Veterinary Question (NF) Dogs and Heartworm

[Joey]

So I just booked an appt with the Vet for Ralphie to get his nails clipped (he will not allow me to do it, goes psycho). After his back surgery, I can't take the chance of him flipping about when I try.

 

Anyhow, they said it was heartworm season and I should also get the heartworm meds, which I do every year and administer from June to November. So then she says we should also test him for heartworm in case he got it last year. I questioned why he would need the test if he has been administered the heartworm meds every year from June to November no fail, and of course, the test will cost money. She agreed the test was not cheap.

 

Does anyone here administer the heartworm meds AND get the test done too???

 

As much as I like my vet, I'm wondering if this is some kind of cash grab!!!

 

 

[porkpie]

Cash grab. It's your money, but I don't even treat my dog.

[oldschool]

Joey, I think that the vet is covering all possible bases with you in terms of taking care of Ralphie. While I am in this industry for many years, and I am not a veterinarian, I hear always that few vaccinations/treatments are 100%, and to know for certain whether a problem exists is to have the test. Your vet may know you quite well, and this may not be the situation for you, but many times they see pets that have had treatments skipped by accident, and they know that there is a chance for the disease to find a home in the pets. Heartworm is difficult to treat once established, and the sooner one knows, the better and less expensive the outcome. Heartworm has few symptoms until really late when it may not help to do the cure. Recommended treatments are for year around immunity, but that's usually not necessary, so many people skip treatments in the winter months. But it can happen that they become infected when we don't expect it. That's why the tests are done, to avoid heartworms doing damage because an ounce of prevention is much better than the pound of cure. I am sorry that I cannot be more definitive for you. You know the care that you give Ralphie, and that is really what tells the story. For what it's worth, I think that the vet is just doing everything possible to assure against any future issues.

[Joey]

Joey, I think that the vet is covering all possible bases with you in terms of taking care of Ralphie. While I am in this industry for many years, and I am not a veterinarian, I hear always that few vaccinations/treatments are 100%, and to know for certain whether a problem exists is to have the test. Your vet may know you quite well, and this may not be the situation for you, but many times they see pets that have had treatments skipped by accident, and they know that there is a chance for the disease to find a home in the pets. Heartworm is difficult to treat once established, and the sooner one knows, the better and less expensive the outcome. Heartworm has few symptoms until really late when it may not help to do the cure. Recommended treatments are for year around immunity, but that's usually not necessary, so many people skip treatments in the winter months. But it can happen that they become infected when we don't expect it. That's why the tests are done, to avoid heartworms doing damage because an ounce of prevention is much better than the pound of cure. I am sorry that I cannot be more definitive for you. You know the care that you give Ralphie, and that is really what tells the story. For what it's worth, I think that the vet is just doing everything possible to assure against any future issues.

 

Thank you Oldschool, that makes sense. We did have mosquitoes here in early May and we do go into the bushes and up north alot. Guess I should not take chances.

 

Appreciate the responses.

[Raf]

We do may to november on ours with revolution, skip the winter months and skip the heatworm test. I agree, vet is just covering bases. If the test is expensive maybe keep him on the treatments year round if you are concerned.

[Mister G]

Had several dogs when I was a kid and the only time one seen a vet when he got rolled by a car......don't worry Chico was OK.......

 

But since then my "wife" has taken the dog to the vet for just about ANYTHING but I never heard about a test for last years heart work test.........and BELIEVE me she makes sure her puppy gets check for everything......and we have a nice who's a vet....damn where that family discount ! ! !

[Burtess]

Our vet does the test every other year, and medicates for the summer half only. They will not sell the medication unless you do the test every other year. I thought this was standard?

 

Burt

[OhioFisherman]

https://www.heartwormsociety.org/pet-owner-resources/heartworm-basics

 

" The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labeling on heartworm preventives states that the medication is to be used by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian. This means heartworm preventives must be purchased from your veterinarian or with a prescription through a pet pharmacy Prior to prescribing a heartworm preventive, the veterinarian typically performs a heartworm test to make sure your pet doesn't already have adult heartworms, as giving preventives can lead to rare but possibly severe reactions that could be harmful or even fatal. It is not necessary to test very young puppies or kittens prior to starting preventives since it takes approximately 6 months for heartworms to develop to adulthood. If the heartworm testing is negative, prevention medication is prescribed. "

 

My dog gets tested and gets Heartworm medicine, I recalled seeing the info on testing and reactions if given the medicine without testing.

[SuperDave]

my vet does the test every 2nd year. Every year is overkill. Still, love my dog so much, I would feel awful if he got it due to my negligence.

[Joey]

Okay, well the first year he was a puppy so didn't need the meds or test, second year I got the test before we administered the meds for 6 months, then last year no test but administered the meds, so this is the next year after that so if you guys are saying testing every two years, I guess that makes sense and it is due.

 

Thanks all

[Paudash]

skip the tests and save your money. Buy the meds on line

[captpierre]

As a vet I can tell you a heartworm test every other year is a good idea. We also test for 3 tick diseases including Lyme on the same sample. Tick and flea prevention should start ideally in April as soon as it greens up. Heartworm and intestinal parasite prevention meds should start June 1.

Your vet will guide you as to which meds are appropriate for your dog.

Seeing lots of ticks this spring and quite a few Lyme positive dogs.

Some folks don't participants in routine parasite prevention but they are gambling with their dog's health

Cheers

[Rich Clemens]

We keep,our two dogs on the heartworm meds all year around. Our vet has never mentioned getting a test to make sure they don't have them. Could be that they have been on the men's since we got them.

[DanD]

We had blood tests done on our two dogs this spring and Rosco's test came back positive for Lyme disease; he's on meds for it now. There were no symptoms at all and we wouldn't have known, if it were not for the tests.

Our vet says that he's a young strong dog; the disease was caught in its early stages and thinks that Rosco should have a full recovery?

Even now after being on the meds for about 2 weeks; he's still the same happy go lucky 90lb Basette/Rottweiler he's always been.

 

 

Dan.