Registered: Jan 2012
Location: Shepherdsville, KY
Posts: 610

I recently got a new female and she has not been on a heart worm preventative med that I know of. Is it ok to just start the medication or should she be checked before I start it? She is healthy now and hunts, runs and eats well. Thanks for any advice.

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Registered: Jun 2010
Location: walhalla, sc
Posts: 92

I'd take her to the vet and get a heart worm check, its not very expensive. If she does have heart worms and you start the meds it could kill her.

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Registered: Mar 2009
Location: OKLA
Posts: 1125

quote:

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Originally posted by KYHoundDawg
I recently got a new female and she has not been on a heart worm preventative med that I know of. Is it ok to just start the medication or should she be checked before I start it? She is healthy now and hunts, runs and eats well. Thanks for any advice.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4502

depends on age of dog. I do not get pups tested, I just start meds. but an older dog, I'd for sure get it tested.

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Registered: Oct 2005
Location: SC
Posts: 3709

Over 6 months old is the rule the vets use at my work.

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Registered: Mar 2008
Location: Western N.Y.
Posts: 3995

Lotsa vets are crooks, if dosed properly preventative doesnt kill the adult worms, which is the danger. I know guys that have cured dogs with heartworm over a long period by treating them with preventative.

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Registered: Dec 2004
Location: Bearden AR
Posts: 1735

I got a beagle that has heart worms. Got him about 6 years ago. I had him checked and he had heart worms. I gave him half a dose of ivermec with no problem. Vet said it would help but wouldn't cure him. He's 15 now. So I guess there is life after heart worms.

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Registered: Nov 2010
Location: oklahoma
Posts: 91

I have a female that checked positive for heartworms. She had been on ivomec monthly since she was 8 months old. Before the vet would give her the heartworm treatment he put her on Iverhart plus for 2or 3 months to kill baby worms. So I don't think it will hurt to start her on preventative but she could still have adult heartworms that the preventative may not kill.

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Registered: Jan 2012
Location: canton texas
Posts: 709

one thing about having them checked , even if they are on a preventive they will still test positive for the micro filaria [which is all they test for ] . what i'm saying is if you treat on the first of the month and have them tested on the 29th they could test positive . I don't hardly ever buy older dogs but the couple I did I just started on a lower dose of ivomect the first couple months and then give the the regular dosage per weight . like said the ivomect doesn't kill the adults just the larva .

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Registered: Apr 2011
Location: Wabash, Indiana
Posts: 122

I have a good friend that is a vet and he tells me lots of stuff that vets dont want you to know. Ivermectin has to be given at 40 x the normal dosage to be lethal. The vets will always tell you that you have to have them tested before starting them on preventative because they want to get your money. Ivermectin only kills the larvae or eggs. If you have one that test positive you can treat them slowly over time but you must continue to give the preventative and let the adult worms live out their life cycle. It is much easier on the dog than the aggresive treatment which kills the adult worms then you have to worry about the worms causing damage to the lungs when they pass through the dogs system and become lodged. I am no vet but I know when some one is trying to get in my back pocket. Go check out this web site if you don't believe me.


http://www.oldcountryvet.com/youtube_heartworm.html

Last edited by Justin Jones on 09-07-2013 at 07:11 AM

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Registered: Dec 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 2027

Kinda late to be finding out now after you purchased the dog.

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Registered: Sep 2008
Location: Greeneville,Tn
Posts: 848

go to oldcountryvet.com and read what he says about heartworm test and how to cure them you may be in shock once you do hope this helps

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Registered: Jan 2012
Location: Shepherdsville, KY
Posts: 610

quote:

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Originally posted by Fisher13
Kinda late to be finding out now after you purchased the dog.

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Registered: Feb 2007
Location: Pomeroy, Ohio
Posts: 2843

I had a dog that tested positive for heartworms. Gave him a monthly dose of preventative, basicly less than a 1/10th of a cc of ivomec, every 2 weeks for 15 months. He was retested and it came back negative. The Heartworm Prevention Council's website says that if a dog has heartworms to get it treated, But, if the 1st treatment doesn't get all the adult worms, then don't treat the dog again just give the dog a regular monthly preventative and the dog should be heartworm free in I believe it said 18 months. So, from that statement and from what I experienced first hand, I would say that ivomec will kill adult worms slowly.

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Registered: Apr 2011
Location: Wabash, Indiana
Posts: 122

I think the problem with ivermectin is that peole do not give the proper dosage. By that I mean they don't give them enough. I know several peole who used it as a preventative and their dogs eneded up getting heartworms. I don't think they were giving their dogs enough of it. I have had 3 diferent vets tell me to give them 1/10 of a cc for every 10 lbs. So if you have a 100 lb dog give it 1 cc. 50 lb dog =1/2 cc. Also I think storge of the medicine may play a role also. Make sure if you buy a big bottle that you store it properly.

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