First Heartworm Vacc For Our Pups

[Henrietta]

If you go the daily tabs you just need a daily routine. I have a calendar and mark it off, but it won't suit everyone.

I agree it's not for everyone, but certainly possible. My parents used to give the daily tablets to our dog when I was a child. They gave it to her before each evening meal and it was such a routine that she used to wait for the tablet first. Reminiscent of NILF really.

[CliftonPark]

You actually run a big risk if you forget a day or two on the daily tablets so unless you are going to be absolutely 110% vigilant and not forget then the safest option is monthly chews/tabs for you.

Do a bit of googling on it- you have some time after all. We generally start monthly meds with pups coming into the clinic at 4mths (last puppy vaccination).

Mel.

Thanks Mel, I appreciate your comments. My thought is that I'd need to diarise (as I do with all wormer) whereas daily it just becomes part of preparing their daily dinner time meal. I def will google though.

[sjl79]

Is the needle very unsafe? I have seen no adverse side effects, would I be wise in 12 months time to do the monthly tabs? Also where do you get them in chew form?

Yep it is. Sometimes the side effects aren't after the initial shot. It's been responsible for MANY problems, no reason to risk it.

http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=65494

This thread is almost two years old, I wonder if there have been any further studies / changes to the med? I have had three different vets since getting Timmy (finally found an excellent one on the third go) and they have all recommended the shot.

[Guest Tess32]

Up to you if you want to risk it, I've still heard reports of dogs having seizures from it on various forums.

[peigirl]

Not knowing any better at the time my boy had the heart worm vacc at 6 months. Talk about regret it. He will be 3 this July and has suffered from the age of roughly 10 months medically diagnosed inflammatory bowel disease, food intolerances and rather severe case of atopic dermatitis. He now has antihistamines every day and will eat a restricted diet indefinitely.

I also know of another girl Rotti baby on this forum that was given the heart worm vacc at 14 weeks and suffers from worse atopic dermatitis than my boy. Coincidence? I dont know, but I wouldnt risk it.

[sjl79]

Up to you if you want to risk it, I've still heard reports of dogs having seizures from it on various forums.

It's done now so no chance of reversing the 6 month one, I'm just struggling on the net to find really solid data. Would I just switch back to tabs at 18 months of age? I loathe the back skin applicators (I can never get it to absorb onto the skin, I must be clumsy!), and we use that for fleas (I can't for the life of me think if it covers worms too, thinking not?).

Any good recommendations on a once a month to cover fleas / worms / heartworm?

Also, at what age would the adverse reactions present? Are they conclusively linked to the vac? I will talk to my vet again about all of this as I find it really worrying no data was presented to consider (from 3 vets too!).

[CliftonPark]

Well I've been talking to a new vet and also had a long chat to current vet about my concerns and was actually very good and understood my concerns. Suggested Sentinel for monthly heartworm/fleas/all wormer as the flea treatment is an insect hormone that stops eggs hatching out and not an insecticide that goes on the skin. The vet personally does not like topical treatments as does not like children cuddling their dog that has that insecticide treament on it's skin. I explained I do not want flea treatment as I'd prefer to treat a problem if it occurs than give additional preventative treatments. Said I could use Heartguard just for heartworm and continue with Drontal Allwormer for intestinal worms. Anyone have an opion on Heartguard? Have contacted another vet also (for a second opinion) and explained my concerns and have an appointment with him to sit and have a chat about everything including vaccinations, titre testing, natural diets etc. So I'll be interested to see what he says but seems very open to discussing all my queries.

[Guest Tess32]

Up to you if you want to risk it, I've still heard reports of dogs having seizures from it on various forums.

It's done now so no chance of reversing the 6 month one, I'm just struggling on the net to find really solid data. Would I just switch back to tabs at 18 months of age? I loathe the back skin applicators (I can never get it to absorb onto the skin, I must be clumsy!), and we use that for fleas (I can't for the life of me think if it covers worms too, thinking not?).

Any good recommendations on a once a month to cover fleas / worms / heartworm?

Also, at what age would the adverse reactions present? Are they conclusively linked to the vac? I will talk to my vet again about all of this as I find it really worrying no data was presented to consider (from 3 vets too!).

I believe the problem can be cumulative, the more it's taken, the higher the chance the dog won't cope and will have a reaction. So not about age, but how much builds up in their system. Some dogs will probably never react, but it's a lot of poison to put into a dog at once.

Perhaps there is less data on this now because a lot less people are using it since all the issues came out about it. I remember reading the adverse effects recorded when it first came out were more than all their competitors combined.

Also it was probably compounded by the fact that most vets were also giving the vaccinations at the same time. That is a LOT for a dog to handle in one sitting. Then they would be taken back the next year for the next lot, so the problems which may have been minor with one application get worse.

Once the 6 month runs out you can easily switch back to the tablets. I have to use ivermectin free stuff so someone else can prob advise.

