best flea medication and heartworm medication?

desnicvic · 02-10-2013, 05:08 PM

We recently brought home our new puppy. He turned 8 weeks yesterday. Ive been looking into the best flea treatment as well as heartworm medication. I am kind of concerned about the sensitivity in some herding breeds. The german shepherd was listed as one of the breeds that could have adverse affects when given these medications.

So i was wondering if any other german shepherd owners could suggest a good flea and tick and heartworm medication for the breed.

Mary Beth · 02-10-2013, 05:18 PM

I use Heartguard Plus for heartworm and Frontline Plus for the fles and ticks.

huntergreen · 02-10-2013, 07:04 PM

i can't suggest anything for such a young puppy.

Piper'sgrl · 02-10-2013, 08:49 PM

revolution or sentinal

DollBaby · 02-11-2013, 08:48 AM

I'm using Advantage Multi

Magwart · 02-11-2013, 08:56 AM

I just had a long conversation with my vet -- who is pretty thoughtful. We're in a heavy HW and flea area (Deep South).

I currently use Iverhart Plus (or Max) for HW currently because it's a generic form of the same active ingredients as Heartguard Plus -- and it costs about $28 per 6 pack at KV Supply online (free shipping when you order 2). I have not found a cheaper alternative online (though I've heard Walmart's Pet Trust form of Ivermectin, sold through their pharmacy, is even cheaper). I've also used Advantage for fleas for many years.

My vet thinks Advantage (and Frontline) may not be working as well as they used to, based on what he's seeing locally (they are 20-year-old products, with the active ingredients widely used in agriculture, so that makes some sense). He thinks Comfortis blows them away in terms of effectiveness for fleas. It ends up a little cheaper to give Trifexis (Comfortis + HW preventative) than to give Comfortis plus a separate HW pill.

However, his top recommendation for HW preventative is not Trifexis. It's Proheart, which is a shot given once every 6 months. The reason is compliance and convenience -- no one who is on it ever forgets to give the monthly pill, and the dog stays protected. I don't have that issue because we have a calendar alarm that goes off when all the dogs get the HW pill.

huntergreen · 02-11-2013, 02:01 PM

magwart, can these products be used on an 8 week old pup ?

Magwart · 02-11-2013, 05:30 PM

No idea -- you'd have to consult a vet on what to use on a pup that young, or what age to start treatment.

huntergreen · 02-11-2013, 07:04 PM

tks magwart, i was asking as the op has an 8 week old pup. don't want the next post to about a poisoned pup.

desnicvic · 02-13-2013, 11:51 PM

Thanks magwart. We actually live in Natchez, ms . So it's pretty overrun here too. I'll be ordering his hw and flea treatment soon. Thanks again

and thanks to everyone else too

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02-10-2013, 05:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
desnicvic New Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 5	best flea medication and heartworm medication? We recently brought home our new puppy. He turned 8 weeks yesterday. Ive been looking into the best flea treatment as well as heartworm medication. I am kind of concerned about the sensitivity in some herding breeds. The german shepherd was listed as one of the breeds that could have adverse affects when given these medications. So i was wondering if any other german shepherd owners could suggest a good flea and tick and heartworm medication for the breed.

02-10-2013, 05:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mary Beth Elite Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Pierre, South Dakota Posts: 1,275	I use Heartguard Plus for heartworm and Frontline Plus for the fles and ticks. __________________ Sting Chance von Gaard AKC GSD 2/8/2006

02-10-2013, 08:49 PM	#4 (permalink)
Piper'sgrl Master Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Innerkip, Ontario Posts: 609	revolution or sentinal __________________ Piper ~01/16/2012

02-13-2013, 11:51 PM	#10 (permalink)
desnicvic New Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 5	best flea medication and heartworm medication? Thanks magwart. We actually live in Natchez, ms . So it's pretty overrun here too. I'll be ordering his hw and flea treatment soon. Thanks again and thanks to everyone else too Sent from Petguide.com Free App

02-10-2013, 07:04 PM	#3 (permalink)
huntergreen Elite Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 1,197	i can't suggest anything for such a young puppy.

02-11-2013, 08:48 AM	#5 (permalink)
DollBaby Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 81	I'm using Advantage Multi

02-11-2013, 08:56 AM	#6 (permalink)
Magwart Master Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 561	I just had a long conversation with my vet -- who is pretty thoughtful. We're in a heavy HW and flea area (Deep South). I currently use Iverhart Plus (or Max) for HW currently because it's a generic form of the same active ingredients as Heartguard Plus -- and it costs about $28 per 6 pack at KV Supply online (free shipping when you order 2). I have not found a cheaper alternative online (though I've heard Walmart's Pet Trust form of Ivermectin, sold through their pharmacy, is even cheaper). I've also used Advantage for fleas for many years. My vet thinks Advantage (and Frontline) may not be working as well as they used to, based on what he's seeing locally (they are 20-year-old products, with the active ingredients widely used in agriculture, so that makes some sense). He thinks Comfortis blows them away in terms of effectiveness for fleas. It ends up a little cheaper to give Trifexis (Comfortis + HW preventative) than to give Comfortis plus a separate HW pill. However, his top recommendation for HW preventative is not Trifexis. It's Proheart, which is a shot given once every 6 months. The reason is compliance and convenience -- no one who is on it ever forgets to give the monthly pill, and the dog stays protected. I don't have that issue because we have a calendar alarm that goes off when all the dogs get the HW pill.

02-11-2013, 02:01 PM	#7 (permalink)
huntergreen Elite Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 1,197	magwart, can these products be used on an 8 week old pup ?

02-11-2013, 05:30 PM	#8 (permalink)
Magwart Master Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 561	No idea -- you'd have to consult a vet on what to use on a pup that young, or what age to start treatment.

02-11-2013, 07:04 PM	#9 (permalink)
huntergreen Elite Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 1,197	tks magwart, i was asking as the op has an 8 week old pup. don't want the next post to about a poisoned pup.

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