FYI for those who use Heartgard

[Justicemom]

Ok, that part of that whole thing is just stupid. I studied Biology as part of a bio-chem major for a while and as part of my Environmental Science BS in college, and the exact opposite is known to be true. The shorter the life cycle of an animal the FASTER a resistance is built up.

i.e. 1/1000000000000000 survives the drug because of a resistance, it breeds, reproduces, and passes on the genetic ability to be resistant. now only 1/100 dies, so it becomes even more concentrated genetically. Eventually the drug becomes infective. The same thing has happened to people with those new killer bacteria found in hospitals. We used drugs too much and now we are paying for it.

In the case of heartworm I say we drop the amount we dose to once every other month instead of every month(the life cycle of heartworm is 4 months to maturity) and cycle the drug being used so that the chances of an immune strain becomes very very low

The problem with this is once the larve moves out of the L4 stage, the preventative will not kill the larve. The time frame for that is about 45 days. So every other month dosing is too late. If you give the preventative at 45 days that in theroy would work but if you forget a day or 2 again your too late. That is why 30 days was used as a dosing schedule. Easy too remember and with a buffer if it is forgotten for a few days.

 

[SheltieChe]

The problem with this is once the larve moves out of the L4 stage, the preventative will not kill the larve. The time frame for that is about 45 days. So every other month dosing is too late. If you give the preventative at 45 days that in theroy would work but if you forget a day or 2 again your too late. That is why 30 days was used as a dosing schedule. Easy too remember and with a buffer if it is forgotten for a few days.

no wonder I remember reading that if you can adhere to schedule 40 days is fine and 30 days was chosen just for convenience! Thank you for that tidbit of info.
I have been using some herbal bug sprays, keeping dogs in after sunset and Interceptor with 40 days schedule. I do want to minimize that chemical exposure but have not found yet good herbal/ homeopathic alternative.

 

[sable]

Subject is very interesting. Sounds like humans with anti-biotics, too much not a good thing.

A long time ago I was reading about the heartworm pills. I use Interceptor, that is what my vets sell to me. The article I read stated the meds do not have to be admisnistered every four weeks, six weeks is better because the meds remain in the system longer then four weeks. For some reason through the past years with Lucky and Lil' Lady that remained etched in my mind. I wait six weeks giving them their pills, I was a believer in this article.

 

[SheepOfBlue]

Seems to me the ultimate would be having to dissimilar treatments then alternate them. So the worm would have to resist two ways rather than one. That would lower the odds of a resistant strain a lot I would think.