Heartworm meds...??

[Berner_Mom]

I was just reading another thread, about the vet charging for each monthly visit just to pick up refill of pills....and it got me wondering...

How old were your guys' pups when they started heartworm meds?  We don't have Tucker on any, should we?

Thanks!

[People Whisperer]

Aren't you in Canada? If so you shouldn't worry about it  
Here is outstanding articles which explain it really nicely
 
http://www.tibetanmastiff.net/Heartworm.html

http://www.danebytes.com/heartworm.htm

I have been following this schedule for two years now and it saves me plenty on money and Lily doesn't get meds she doesn't need. I give her first pill in May and then additional every 45 days until October. 
And of course my vet wants for us to use it a year round 

[ZooCrew]

Here in the midwest i start heartworm meds in the spring and go thru the fall. Usually April thru Oct.  Don't need the meds during the winter b/c there's no mosquitos. 

[Tonda]

Mine are on year-round and we started at 8 weeks. With my last dog I didn't give her any (as per my vet's advice, since we didn’t have heartworm here), but heartworm has begun to make inroads here in the past few years and with the strange mid-winter heat waves, we seem to have skeeters all the dang time.

[Berner_Mom]

Aren't you in Canada? If so you shouldn't worry about it  
Here is outstanding articles which explain it really nicely
 
http://www.tibetanmastiff.net/Heartworm.html

http://www.danebytes.com/heartworm.htm

I have been following this schedule for two years now and it saves me plenty on money and Lily doesn't get meds she doesn't need. I give her first pill in May and then additional every 45 days until October. 
And of course my vet wants for us to use it a year round 

Yep, you are right, we are in Canada....perh aps this is why our vet has made no reference to it at all.  We have a very short mosquito season in Calgary....and come to think of it, my family dog, Nikko (border collie) was never put on heartworm either.  Hmmm, thanks for the insight, I never thought about geographical location being the reason the subject has not been brought up at any vet checkup.

To make sure though, I'll ask about it if I have to take Tucker in in the next little bit for his ears (see other thread: Head shaking- ear problem?) and if I don't have to take him in, I'll call.

[KiraNGunnersmom]

Kira was started at 6 mos(due to her previous owners neglect to not start it sooner)  and Gunner was started at his second puppy well vist, so at about 10-12 weeks old.
We live in Texas and we have to keep them on it year round do to the mild weather we have out here.
Mosquitos are ridiculous out here.

[kathryn]

I'm in Texas too and around 10-12 weeks is pretty much the norm and then for the rest of their lives they are on it. 

Although many years ago the couple that we got Barrett (rotti/shepherd) mix from didn't give heartworm meds.  He was an old farmer and had always used horse wormer on his dogs and never had any issues with hearworms.  We did the same thing for Barrett and Cassie and Betty (lab/dalmation sisters).  That is the only time I have done that and now all mine are on Sentinel.