Question on heartworm prevention and flea treatment

julie87 · 11-24-2012, 03:54 AM

I live in northern California, so far my 7 month old GSD got 2 heartworm preventives, I heard bad things about them. Are benefits greater than risks? Also, what is the best flea treatment?Thanks.

kelina · 11-24-2012, 04:01 AM

Oatmeal FLEA AND TICK REMOVAL SHAMPOO!!! you can buy this at petco!
Works for me!

And heartworms? Not so sure sorry julie! But benefits to me at least are better than risk.. you have your dog o two heart worm preventatives, the risk of preventing it is..? Lol

doggiedad · 11-24-2012, 05:51 AM

i think the benefits are geater than the risk.

**JakodaCD OA** · 11-24-2012, 07:51 AM

I also think the benefits of HW meds far out way the risk of having the dog end up with HW. Treatment for HW is not pretty

As for Flea preventative, does your dog have fleas? If not, well I wouldn't use anything, we already put enough junk in and on our dogs.

I haven't had a flea on any of my dogs in years and use 'nothing'.

llombardo · 11-24-2012, 07:58 AM

I have all of my dogs on heartworm treatment all year round. As far as flea medicine, I treat them from March-Oct, but not monthly..I use frontline every 3 months. I don't like the idea of treating them topically with something every month, every three months is pushing it.

**JeanKBBMMMAAN** · 11-24-2012, 08:27 AM

Big Dogs, Big Heartworm: So This Is What Heartworm Treatment Looks Like?

I've had 3 fosters go through heartworm treatment and use HW medications on my dogs. The summer that my last foster had her treatment, we had 7 dogs with HW from places that people think there isn't HW disease.

I don't know what your tick situation is there - but would consider looking at that with the topicals. I had never seen a tick here before, and no one had fleas, so I didn't use any topicals this year. This fall, I found 1 brown tick on 2 dogs so that is a concern.

Be sure to know what HW med your dog is on and that it is not already a HW/flea combo.

WilsonRandy · 11-24-2012, 08:36 AM

Heartworm prevention with Ivermectin is a must. What you should realize is that using Heartguard or similar commercial preparations is a complete rip-off.

Assuming your dog is MDR1 negative you can simply use liquid or paste Ivermectin.

Ivermectin is a very safe compound and anyone can learn how to dose it properly for pennies a dose.

11-24-2012, 03:54 AM	#1 (permalink)
julie87 Master Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: CA Posts: 717	Question on heartworm prevention and flea treatment I live in northern California, so far my 7 month old GSD got 2 heartworm preventives, I heard bad things about them. Are benefits greater than risks? Also, what is the best flea treatment?Thanks.

11-24-2012, 05:51 AM	#3 (permalink)
doggiedad Crowned Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Jenkintown,Pa. Posts: 12,929	i think the benefits are geater than the risk. __________________ "Life Without A Dog Is A Life Unfulfilled"

11-24-2012, 07:51 AM	#4 (permalink)
JakodaCD OA Moderator Join Date: May 2000 Location: Old Lyme, CT USA Posts: 17,722	I also think the benefits of HW meds far out way the risk of having the dog end up with HW. Treatment for HW is not pretty As for Flea preventative, does your dog have fleas? If not, well I wouldn't use anything, we already put enough junk in and on our dogs. I haven't had a flea on any of my dogs in years and use 'nothing'. __________________ Diane Danger Danger vom Kleinen Hain aka Masi "Angel" Jakoda's Bewitchen Sami CD OA OAJ OAC NGC OJC RS-O GS-N JS-O TT HIC CGC "Angel" Steinwald's Four x Four CGC HIC TT Harmonyhill's Hy Jynx NA NAJ NAC NJC RS-N JS-N HIC Jakoda's Jagged Edge

11-24-2012, 07:58 AM	#5 (permalink)
llombardo Crowned Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Illinois Posts: 5,134	I have all of my dogs on heartworm treatment all year round. As far as flea medicine, I treat them from March-Oct, but not monthly..I use frontline every 3 months. I don't like the idea of treating them topically with something every month, every three months is pushing it. __________________ Misty- Samoyed Mix Tannor- Golden Retriever CGC Robyn- German Shepherd CGC Midnite-German Shepherd "A dog is the only thing on this earth that loves you more than he loves himself."

11-24-2012, 08:27 AM	#6 (permalink)
JeanKBBMMMAAN The Rescues Rule Administrator Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 22,838	Big Dogs, Big Heartworm: So This Is What Heartworm Treatment Looks Like? I've had 3 fosters go through heartworm treatment and use HW medications on my dogs. The summer that my last foster had her treatment, we had 7 dogs with HW from places that people think there isn't HW disease. I don't know what your tick situation is there - but would consider looking at that with the topicals. I had never seen a tick here before, and no one had fleas, so I didn't use any topicals this year. This fall, I found 1 brown tick on 2 dogs so that is a concern. Be sure to know what HW med your dog is on and that it is not already a HW/flea combo. __________________ Help IMOM help Pets www.imom.org Help a rescue: wish some big dogs a Happy Howliday! www.bigdogsbighearts.blogspot.com Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight. Albert Schweitzer

11-24-2012, 04:01 AM	#2 (permalink)
kelina Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: PA Posts: 232	Oatmeal FLEA AND TICK REMOVAL SHAMPOO!!! you can buy this at petco! Works for me! And heartworms? Not so sure sorry julie! But benefits to me at least are better than risk.. you have your dog o two heart worm preventatives, the risk of preventing it is..? Lol

11-24-2012, 08:36 AM	#7 (permalink)
WilsonRandy Banned Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 10	Heartworm prevention with Ivermectin is a must. What you should realize is that using Heartguard or similar commercial preparations is a complete rip-off. Assuming your dog is MDR1 negative you can simply use liquid or paste Ivermectin. Ivermectin is a very safe compound and anyone can learn how to dose it properly for pennies a dose.

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