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BPO Medical Forum => Treatment & Preventative Meds => : GYPSY JAZMINE October 04, 2005, 11:57:21 AM
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Both of my boys are on monthly Frontline & Heartgard...I live in Eastern IA so it will be getting cold here soon...Both of my dogs are indoor dogs with yard privleges...Sh ould I Frontline & Heartgard all year long or can I stop for the winter months?
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I stop in about Nov or if it gets cold earl and then start back up in the spring for both...I live in Mass
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I would not use HW preventive year round if theres no need for it. Remember Heartguard works 30 days backwards. With this in mind I take a mental note of the last warm spell and give my last pill that following month. We are having an Indian summer right now but once that break it will be in the low 60's as a high so this months pill I give on the 26th will be the last.
I use the same system with the first pill...a lot of vets will say start it on the first of April..that would mean there needed to be mosquito's in March..in Michigan..in the snow...lmao.
As far a flea preventive...f leas can live in your home year round so if you have seen then you may want to continue using it.
As always these are JMO~
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Thanks!!...Pippin had his Frontline & Heartgard this morning & Samson will get his on the 15th...I think we'll be until spring then.
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I have read that in order for mosquito's to produce the heartworm, the temperature has to be above 55 or 57 degrees for two weeks straight, so I watch the temperature. This summer I only had to apply Interceptor once, because I live in Northern Wisconsin and the temperature often dipped below 55 at night. And of course, I take my dogs to the Vet in about March to be tested before the next summer.
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I start in March or April depending on the weather and end in November. I give Kiah her last Frontline and heartguard on the 8th for this year.
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I use Interceptor instead of Heartguard & I stop in November. They have to be tested in the spring before we start meds again. As far as flea stuff it depends but I normally stop in the winter into the spring.
Multi animal house so I need to save where i can.
Carolyn
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Our weather's pretty wonky up here (yes, that's a technical term! ;)) but I usually stop in October/November, and start again in April/May. It's not unheard of for us to have a *White* Halloween, and have snow still on the ground for Mother's Day. :o
Besides, all the rain keeps the bloodsucker population down!
**We all have duck-feet up here, it's why my dog has webbed feet as well!*snicker**
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In the south we keep them on heartworm prevention year-round (I used to live in GA, now I'm in TN). You never know around here! Days are still in the 80's now, I was just outside being full-on attacked by mosquitoes! And we get some creepy warm days in November, and sometimes even January and February. The weird thing is that even though the dogs are on HWP all year long a test is still required once a year in order to have the prescription refilled.
I don't use flea control unless I see fleas, because Zoot has a reaction to Frontline and Advantage and he gets really itchy. I just gave Nigel his last Frontline for the year, and I'll start back up again in the spring but not until I see one. I use flea meds sparingly because I don't know what's in that stuff!!! But I sure hate fleas!!! We have been really lucky this year, they have picked up a few here and there but none in our house thank goodness!! :)
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Year-round for us in Alabama.
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Does anyone use Sentinel? That's both heartworm and fleas in one pill. I never even thought to stop giving Sadie the pill, even in the colder months, but I know we have fleas indoors so I don't want to stop giving it to her. It won't hurt her to give it to her year round will it?
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I think the flea control that's in Sentinel is the one that has the flea "birth control" in it... (on it's own it's called "Program"). If it's what I am thinking of it doesn't actually kill the fleas, it just keeps them from breeding if they bite your dog. There is a substance in the medicine that inhibits the growth of chitin, which is what forms the exoskeleton of the flea. When chitin can't develop, fleas are too weak to live.
The vet I used to work for always recommended giving that year-round. Back then they didn't have the combination, he recommended Interceptor and Program together all year-round. I am almost positive that's exactly what Sentinel is- Interceptor and Program combined. (If I'm wrong, someone please tell me so I don't look like an idiot too much longer!)
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Ok, so you're telling me that Sentinel is good??? I'm just not too happy with it because Sadie scratches herself silly all the time. She never seems comfortable, her poor hind legs are almost raw because she's constantly biting herself. I just wondered if the ingredient in Sentinel was actually doing her any good with the fleas cause it doesn't seem like it is. I find them on her all the time. Thanks!
Rachel
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Well, Rachel, Sentinel is good for keeping fleas from breeding but it won't kill fleas that your dog picks up. If you are seeing fleas on her you might want to get some Frontline or Advantage to use topically, it's really easy, just put it on their shoulders and then it will kill fleas for a month.
I don't blame you for not being happy with Sentinel, since it doesn't keep your dog from picking up fleas she's exposed to. Sounds like she needs a break from itching! Poor baby!!!
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Hi there,
i really recommend Frontline. We live in Florida, and touch wood we have never found a flea on Day-z.
Good Luck
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So, I've been having a HECK of a time with fleas. ALL FOUR of the animals (cats and dog) are on Frontline every stinkin' month, and they ALL have fleas? What gives? I've sprayed, dusted, vacuumed, brushed....the y never miss a dose...I don't get it?
Anyone have good luck with any other products?
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I live in a woodsy area in Kentucky, my dogs have always used frontline. I have never seen a flea on any of them.
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So, I've been having a HECK of a time with fleas. ALL FOUR of the animals (cats and dog) are on Frontline every stinkin' month, and they ALL have fleas? What gives? I've sprayed, dusted, vacuumed, brushed....the y never miss a dose...I don't get it?
Anyone have good luck with any other products?
Hey Nicole, try switching to Advantage for a few months. I have heard that fleas can develop a resistance if you use the same flea product every month. Scary, huh???
Hmmm... I'm thinking back when I used Frontline on my huskies it never worked on them as well as Advantage... not sure why.
