Heartworm prevention??

does my dog has to go every month to the vet to get heartworm prevention??

Heartworm prevention??
They will sell you a years supply after you get the dog tested.
Reply:No. As long as your dog has tested negative for heartworm, it is safe to give the preventative. I buy mine from the vet. It comes with 6 doses (for 6 months). You just give the pill once a month, and no need ot go to the vet except to pick it up.
Reply:You can buy a box of heartworm preventative from your vet after your dog has tested negative for heartworms. A box usually contains a six month supply and ranges anywhere from $25-$75 depending on what brand you buy. Some just prevent heartworms, others prevent heartworms, fleas, ticks, and other kinds of worms.





By keeping your dog on heartworm preventative year round, you won't have to keep having it tested for heartworms and you can keep it healthy. Treatment for heartworms is very rough on a dog's body and very expensive. Spending $100 or so a year to keep your dog heartworm free is well worth the money.
Reply:You can buy the monthly medication (like Heartgard, Interceptor) at your vet's office. I use Interceptor, each box has six pills inside.
Reply:No, you take the medication home and give it to the dog yourself.
Reply:Hello:


Your Dog does not have to go to the Vet every month to


get heartworm prevention, but you do to pick up the pills


for the dog. They have chewables so it is quite easy.


If you take your dog you pay for a visit. If you just pick-up


the heartworm there isn't an office fee.


HOWEVER, if this is the first time you are purchasing the


product then you need to take the dog to have his blood


checked for if the poor thing has heartworm already then


it needs something more.


Hope this helps.
Reply:You do not need to go every month. Your vet will/should sell you a 6 month supply or even a years supply of heartworm preventative. However, heartworm preventative is not 100% effective. Your dog can still get heartworms though it is highly unlikely. That is why you have to have your dog tested each year to refill the prescription. Additionally, if you give the medication to a dog WITH heartworms it will make the dog sicker.


Thank you for preventing heartworms. Those that think they're dog won't get them for whatever reason are simply ignorant. Any dog can get heartworms and it's a slow, painful death. I've seen it first hand in Boxer Rescue.
Reply:No, your pet should not have to go to the vet monthly to receive his/her heartworm preventative. Generally, after testing negative for heartworms with a yearly check-up you can purchase whatever brand of heartworm preventative you like in a 6mo or 12mo supply. Most veterinarians, however, frown on the 12mo supply due to the simple fact that a year is an extremely long time to go without seeing your patients! I suggest an occasional mid-year heartworm check just to be on the safe side and ensure that your pet is indeed getting their much-needed medication!


Hope this helps!
Reply:No the vet will check once a year through bloodwork for heartworms. They sell heartworm prevention in 6 packs, which is a 6 month supply. It usually runs $20 to $30 depending on the size of your dog and what your vet charges and what brand of heartworm prevention they carry.





The importance of heartworm prevention


Heartworm - a parasite that lives in the blood of dogs and attacks the heart - can kill your pet. That's the bad news. Treatment of an infected dog, if caught early enough, can be effective. And prevention can safeguard your pet from ever suffering from this deadly worm. That's the good news.





Heartworm is fairly new to California. Before 1980, the parasite was confined to the southern and eastern parts of the United States. But in the last decade, heartworm has established itself in the West. Unfortunately, it looks like it is here to stay. Pet owners will have to learn about this pest and take routine precautions to keep their dogs heartworm- free.





What is heartworm?


Heartworm is a parasite that uses dogs as a host. When they are immature, the worms (microfilariae) are small and circulate in the blood. Adult worms can grow to more than 12 inches long and live in the heart. An untreated infection leads to congestive heart failure and eventually





How do dogs get heartworm?


Heartworm is transmitted by the mosquito. A mosquito bites an infected animal and passes infected blood onto the next animal that it bites. Bay Area winters are not cold enough to kill mosquitoes, so heartworm is a year-round threat here.





Isn't this still pretty rare? What's the chance of my dog being infected?


Today, about 1.3% of dogs in northern California test positive for heartworm, and the percentage is climbing. Is some areas it's up to 17%! However, the Katrina disaster has resulted in many homeless dogs moving to California. Louisiana is one of the top five states for heartworm disease, and up to 80% of dogs resuced from there carried heartworm. This influx of carriers into California has the potential to greatly reaise the incidence of Heartworm here.





Can all dogs get heartworm? What about puppies?


Heartworm infects dogs of any age, but most infections occur in dogs between four and seven years old. Dogs that live outside are four-to-five times more likely to become infected that indoor pets.





What are the symptoms of heartworm infection? How can I tell if my dog has heartworm?


There are no symptoms during the early stages of infection. When adult worms attack the heart, common symptoms include chronic coughing, labored breathing, difficulty exercising, fainting, blood in the saliva, and heart disease.





Can heartworm be treated?


Drug treatment in the early stages of infection, when there are no adult worms, is usually effective and poses few problems to your pet. Adult worms can be treated, but the drugs used and the adult worm die-off can be potentially life threatening.





We carry Heartgard from Merial. While a little more expensive than generics, Merial carries a guarentee for their product. If you can demonstrate that your pet has been on Heartgard (such as by providing receipts) they will cover the cost of treatment.





How can I find out if my dog has been infected?


We can perform two tests to check for infection. The Difil test checks for microfilariae or immature worms circulating in the blood. An occult heartworm test checks for the proteins (antigens) given off by adult worms. University Veterinary Hospital is equipped to perform both tests in our own laboratory.





How can I prevent my dog from ever being infected with heartworm?


The first step is a blood test to make sure your pet is not infected. If your pet has no signs of heartworm, a monthly pill (we recommend Heartgard) will keep your dog free of the parasite.





Please make an appointment today to test your dog


The first step in protecting your dog's health is the blood test. The test for heartworm is simple and causes little discomfort.





Save money and protect your pet before mosquito season is in full swing!


http://www.uvhberkeley.com/index.php?Pag...
Reply:no, he just needs to go once for a heartworm test to be sure he doesnt have HW, and that its safe to start the treatment. After that you can stop at the vet and pick it up.. you can buy a few months worth at a time, or a year's worth.
Reply:It depends on your dog's age and size. If you have a growing puppy, then it is best to bring him in once a month to get weighed, so you can give him the correct dose. Each different dose is based on weight. If your dog is an adult, or done growing, then your veterinarian will be able to give you a year's supply, so you don't have to keep going back to the vet to pick it up.

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