[jenniferhope423]

I have had Bailey on heart worm preventative since I've had her but haven't given Sophie anything. Bailey goes outside to potty but Sophie does not and the only time she is outside is if I am carrying her or she is in her stroller. Should she be on heart worm preventative too?

Bailey has been on Interceptor for heart worms but I've read that a lot of you use Sentinel. What is the difference? Also Sophie is barely 4 pounds which would be best for her?

 

[jmm]

Aren't you moving to the Nashville area? If so both dogs should be on prevention year round.
Sentinel has an additional drug (the same thing that is in the old Program) that sterilizes fleas. It does not prevent or kill fleas. If you have a flea problem, you really need to be using something else as your primary preventative.
Interceptor is my preference for our little dogs.

 

[Ladysmom]

Lady is basically an indoor dog now. She only goes out in her stroller or on my patio, but I still use a heartworm preventative. All it takes is one infected mosquito to give them heartworms. I have discussed it with my vet and she assured me that even with all Lady's health issues, it is safe. It's a very low dose and is out of their system in just a few days. Heartworms are deadly and not worth the risk IMO.

I prefer Interceptor. She Lady has epilepsy, that is the one that is recommended as the safest. Heartguard/Ivermectin has been known to cause seizures in some dogs with low seizure thresholds. I also like that Interceptor has a dose for 10 lbs. and under. Hearguards dosage is under 20 lbs. and cannot be split since it is a chewable.

 

[jenniferhope423]

Aren't you moving to the Nashville area? If so both dogs should be on prevention year round.
Sentinel has an additional drug (the same thing that is in the old Program) that sterilizes fleas. It does not prevent or kill fleas. If you have a flea problem, you really need to be using something else as your primary preventative.
Interceptor is my preference for our little dogs.

Yes I am moving to Nashville. Is Interceptor safe for tiny pups? Bailey is on Comfortis for fleas since she goes outside to potty. Do you think that I should put Sophie on flea meds even though she doesn't go out?

 

[jenniferhope423]

Lady is basically an indoor dog now. She only goes out in her stroller or on my patio, but I still use a heartworm preventative. All it takes is one infected mosquito to give them heartworms. I have discussed it with my vet and she assured me that even with all Lady's health issues, it is safe. It's a very low dose and is out of their system in just a few days. Heartworms are deadly and not worth the risk IMO.

I prefer Interceptor. She Lady has epilepsy, that is the one that is recommended as the safest. Heartguard/Ivermectin has been known to cause seizures in some dogs with low seizure thresholds. I also like that Interceptor has a dose for 10 lbs. and under. Hearguards dosage is under 20 lbs. and cannot be split since it is a chewable.

Sophie is indoors only because we have hawks here and I am terrified that they could pick her up and carry her away. She only goes out when I am holding her or she is in her stroller. She's only been in the grass once when we were at the park and I didn't have a potty pad with me.

 

[Nikki's Mom]

I use Interceptor every 45 days.

 

[Ladysmom]

I use Interceptor every 45 days.

:thumbsup: Me, too.

Studies have shown that heartworm medication actually kills larvae present for 45 days or longer. 30 days is always recommended to be on the safe side, but if you are diligent about marking on your calendar when the next dose is due, you can push it to 45 days to minimize exposure. That's what I do with Lady.

The original FDA approval for Interceptor states, “Complete (100%) protection was achieved in dogs treated at 30 days post infection, with 95% protection at 60 and 90 days.” This does not apply to Safeheart, which was tested only at a 30 day dosing interval.

DogAware.com Articles: Heartworm Prevention in Dogs

And Dr Mike Richards D.V.M. says from www.vetinfo.com/doghw.html: “The monthly heartworm preventatives work to kill heartworm larvae that are 45 days or less in age and probably closer to 50 days. Since an every 45 day dose would be hard to remember and provide no leeway for error, the pills are approved for monthly use.

Heartworm | B-Naturals.Com Newsletter

 

[jmm]

You may find you need flea prevention for both dogs here...the fleas are quite nasty.

 

[jenniferhope423]

You may find you need flea prevention for both dogs here...the fleas are quite nasty.

Yuck! I don't have a problem with fleas here at all. I've only found one or two on Bailey since I have had her. Do you live in the Nashville area? I am moving to Franklin and trying to locate a good vet for the girls. We will actually live almost on the Franklin/Brentwood city limits

 

[jmm]

I like north of Nashville. I never had flea issues before I moved here. Just beware

 

[SugarBob62]

I like the 45 day rule. Is this for all heartworm medicines? I have always given it every 30 days. We use Interceptor. The doctor has never mentioned 45 days instead....I've only heard this mentioned here a few times. I'd like this idea better, is that ok too?

