Question for doggie owners

saschaduran

Do you give your dog monthly heartworm pills?  My vet recently started recommending them because they said that Vegas is starting to get more mosquitos.  Which is sad news, because I love living in a mosquito free city.

nda_roxybabe

Oooh...I don't but I'm pretty sure he gets one everytime he goes to the vet...

ndzenowski

Yes, is your dog on any sort of heartworm prevention?

WildRumpus

My parent's dogs all get monthly heartworm meds.

[Deleted User]

um, yeah.  it's shocking to me that you don't, sascha and nda.

nda_roxybabe

Back home we didn't have to worry about that kind of stuff so I'm not used to it...but I probably should double check with the vet...

janedoe1113a

Yes and monthly flea and tick meds.

sunflower1998

Yes! As a former vet employee, I would recommend it even without mosquitos. They protect against other parasites that are not mosquito-related as well.

saralinn1

Yes the mosquitos are really bad here so my vet started her very young.

[Deleted User]

I probably should double check with the vet...has your vet never brought this up?  i'm just flabbergasted.

saschaduran

They get heartworm medication when they get immunizations, but they have never talked to me before about a monthly pill.  We don't have mosquitos or fleas or ticks in our area, so I guess it is not regular protocol here.  I have never been told that before.

ThePinkSuperhero

Yup!  We use the Heartguard chewables, which she loves.

ndzenowski

nda- You have to worry about that anywhere. You DO NOT want your dog to get heartworms. =(

nda_roxybabe

Ew, honestly, the vet has given his medication when he is there but has not brought up me giving it to him monthly. I will be calling the vet tomorrow.

mrsLesGrossman

ndezendowski, I did not need to see the alfalfa stuffed heart.  For cereal. 

ndzenowski

It reminds me more of spaghetti.

saschaduran

Oh my god.  Ok...I will definitely be buying the monthly pills.  And questioning my vet as to why he has never mentioned this before!Thank you everyone:)

mrsLesGrossman

You're nasty. 

[Deleted User]

ndezendowski, I did not need to see the alfalfa stuffed heart. apparently, some people do.

ndzenowski

Nasty but observant.

sunflower1998

If you think the pic is ugly, you should see an actual infected heart in a jar. Now that's a lovely site! We had one in every exam room just to emphasize the point!

saschaduran

Ok, I just did some googling and read that it is a rather new phenomenon in the Western states, especially Nevada, Arizona, and Utah.  So maybe that is why the vet is only recently recommending it. 

nda_roxybabe

Ok, good, cause I was getting ready to jump down the vets throat tomorrow...

saschaduran

I know!  I was starting to get really upset.  I will be doing this from now on though.  Especially because we take them to California sometimes, and they are having more cases than the Southwest.

brookelynpaisley

Thanks for reminding me I need to pick up more Heartgard 

MissIntentional

my vets never mentioned it. i just give her advantage.

*BeachBride0410*

Yes and monthly flea and tick meds.Ditto.....some people think its only important when the dog is younger, but if your dog is around other dogs, its important.  We just do it every month.

stoutcrowley

I give both dogs heartworm meds every month as well as frontline on them and their yearly, tri-yearly shots(rabies), but I live in IL where mosquitos and other pests are harmful to pets so it's always been a given in this area to protect your pet...

AlexiaANDRobert

Mia and Lola get monthly heart worm preventative, but I do fleas and ticks as needed. After talking to my vet, we decided the extra pesticides aren't that necessary. Heart worm treatment (after the dog is infected) is EXTREMELY expensive and is NOT guaranteed to work.  Make sure you test your dog for heart worms BEFORE you start preventatives.  If your dog is already infected the precentative could do more harm than good. GL!