[sjl79]

Thanks for that Tess32, I am interested in the Sentinel that Clifton Park talks about as it seems to be an all round solution.

What is ivermectin free?

[aranyoz]

If you go the daily tabs you just need a daily routine. I have a calendar and mark it off, but it won't suit everyone.

I have us the daily's for over 30 years on all my dogs and never had any dogs with problems from them.

As Tess says it is just about routine, I give a the daily tablet the very last thing at night before I go to bed and I have never forgotten.

[Rebanne]

I'd never give something that treats everything. I prefer to use a monthly heartworm that does just heartworm, worm them 3 or 4 times a year. Haven't treated a dog for fleas for several years now so why give them chemicals they don't need?

[CliftonPark]

I'd never give something that treats everything. I prefer to use a monthly heartworm that does just heartworm, worm them 3 or 4 times a year. Haven't treated a dog for fleas for several years now so why give them chemicals they don't need?

My sentiments exactly! :rolleyes:

[peigirl]

I use Proheart tablets every month, Drontal all wormers tablets every few months and Advantage for fleas if/when required.

Agree, no chemicals unless necessary!

[InspectorRex]

We have used Interceptor/Sentinel Spectrum monthly tablets for many years now with no side effects plus you get monthly stickers to put on your calender to remind you.

Cheaper to buy ar pricelesspets.com than anywhere else

[Miranda]

I'd never give something that treats everything. I prefer to use a monthly heartworm that does just heartworm, worm them 3 or 4 times a year. Haven't treated a dog for fleas for several years now so why give them chemicals they don't need?

My sentiments exactly! :D

Yes I also agree, why give chemicals that the dog probably doesn't need. IMO these monthly treatments are made for the convenience of the owner and have little to do with the health of the dog. I worm my dogs twice, sometimes three times a year, give monthly Heartgard during the warmer months and apply Advantage if necessary, which isn't very often as I don't have a flea problem here. If you're giving these chemicals every month, vaccinating annually and also giving the annual heartworm injection (if the monthly product you use doesn't cover heartworm), that's chemical overload in my book. I'm really not surprised that auto-immune problems and food and skin allergies are on the increase in dogs.

I would never use the annual heartworm injection on any of my dogs.

[smoothcollie]

I use daily because I have ivermectin sensitive Collies, so I'm not saying all the monthly tabs are unsafe in general :D I just prefer the daily tabs from what I have read

I use these: http://www.thevetshed.com.au/index.php/cPath/1_9_100

It's important to give them every single day as they are dangerous if your dog DOES contract the heartworm. Your pup is young though so you'll be fine

I give my smooth collie pro heart once a month, is that okz?

[InspectorRex]

SmoothCollie- get your Collie Off Proheart ASAP! it could prove fatal giving it.

Unless your Collie has been DNA Tested for the Ivermectin Sensitivity you must not give it any of the "mectin" based products

DNA test costs about$60 and will tell you if your Collie is Affected, Carrier or Clear.

PM your email address and I will email you heaps of information about the Ivermectin Sensitivity- it not only affects Collies but many other breeds also

Proheart has been banned in some overseas Countires due to adverse reactions

Edited June 1, 2008 by InspectorRex

[Dogsfevr]

We monthly heartworm here aswell.Worm when necessary & the only time i use a flea product is when i fly east & thats simply due to not knowing what the other passengers have(we seem to travel with lots of cats) Otherwise we dont use any flea/tick stuff simply just in case.

Our puppy owners are told which products we trust & suggest & also point out if they choice another product on the vets advice/sales shop/pet shop we cannot guarantee what may happen & its at there own risk.

We did for many years use daily with no probs at all & also infrom our puppy owners that daily is perfectly fine .

When you run boarding kennels its very enlightening in what vets suggest & give clients dogs without talking to them about it.Most people literally have no clue what there vet has given the dog

[CliftonPark]

We did for many years use daily with no probs at all & also infrom our puppy owners that daily is perfectly fine .

When you run boarding kennels its very enlightening in what vets suggest & give clients dogs without talking to them about it.Most people literally have no clue what there vet has given the dog

We decided to go with the daily tablets.

You are very right that people have no clue what the vet gives the dog. I didn't. I think vets are prob afraid to say one product is better than another and only give info if you're informed enough to ask the right questions. I take nothing the vet says for granted anymore and do my own research.

[k9kutz]

i have 2 young pups at the moment (14 weeks atm) and my vet suggested not giving them the annual heartworm vacc until they are six months old. My 3 other older dogs are all on the annual heart worm vacc and have been for a number of years without much problem, other than a bit of soreness at the vacc site for a few days afterward. My puppies are on Advocate at the moment and I'm wondering if i should change all my dogs to Advocate and scrap the vacc after reading this post. Whats so wrong with the Vacc????????