Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Nicole K on January 12, 2010 at 11:47am

I haven't posted here in a long time, but I feel compelled to post on this subject. I would say that the preventative is relatively inexpensive, and it's a once-a-month pill that your dog will probably take just like a treat. Combined with how serious heartworms can be, I decided it's well worth it to just do the treatment and not take the risk.
Granted, I grew up in Houston, where mosquitos abound, and so do heartworms. But keep in mind that we have plenty of snowbirds from more humid climates, in addition to tourists and others who migrate here year-round. Also, do you ever take your dog hiking? To the dog park? On long walks? Even if your dog is not left outside all day, your dog is probably exposed to the outdoors on a regular basis.
I agree that the chances are much lower here in AZ. I wouldn't say that someone here who doesn't use heartworm preventative is a horrible person, or anything. But I think that the risk is based on a combination of probability and the consequence. Have you looked into what heartworms can do and what the treatment is like? For a mild case, it's a 3-month process.
Bottom line: It's a pretty easy thing to prevent, and a really difficult thing to address once your dog already has it.

Permalink Reply by Alice on January 12, 2010 at 12:53pm

Thank you Nicole. Yes, i do know how serious heartworm is and how they go about treating it and yes, I realize the preventatives are easy to give and inexpensive to buy. What bothers me is what long term effect the medication may have on the dog. there is some controversy on how it may damage the kidneys, liver and immune system and I don't know if it's worth risking Finn's long term health. I keep going back and forth with my decision.

Permalink Reply by Candie K. on January 12, 2010 at 12:14pm

I understand that it is your priorty to keep Finnigan healthy. I've also heard that the risk in AZ is not as high as in other regions. However, I have both Lilo and Zelda on Interceptor. I get it from Pet Meds and it's only $10 per month. So, I say: what's the harm? Lilo's been on it since he was a puppy. Although there aren't as many insects that cause the disease here, I've also been told by another vet that they can get it from eating dirt. *Shrug.* Z loves the flavor tabs and gobbles them right up. Her brother is a bit more picky so we have to administer it like any other pill. Being inexpensive and easy to give, I would say that it's well worth it, too! I hope this helps. :)

Permalink Reply by Alice on January 12, 2010 at 12:56pm

Thank you Candie. I'm glad you shared which brand you use as well.

Permalink Reply by Jennifer on January 12, 2010 at 2:43pm

I have Molly on Revolution at the moment. I opted for that particular brand because we live in a neighborhood with a lot of horse property, and I know a few dog owners in our area that have had issues with ticks. She's been on it for about 6 months now, and hasn't had any side effects from it (thank goodness). I'm not wild about the idea of having her on meds if they're not really needed, but in the end I know I would feel terrible if something DID happen to her and I didn't do everything I could to prevent it.

Permalink Reply by Alice on January 14, 2010 at 10:28am

I guess that's what I'm struggling with. What if I don't put him on it and he ends up with heartworms even though it's very unlikely. At the same time, what if I do put him on it and it has long term serious side effects, permanently damaging his health in an effort to protect him from something that was unlikely to ever effect him. I want him to be healthy and I don't know which is the better route to go.

Permalink Reply by Co and Winston on August 26, 2011 at 4:39pm

I know that I am joining this conversation really late, but maybe it will help out someone new reading this and looking for input.

Winston is on Interceptor. He takes one pill on the first of every month. He never appears to have any physical symptoms from taking the medicine and we found out that we don't even have to hide it in a treat to get him to eat it. He just gobbles it right down.

It's important to get your dog checked for heartworm before starting the treatment or have him de-wormed before starting the treatment. Because of this, it will cost a little extra because you will have to include a vet visit, but it is better than purchasing the meds online and not administering it correctly. A medicine packet will provide you with a year worth of doses. Your pup will need to be tested for heartworm by the vet every 2 years after beginning treatment.

I made the mistake of assuming that my dog would not get ticks since he is an inside dog. Then we moved in to a new house in Arizona that was a foreclosure with a serious weed problem in the back yard. My husband took a weed wacker to our backyard jungle and Winston came into the house with a tick. We did not catch it until the head was already embedded. He is now on Advantix as well. Better safe than sorry, especially if the medicine does not seem to affect his daily life and energy levels. I guess you could always wonder if it is affecting his liver, but in Arizona pups can get tick fever which I hear is also pretty bad. Hope that helps :)