
But back to the original point, we have never had any issues with Heartguard plus. -
My vet switched from Heartguard to something starting with an I (brand name not ivermectin) but only dispenses for April-November. It controls all sorts of worms. He has been keeping stats and has shown a marked decrease in the number of cases since last year.
Since mine have always been rabbit hunters and frequently chomp down on their prey when they do catch them, I prefer protection that includes tape worms. -
My vet switched from Heartguard to something starting with an I (brand name not ivermectin) but only dispenses for April-November. It controls all sorts of worms. He has been keeping stats and has shown a marked decrease in the number of cases since last year.
Since mine have always been rabbit hunters and frequently chomp down on their prey when they do catch them, I prefer protection that includes tape worms.I had always been told that meds for tape are always separate from other all around worm meds? I suppose that could have changed… and they now include it..... I know when we have had tape, it was a pill only for tapeworms. Also to complete a cycle of tapeworms in dogs, there must be fleas present also. Of course in "eating" caught critters... easy enough to ingest fleas too.
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Does anybody get this test done annually? Do you give the heartworm preventative meds? I never have on past Basenjis I have had or even given them any Heartworm preventative meds. Maybe I was lucky.
I have never had any dog I've ever owned be tested nor treated. I've actually never heard of anyone in this area ever having a dog get heartworms, so I don't worry about it. Could be my bad, but heartworm is very rare in Washington.
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Treating heartworm infected dogs..
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=610No offense intended, but the Beloved Bulldogs site was not written by a vet and seems a bit dated to me. Having had a dog treated for heartworm years ago, believe me the arsenic treatments can be dangerous and painful. (See above link)
