Heartworm preventatives - Interesting read (vet, heartworms, natural, adult)

[cheesenugget]

Some interesting articles about heartworm preventatives and how some veterinarians believe monthly/year round doses may be too much. Please note that the medicine kills the larvae. It may take up to 6 months for a larvae to develop into an adult.

I posted these articles for owners who would like to learn more about the heartworms. This is not to discourage or persuade you to change or stop the preventatives. I think it's a personal choice one makes for their pets. For me, I give my dogs Nuheart every 2 months, instead of monthly, year round (I live in FL but I would do the same anywhere else). None for my indoor kitty.

Heartworm Medication Part 1: Truths, Omissions and Profits - Dogs Naturally Magazine

Unknown Facts about Dog Heartworms

Are drug companies honest about Heartworm?

[ZSP]

Very interesting reads. I do use it year round...living in west TX where it's practically summer all year round but I'm considering cutting back maybe the three coldest months of the year. I've never liked putting chemicals on or in my dogs.

[Jumpindogs]

Originally Posted by cheesenugget

Some interesting articles about heartworm preventatives and how some veterinarians believe monthly/year round doses may be too much. Please note that the medicine kills the larvae. It may take up to 6 months for a larvae to develop into an adult.

I posted these articles for owners who would like to learn more about the heartworms. This is not to discourage or persuade you to change or stop the preventatives. I think it's a personal choice one makes for their pets. For me, I give my dogs Nuheart every 2 months, instead of monthly, year round (I live in FL but I would do the same anywhere else). None for my indoor kitty.

Heartworm Medication Part 1: Truths, Omissions and Profits - Dogs Naturally Magazine

Unknown Facts about Dog Heartworms

Are drug companies honest about Heartworm?

Thanks for posting this!

Here is another good article. It's old (2006) but still relevant.

http://www.dogaware.com/articles/wdj...revention.html

[Jumpindogs]

Here is the Safeheart (milbemycin oxime) FDA drug summary for those interested. You can print this out and take it to your vet to show that you can safely give Interceptor (milbemycin oxime) at the lowest dose (2-10 pounds) for dogs up to 50 pounds to effectively protect against heartworm. Dogs over 50 pounds can get the Interceptor 11-25 pound dose. This lower dose will not protect against intestinal worms but at least you have the option to decide if you wanna drug your dog for something so benign and easily treatable as intestinal worms.

Unfortunately Novartis is no longer producing stand alone Interceptor. They now offer Sentinel which includes both milbemycin oxime for heartworm protection and lufenuron for flea protection. Your dog likely will not get the same flea protection if you dose down to the Safehart level of milbemycin oxime for heartworms. But again, at least you have the option to make the choice.

NADA 140-915 Safeheart? - supplemental approval (June 4, 1998)

[ldydrgnfly]

This is important information for consumers to have in order to make informed decisions about their pet's care. Although I DO treat my dogs for this, I do not follow the normal protocol for heartworm "prevention" in order to reduce the amount of poisons that are intentionally put into their bodies over their lifetimes.