 

[BellaWella]

:thumbsup: Me, too.

Studies have shown that heartworm medication actually kills larvae present for 45 days or longer. 30 days is always recommended to be on the safe side, but if you are diligent about marking on your calendar when the next dose is due, you can push it to 45 days to minimize exposure. That's what I do with Lady.

The original FDA approval for Interceptor states, “Complete (100%) protection was achieved in dogs treated at 30 days post infection, with 95% protection at 60 and 90 days.” This does not apply to Safeheart, which was tested only at a 30 day dosing interval.

DogAware.com Articles: Heartworm Prevention in Dogs

And Dr Mike Richards D.V.M. says from www.vetinfo.com/doghw.html: “The monthly heartworm preventatives work to kill heartworm larvae that are 45 days or less in age and probably closer to 50 days. Since an every 45 day dose would be hard to remember and provide no leeway for error, the pills are approved for monthly use.

Heartworm | B-Naturals.Com Newsletter

That's really makes me sick!!! That is 8 pills using every 45 days versus 12 pills ever 30 days for people to use year round... That in my opinion is a huge difference and Im sure its more motivated to make money then to make it easier to remind people to take it same time monthly!!!!!

I read somewhere that dogs are naturally suppose to live around 25-27 years but are living 12-15 years... If this is true, it just more proof that over medicating and over vaccinating are doing more harm then good!!

 

[malts4tina]

I have struggled with your same concerns about HW preventative b/c my Daphne Rose is tinier than my older malts. Daphne is also an indoor dog, and I thought I could get away without giving her anything for HW prevention. However, both my holistic and traditional vets have told me she needs to be on it here in Texas. They both prefer Interceptor for her size. I actually took the Interceptor to a compounding pharmacy and had the dosage cut in half. This way the maximum dose is more for a 5lb max over a 10lb max.

 

[Nikki's Mom]

The motivation given for the 30 day rule was that we dumb dog owners wouldn't be able to remember every 45 days.....Hmm. Who benefits from the 30 day rule?

 

[BellaWella]

The motivation given for the 30 day rule was that we dumb dog owners wouldn't be able to remember every 45 days.....Hmm. Who benefits from the 30 day rule?

I wonder what vets do with their dogs?? My vet told me to give her Heartworm tabs every 30 days every month.. 12 tabs...I said no thanks Ill take 6 ( April - October) But I didnt know the 45 day rule so maybe now I can put her on 4 tabs instead of 6 a year. (Same Vet that pushed Science diet on me, wonder if my vet also using that food??)

people that use it year round that didn't know about the 45 day rule will use 12 tabs instead of the 8 that is needed..... a lot of extra money these companies are making... unethical in my opinion.

 

[The A Team]

It's that time of year when i start giving heart worm meds, I believe I gave it to her least year, is it ok to give an inceptor to Ava at three pounds?

 

[malts4tina]

Hi Pat:

Interceptor has a lower weight range than Heartgard does. Interceptor is 2 to 10 lbs, and Heartgard is 0 to 25 lbs. Both of my vets said Interceptor is better for Daphne Rose because of that, but I still took it to a compounding pharmacy to cut the dose in half. My vet had to call the prescription into the compounding pharmacy, and I physically took in the 6 month package of Interceptor and had it turned into 12 doses.

My friend uses ivermectin (active ingredient in Heartgard), but has it compounded down to her dog's specific weight of 3 lbs 7 oz. She is very lucky because her holistic vet in Chicago, Dr. Karen Becker, does this at her practice. That is how I heard about compounding HW preventative for these tiny ones.

The reason I just compounded Interceptor down to a 5 lb dose and not Daphne Rose's specific weight is because that is all my vet would agree to do. When I brought up compounding it, that was the first request he had ever had to do it.

 

[Snowbody]

Tyler's on Interceptor and he's fine with it. I think I'll switch him to 45 days though. Thanks!

 

[almitra]

Is it only Interceptor that can be given every 45 days?

 

[Ladysmom]

Is it only Interceptor that can be given every 45 days?

Interceptor is the only one I have seen actual FDA information on:

The original FDA approval for Interceptor states, “Complete (100%) protection was achieved in dogs treated at 30 days post infection, with 95% protection at 60 and 90 days.” This does not apply to Safeheart, which was tested only at a 30 day dosing interval.

DogAware.com Articles: Heartworm Prevention in Dogs

I use Interceptor because it is safer than Heartguard/Ivermectin so I do it every 45 days.