billion dollar heartworm scam - Page 1

http://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com/2008/05/billion-dollar-heartworm-scam.html

The entire blog seems to be all about how preventative medicine and the veterinary community is a rip off. 

What a shame. 

Lots of lies on that website.  

Being in rescue in Texas, about 70-80% of the dogs we take in have heart worms.  I've seen severely affected ones collapse during play due to lack of blood supply.  Dogs can and do die from heart worm.  At least in the Southern states, heart worm IS a serious issue and it WILL kill a dog sooner than later.  

ok, I am going to have to raise my hand to this, I bought this for my dogs thinking I was being smart & trying to protect them from Heart worms......I
 am really great for buying things hook line & sinker lately as you very well know.

Having had a dog who acquired heartworms while on preventative, this article is full of Sh!$%%^!!!!!! In the South , heartworms are a major threat to ones dog. I suggest people ignore most of this article. I cannot say all of it as I read enough to know is is crap and stopped.

This person apparently has something against veterinarians. If you look at the other blog entries, they are all negative articles against vets. There are some true comments in this article....but heartworm disease is not something to take lightly. It does kill...the actual treatment once they are infected is horrible...just keep your dog on prevention.

The preventative for heartworm is so inexpensive compared to the treatment or loss of an affected dog.... really. 

Kennel Owners with several dogs can usually get injectable heartworm preventative (Ivomec) and either calculate the dose or have their vet calculate the dose. 

What most do not understand about heartworm preventative is that the prevention kills the larvae before they reach maturity and you do this every 30 days so you never end up with adulot heart worms residing in the heart.  Like any preventative, it is not a perfect answer.. some dogs in some breeds cannot take the preventative and sometimes it may not work for a variety of reasons. 

I do not villify veterinarians and maybe that is because I use a partnership clinic that offers 24 hour service (they have a large animal practice.. cattle mostly).  They have 5 veterinarians and of those two are gifted surgeons.  I have known the practice and the partnership vets for over 25  years.   Of course, I can do a lot of vet work myself and have assisted on emergency surgeries on my own animals (why does this always happen in the middle of the night?). 

They also tell me their side of the story.. and when you hear that you realize how very tough their job can be. 

Articles like the one posted (and the rest of that site actually) do nothing to make their job easier.   

Full of lies huh?  would you be so kind as to point them out.  I've done quite  a bit of independent research on this very subject about 10 years ago, and a lot of what is said on the blog pretty much falls in line with what I've found on my own and have discussed with various vets over those past 10 years.

I live in Texas, and while she is probably right about how many of the dogs have heartworm, she does not tell you that dogs are NOT taken care of very well here in the general public. 

I am too paranoid, so I treat my dogs monthly, but I can see what he is saying is true. 

Zdog, please share your independant research including double blind repeatable studies... as it would be most elucidating and helpful. 

Or is your "research" simply anecdotal?