DOWN WITH FLEAS!!!!!
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Ok. I've been wondering about that resistance thing, too. I just can't believe the fleas! Its crazy. I live in an urban environment (not alot of trees or whatever) and its NW Indiana..not like, the deep south or anything. Its NUTS.
I HATE FLEAS.
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Hey Nicole, try switching to Advantage for a few months. I have heard that fleas can develop a resistance if you use the same flea product every month. Scary, huh???
Hmmm... I'm thinking back when I used Frontline on my huskies it never worked on them as well as Advantage... not sure why.
DOWN WITH FLEAS!!!!!
Nicole I would talk with your vet before using advantage. I've heard and my vet even told me that advantage can kill cats if your cat grooms your dog.
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Nicole I would talk with your vet before using advantage. I've heard and my vet even told me that advantage can kill cats if your cat grooms your dog.
That is a scary thought!
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We do heartgaurd and frontline yearround. Heartgaurd because it's not worth the risk to us to save $10 a month and it can't harm her... and frontline, because Dan has tick-o-phobia (not a real term) and so he insists on having it even in the winter
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Hey Gyps!! I don't use Frontline or Heartguard anymore, but when I did I quite using them in October and started back up in April. Your puppers will be fine if you stop in the winter months. Can you talk to your vet about using a generic Heartgaurd. I talked with my vet, and I can't remember the name of it but it's a generic form and cost a lot less.
Andi
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I would never miss a month of medication under any circumstances!!!
What's a few bucks compared to the possibility of my losing my Springer Spaniel? I lost one to heartworms many years ago and I still suffer greatly over it, even though I know I could never suffer as much as she did in the end. Believe me in that you never want to see the end of that. You will never be the same.
I live in Florida but even if I lived elsewhere, I would never miss a month. I have also read that heartworm medication must be adminstered EVERY month in order for it to be effective. I don't know if that is true or just some hype to sell more of the stuff, but, I, for one, will take no chances.Â
I use Bayer which is an all in one. I get it from a place in Australia and time my orders so that delivery is free. They are friendly, helpful people.
http://www.pets-megastore.com/
It's the least expensive place I have found. Make sure you put the hyphen between pets and megatore or you will get something entirely different.
It is true that fleas can develop an immunity to some medications, especiallly here in Florida, but I have't experienced that yet with Bayer. If I do, then I will switch.
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I live in Michigan and since Heartgard works 30 days backwards I play it by weather conditions.
I usually look at starting on May 1st and give the last one on November 1st. UNLESS there is still snow on the ground here in April then I delay the first pill. I figure why medicate if not needed.
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A coworker adopted a rescue dog from a southern state (can't remember which one)
His dog was fine for the first 6 months then she developed heartworm.
He was given grief by the adoption agency because they give heartguard and frontline year round. In Maine that is unheard of. We do at most 6 months a year.
Luckily after a sedentary 3 months and treatment she is back to her cute, lively self.
Check with your vet on what is appropriate for your location.
-Wendy
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I have my dogs checked for heartworm 2ce a year when they are at the vet. He will do a blood sample and microscope check on them for $1 per dog! I have them on Heartguard only between May and October (skeeter season here)and,--now dont hate me--my dogs dont have fleas. None. I have an outside dog and 5 insid/outside dogs (mostly inside unless it's nice weather) and none of them have any fleas! I've honestly only found one or two on my Rat Terrier after she played w/ another dog, but my Dobies are totally flealess. Maybe it's the location, I dont know.
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I'm in Alabama, so it's year round for both for all my boys, especially the Heartguard (I actually use the generic tri-guard, but it's essentially the same stuff, just not quite as 'treat-like' in form). I've been having the same problem with the Frontline that has been mentioned earlier... It used to work like a champ but has stopped working for more than a week, if that long, over the last year. I have been using Adams flea mist for about 9 months now, which works well enough, but is a pain because you have to put it on every week (more if they get wet), and the boys fight it like you are killing them when you apply it. I tried the frontline again last month and it still isn't keeping the fleas at bay.
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Just curious but are you using the regular Frontline, or the Frontline plus? I have also heard that there have been some cases of fake frontline, (esp on ebay) where it is nothing but vegetable oil, but no idea if that is true.
Like Nohe'snot... said in Alabama also, and I would not under any circumstances miss a month of heartworm protection here. You can pretty much count on any unprotected dog developing heartworms in the swampland I live in.
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Just curious but are you using the regular Frontline, or the Frontline plus? I have also heard that there have been some cases of fake frontline, (esp on ebay) where it is nothing but vegetable oil, but no idea if that is true.
Been using the Frontline Plus. Used to get it from the vet, but now getting it from the feedstore. in between I was getting it from a local hardware store. Tried several outlets thinking maybe I'd gotten hold of a bad or old batch. Its really frustrating, since I'd gotten used to putting the stuff on them once a month and not woryying with fleas on them or in the house again. :(
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Just curious but are you using the regular Frontline, or the Frontline plus? I have also heard that there have been some cases of fake frontline, (esp on ebay) where it is nothing but vegetable oil, but no idea if that is true.
Been using the Frontline Plus. Used to get it from the vet, but now getting it from the feedstore. in between I was getting it from a local hardware store. Tried several outlets thinking maybe I'd gotten hold of a bad or old batch. Its really frustrating, since I'd gotten used to putting the stuff on them once a month and not woryying with fleas on them or in the house again. :(
Have you considered contacting Frontline to see what they have to say?
Maybe it is a quality control issue or maybe it is something that they need to be made aware of.
Fleas stink!!!