Heartworm meds question........... - Page 1

I know alot of people do not vaccinate except for normal puppy vacc. and yearly rabies (myself included) but what would your opinion be on stopping heartworm meds to an older dog 7yrs and up that has been on it since puppyhood. Does it stay in the system like a vaccine? My sister has a 7yr old golden and asked me if she could stop heartworm meds since he never leaves the yard and only goes on walks occasionally.

This question got me thinking, if a dog has been on heartworm meds all its life do you really have to give it after they are older. I give my dog the meds only in the warm months and she has yearly blood tests to check for heartworm. She has always been neg but because I am very active with my dogs and they go swimming, forest preserves and compete in obedience I feel she still needs to be on the preventive meds because of what we do but does she REALLY need to be. She will 6 this year. I have heard of older dogs having heartworm (mostly rescues) but they were probably never on it in the first place. Curious on what others think about this.

Denise

there is no lasting coverage, which is why it is given once a month.   if you want your dog to be protected, you have to continue giving the preventative.

Heartworm preventatives move in and out of the dogs system in about 12 hours..... there is no residual .... however any infected mosquito bite can start a lifecycle..all heartworm meds give you about 45 days, but for most people it is easier to give once amonth.. I do it every 6-8 weeks ..mark it on the calendar

Have to be careful about stopping meds seasonally... I used to live in New England and worked in a clinic there and our rule of thumb was (if you had to take the dog off preventative).. you did after the first killing frost.... and started up again with your test before it got too warm in the spring

However, even in Connecticut we recommended people keep their dogs on year round.... and spreading out the dosage reduces the number of times you actually give meds...

I would never suggest stopping reventative on an old dog..... mosquitoes come inside and populate everywhere and even in CT, a 50 degree day in February would wake them up!!

I agree 100%. I live in the Midwest so I can give the preventative 6mo out of the year.  My dogs will always be on the preventative and I told my sister to decide on her own if she wants to stop or continue. I did tell her she is taking  big chance on stopping. Thanks for your input.

Denise

My husband and I just discussed this with our Vet.  He said year round in this area (Northeast) is not necessary.  We keep them all on medication from June until the first killing frost and have them tested again in spring.  Mosquitoes carry heartworm and can be indoors, in the yard and anywhere we and the dogs are, so as far as a dog that is only in it's own house and yard, that's no guarantee.  I wouldn't take a chance with heartworm.