DobermanDave Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 are these tablets really needed or are they another veterniarian scam...i give my dogs both all worming tablets and have started to give them heart worm tablets ..does anyone not give heart worm tablets?? are they really that important? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAX Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 (edited) Yes they are important. If your dog gets heartworm and you do not treat it you can years off your dogs life and they die a pretty awful death. The treatment is also very unpleasant for the dog. It is much easier and kinder to use heart worm prevention. If your dog can be bitten by a mozzie it can get heartworm. Edited August 1, 2005 by packsapunch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina77 Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 Yes I watched my parents dog die a horrible death from Heartworm investation , because they "didn't think it was necessary" and didn't want to fork out the money for tablets . They loved the dog and it was well cared for so to me it never made sense. Dad kept saying that in Holland , dogs never got the disease and he wasn't the kind of person you could tell what to do. Their ignorence was no excuse . Sorry if that all sounds harsh , but it's not something I'd ever want to see again . It's not a scam , perhaps there are areas within Australia that might not be prone to it , but I wouldn't take that chance. I'll also add that my parents did get another dog , and yes that time around it was well cared for , lived till 13 years of age and Dad cried for days when he had her put to sleep. Next time you go to your vet , ask to see the jar with a dog's heart in it , invested with Heartworm. That will change your mind ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavNrott Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 (edited) . Edited May 7, 2009 by cavNrott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ANNODAM Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 (edited) . Edited May 17, 2008 by ANNODAM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ci Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 I do give them but not as religiously as I should. Tex can have awful reactions to some of the brands so I have had to sift through them slowly to find ones that he doesn't react too. He had a awful reactions to the yearly injection so that's also out. He is the same with any worming stuff - I cant use revolution on him or what is the flea drops? My vet told that while it is not to be neglected - you do need to live in an area where heartworm is prevalent for the dogs to be at great risk. This includes even just visiting those kind of areas. Lucky, it is not the case where we live! So far - Tex seems to be OK on the Heartguard - the chewy chews of heartworm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagsalot Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 yep mine gets the yearly injection along with vaccinations. i find this easier than remembering to give him the tablets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavNrott Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 (edited) . Edited May 7, 2009 by cavNrott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Divine Angel Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Jasmine gets the Heartguard chews, much easier than the tablets! My mum got me a great little thing to remind me when treatment was due: it's a fridge magnet with Dr Harry on it and it actually has a timer on it that counts down the days for you (ie, there's no calendar for you to turn over) and when it hits zero, a little tune plays and you know it's the day to give them their treatment! Otherwise, just give it to them on the first or last day of the month- that's easy to remember too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pup's mum Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 DD - some areas of Australia - such as the colder areas are not as prone to Heartworm as the mozzies don't breed and thrive as well. However, I note you live in Sydney and Sydney has a high incidence of HW infestation so absolutely use HW meds. I don't use the yearly injection but do use the monthy chewables. Do a hunt on the net and you'll find prices much less than those from your vet or local pet store...here's one site http://www.pricelesspets.com.au/products.php3?page=prod I have used them in the past - fabulous service - ordered it one morning and it was in the mailbox when I got home the next afternoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ci Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 (edited) Anne, That is actually the next brand I am going to try. Someone told me that it was one of the better brands (least amount of dog reacts). Was that you who told me?? I have a few Heartguard chews left and then on to try Sentiel on him. I just get so nervous trying something new - he gets really sick if he is going to have a bad reaction. I nearly lost him last time I use Revolution on him - yet my other dog and the cat are fine on Revolution. Edited August 2, 2005 by Ci Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DobermanDave Posted August 2, 2005 Author Share Posted August 2, 2005 (edited) ohh ok so i can get them yearly injections how come my vet never told me about this...that sounds much easier Edited August 2, 2005 by DobermanDave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ci Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 ohh ok so i can get them yeaqrly injections how come my vet never told me about this...that sounds much easier Thats is something that you are going to have to ask your vet - I am afraid! They have been around for a while now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DobermanDave Posted August 2, 2005 Author Share Posted August 2, 2005 thanks for the the advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthernStarPits Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 WELL THE VET I GO TO SAYS THAT HEARTWORM ISNT PREVALENT IN OUR AREA BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER IT IS BUT I GIVE THEM ALL A MONTHLY HTTAB JUST TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE,ALSO CAUSE I GO INTO AREAS OF AUS WITH THE DOGS THAT HAVE A HUGE MOZZIE PROBLEM FOR 3MTHS A YEAR..THE VET SHOULD HAVE A CHART OR SOMETHING THAT SHOWS HEARTWORM PRONE AREAS LIKE A MAP OF SORTS.. DONT MIND THE CAPS IME NOT YELLING, JUST A LAZY BUGGER THAT CANT BE BOTHERED RE-TYPING . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mana Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 (edited) I don't know whether this is widely considered an issue, but my vet doesn't like the annual injections simply because it's a fair whack of toxic stuff to give the dog at one time. And as has been said already - in Sydney you need to do heartworm prevention. Our foster lab was picked up as a stray in Fairfield (I think) and had early stage heartworm. Luckily it was a light enough infestation such that putting him on Heartguard could kill them off gradually without clogging his heart with dead worms. Along with hydatids I think it's probably the most important worm to keep in mind. ETA: this is why it's important (image from here) Edited August 2, 2005 by Mana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ci Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Yuk!!! I feel sick now. I have heard that trying to treat a dog that has been badly infested, can kill the dog in itself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mana Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 (edited) Yep, and it's not a much nicer scenario than the infestation itself. If a dog has a heartworm infestation, and you hit it with one of the standard treatments, you create a mass of dead adult worms in the dog's heart. These can clog the heart and I think also can create big problems when they reach the lungs - I think (I'd have to check) either through infection or blockage of the little air-exchange passages (scillia? is that the word?). So if a dog has heartworm and you treat him / her, you need to kill the worms gradually enough so that they can be absorbed / expelled by the body. And no exercise at all, cause if the heart starts pumping hard, and there are masses of dead worms able to be shunted into the circulatory system... nasty. Edited August 2, 2005 by Mana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DobermanDave Posted August 2, 2005 Author Share Posted August 2, 2005 how much did you pay for your heartworm vaccination? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldieneale Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Advocate is another similar product to Sentital(??) It's a once a month squeeze tube on the back of the neck (must have contact with skin). It covers heartworm, fleas and all worming EXCEPT tapeworm. Costs about $140 for 6 months if you have a large 25kg + dog You can't use this product if you have a cat also though as if the cat comes in contact it can be very harmful. DobermanDave my parents were paying just over $100 a year for the yearly injection for Heartworm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now