Heartworm yearly blood tests?

[Darren]

We don't get heartworm here so Monty is ok there. I keep him on his flea medication (stronghold) every month all year. The vet said he had one of the worst flea infections he had ever seen when I got him. You couldn't see his skin for black dots, by the afternoon they were bouncing all over my carpets. It took so much home and dog cleaning to get it under control again it's just not worth the risk for me.

 

[ghggp]

We don't get heartworm here so Monty is ok there. I keep him on his flea medication (stronghold) every month all year. The vet said he had one of the worst flea infections he had ever seen when I got him. You couldn't see his skin for black dots, by the afternoon they were bouncing all over my carpets. It took so much home and dog cleaning to get it under control again it's just not worth the risk for me.

I had two Persian cats before I had my Shelties. It was a beautiful fall day so I let them outside on my patio. Big mistake! One of the or both got fleas and brought them into the house! I had a hell of a time getting rid of them. Certainly not an experience I wound want to relive!
Jasmine our little female was full of fleas when they rescued her! Lucky the rescue got rid of them before we got her.

 

[Hanne]

We can not vaccinate against heartworm,
think it is another species we have here in Europe,
as these worms need a host = a snail
that the dog must eat to get heartworm.

We also have lungworm and the same applies

Fortunately, Minnie does not eat such things,
because I am terrified that Minnie will get these heartworm.

 

[ghggp]

We can not vaccinate against heartworm,
think it is another species we have here in Europe,
as these worms need a host = a snail
that the dog must eat to get heartworm.

We also have lungworm and the same applies

Fortunately, Minnie does not eat such things,
because I am terrified that Minnie will get these heartworm.

Good girl Minnie! Save you mom grey hairs from worry!

 

[Sandy in CT]

Just curious... since I feed the birds and squirrels are around that carry fleas I still do use Frontline all winter too... thoughts?

Personally, I don't do wildlife feeders. I have my dogs, I have my cat (100% indoors), I have my chickens. I do NOT do bird feeders -EVER. When we were first married, I fed the birds, squirrels, whatever got food from my many feeders. Until the day I went to refill and ended up with ticks, lots of ticks on my legs. You think of deer with ticks, right? Birds and squirrels, chipmunks, mice are far greater carriers. I love to see the birds, I have neighbors who feed the birds, never again though will I have feeders for them. If I was elderly and only sat inside and looked out a window and enjoyed seeing the birds (my mom did this when she was first ill), I can see it. But so long as I have dogs, I will not ask for any additional wildlife in my yard that can sicken them in any way. Ba-humbug!

 

[Sandy in CT]

I follow Jean Dodds' protocol on how long to give heartworm meds. Here's a link to the article that explains it with specifics for each state.

This is who I have followed for years. I do her, every 45 days on my Frontline Plus and Heartguard and have since the days of our first doxie. I think she had this protocol out long before the 2013 date on the article, although that article is more detailed with the months active by state. I don't follow her months on as listed. I go by temps. Some years we may have bitter cold, some years mild - so I pay more attention to the temperatures than the calendar - except for that 45 day protocol - easy to keep track of when you put it on the calendar habitually.

 

[Ron Atkinson]

Here my Vet will not provide the medication without the testing being done. I give the heartworm and flea and tick medicine year round.
After my Vet explained how the flea and tick medicine worked, I also added a ultrasonic dog tag to Teddy's collar.
I don't hear many comments about them and I would never let it be the only flea and tick prevention,but I figured it can't do any harm. Especially how much he likes to roll around in the grass.