August 19, 2008
· Filed under Educational Articles, Life of a pet sitter · Tagged Dogs, heartworm disease, heartworm prevention, heartworms, pets
I know I seem to harp on the subject of heartworms a lot, but it is such an important part of owning a dog! Since I have been trying to rehome my Boxer, Gypsy, I have found that so many people know NOTHING about heartworm disease. I’m not going to get into specifics of what people have said, but it blows my mind away that a pet owner or potential pet owner knows or cares so little about the disease.
If you own a dog or plan on getting one, PLEASE educate yourself on heartworm disease, prevention, and treatment.
You can find great information on heartworms at the site for the American Heartworm Society.
June 18, 2008
· Filed under Educational Articles · Tagged FDA, heartworm prevention, heartworm shot, heartworm vaccine, ProHeart 6
ProHeart 6 has come back to the market and I just wanted to share some interesting articles. First of all, ProHeart 6 is a heartworm prevention shot that lasts for six months. This product has previously been on the market, but allegedly was the source of severe illness and death. Here is an interesting article on how this product has been put back on the market. But before you get too excited, check out this article on why you may need to be wary.
I’m going to stick to Heartgard. If its not broke, don’t fix it. Maybe down the road if this product has TRULY proved to have reduced risk, I’ll try it. But my dogs love their chewy treat once a month!
June 13, 2008
· Filed under Educational Articles · Tagged Dogs, heartworm prevention, heartworms
One of the nifty things I like about wordpress is it shows you top search queries. I was just SHOCKED to see this question as one of them!!
YES, YOU NEED TO GIVE YOUR DOG HEARTWORM PREVENTION. Refer to my other article. Spend the $5 a month for it rather than HUNDREDS of dollars on treatment. Or even worse, LETTING YOUR DOG DIE!! It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Sorry for the little rant, this question just horrified me.
June 1, 2008
· Filed under Educational Articles, Life of a pet sitter · Tagged Dogs, heartworm prevention, heartworm treatment, heartworms, veterinary care
Working in a vet clinic, I see people come in with heartworm positive dogs way too often. I can’t stress enough to people that paying for heartworm prevention each month is A LOT cheaper than letting your dog get heartworms and paying for treatment.
First of all, I have a strong belief that if you can’t afford to take proper care of your pet, you shouldn’t have one. I know that sounds harsh, but I see way too many sick or dying pets because their owners can’t afford proper care.
But if you do insist on having a pet, PLEASE at least spend the $5 a month for heartworm prevention. It is also required by law for dogs to be checked for heartworms yearly in order to continue prevention. This is why a lot of people don’t keep their pets on prevention, because they think they can’t afford it. I know if its time for your dog to have a heartworm test, its probably time for his or her vaccines as well. If you absolutely cannot afford the vaccines, you CAN just get the heartworm test. It is MUCH cheaper than paying hundreds of dollars to treat your dog for heartworms. And letting your dog live with heartworms is always fatal. Thats just not fair to them.
Don’t get me wrong, your pets vaccines are critical, too. But if you need to, just do everything one at a time. Don’t take too long in between, or you may be charged an additional exam fee. Go to a feed store and get what vaccines you can do yourself there. Then take your dog to the vet for a rabies and heartworm test. Check your local shelters to see if they offer these services for a discounted price.
Another thing about heartworm prevention, is that you MUST buy it from a veterinarian! The manufacturers and distributors of heartworm prevention ONLY sell their product to veterinarians. THEY DO NOT SELL THEIR PRODUCT TO 1800PETMEDS OR OTHER ONLINE PHARMACIES!!!! These online pharmacies get their product from other sources, which is why your heartworm prevention is NOT guaranteed!! If you buy your heartworm prevention from your veterinarian, it is GUARANTEED. If your pet is diagnosed with heartworms and your veterinarian has records of you purchasing the prevention, you do not have to pay a penny for treatment!! Heartworm prevention is relatively cheap, so saving a little bit of money by buying online is not worth it if your pet ends up heartworm positive.
So please, if money is tight and you have pets, educate yourself and learn that there ARE more inexpensive ways to care for your pet. Higher quality care IS ideal for your pet, but cheaper care is better than no care. You do have options.
