Flea & Heartworm preventive

[CrazyDiego]

Hello. I haven’t posted in a long time, but I was wondering what you all do for Flea preventive. I just bought a dose of Frontline Plus. Is this good stuff?

Also, I noticed there is a Heartgard Plus now too. It says it takes care of roundworms and hookworms too, plus the heartworm preventive. So if I use this on a monthly basis do I still have to worm my dog once a year too? (That is what my vet recommended, to worm once a year.) Then I got to thinking about it and if I’m already giving him Heardgard Plus and it says it takes care of the other worms too, so do I still have to give him something else once a year? Or is my vet scamming me...lol?

OK it’s been about 50 degrees where I live now... so should I wait for it to warm up before I put the flea stuff on him? Or just do it now? How often do you all put it on them? Every 60 days or so?

Thanks!

 

[Debi]

I like Interceptor for heartworm..and it takes care of other worms, too. My vet doesn't think any other wormer is needed...and I've certainly not seen anything. Heartgard Plus must be similar. I like Advantage (sp??) for flea control...but with fleas I've also had success with just bathing them in a flea shampoo. I can truly say, I've never seen a flea on either dog. I'm sure lots of other people with more knowledge than I will give you more info.

 

[bubbatd]

Once a month for both. When you go in for your annuals take in a stool sample. You don't need to worm a dog unless they have worms.

 

[Debi]

I'd do it now...but that's just me. Our biggest flea season is actually in the fall...but I protect them from spring thru fall just to be on the safe side.

 

[showpug]

Frontline Plus is a very good product. You may want to speak to your vet about using Revolution for your dog though. Revolution prevents heartworm, fleas, ticks, ear mites, mange, and is not labeled for, but also does round and hookworm. You apply it topically once a month and that's it! It saves you money in the long run because it treats everything with one simple application and it wont wash off because it is a systemic product (gets into the bloodstream.) I love this product and it was what we recommended most when I worked at the vet clinic. It's the only FDA approved treatment for 6 week old puppies and pregnant/lactating dams, so it is very safe. I also like it because it dries a lot faster than Frontline or Advantage and prevents almost everything! Heartguard plus is also a great product. You should not have to worm your dog once a year if you use either heartguard or revolution, but, I do agree that you should take a stool sample in once a year to make sure your dog does not have a different type of worm that the above meds. don't cover. There are many different worms that dogs can get, and the majority you CAN NOT see with your eyes.

 

[Adrienne]

I use Interceptor Spectrum, it protects against heartworm, whipworm, tapeworm, hookworm, and roundworm. Also Mordy informed me that a dog over 50lbs is just as protected on the 25lb dose, apparently in England they typically give a much smaller dose of milbemycin then we do in the U.S. with just as good of results. It is also safe enough to be given to pregnant/lactating bitches and puppies as young as two weeks. I like that I don't have to give them such a high dose and can still get the full benefits.
Frontline is great for fleas and ticks but it tells you to wear gloves while applying it. If it is unsafe for me to touch I don't want my children touching the dog after it has been applied and then I wonder how safe it is for my dogs skin if it is unsafe for me.
With things like fleas and ticks I would rather treat them as they come since I am not in a high risk area for fleas and the ticks I can easily pull out on their daily grooming sessions. The more I learn about preventative medicine the more inclined I am to stay away from it, but heartworm scares me silly so I will definitley continue to use a preventative for that one.

 

[bubbatd]

Those are the 2 I use.

 

[EliNHunter]

I use Interceptor (YEAR ROUND) and Frontline from first warmup until first freeze. Both have been GREAT!!! NO fleas... and thank goodness, no heartworm! (or anyother worm, for that matter). I used to use Advantage for fleas... that worked great, too.

Oh, and if you have cats, don't forget to put them on flea preventative, too. They're usually the "flea carriers"!!

 

[CrazyDiego]

Frontline Plus is a very good product. You may want to speak to your vet about using Revolution for your dog though. Revolution prevents heartworm, fleas, ticks, ear mites, mange, and is not labeled for, but also does round and hookworm. You apply it topically once a month and that's it! It saves you money in the long run because it treats everything with one simple application and it wont wash off because it is a systemic product (gets into the bloodstream.) I love this product and it was what we recommended most when I worked at the vet clinic. It's the only FDA approved treatment for 6 week old puppies and pregnant/lactating dams, so it is very safe. I also like it because it dries a lot faster than Frontline or Advantage and prevents almost everything! Heartguard plus is also a great product. You should not have to worm your dog once a year if you use either heartguard or revolution, but, I do agree that you should take a stool sample in once a year to make sure your dog does not have a different type of worm that the above meds. don't cover. There are many different worms that dogs can get, and the majority you CAN NOT see with your eyes.

Thanks everyone! and I will be sure to ask my vet about Revolution!

 

[Mordy]

i do not recommend revolution at all, simply because of the fact that it's systemic. why would you want anything circulating in the body of your dog if it isn't absolutely necessary? at least with the topical products there is a way to get rid of it pretty much immediately in case your dog can't tolerate it.

it also has a worse track record of adverse reactions than other products. in the time frame from 5/26/99 to 4/1/05 (under 6 years), 223 deaths were reported, 9545 cases of adverse reactions (without treatment) were reported and 9737 dogs were reported as treated for adverse reactions.

compare to interceptor, in the period from 12/29/92 to 4/1/05 (over 12 years), 127 deaths were reported, 2299 adverse reactions reported and 2384 dogs reported as treated for adverse reactions.

 

[oriondw]

We use frontline and heartgard.

While Heartgard is in my opinion is great, we are having second thoughs about Frontline. t seems, maybe by chance, that my pup is developing hot spots in places we apply it. ( e apply in small amounts in like 6 places along his coat). We dont get those regularly but we do get them in place where we apply.

Maybe there is a connection?

 

[oriondw]

i do not recommend revolution at all, simply because of the fact that it's systemic. why would you want anything circulating in the body of your dog if it isn't absolutely necessary? at least with the topical products there is a way to get rid of it pretty much immediately in case your dog can't tolerate it.

it also has a worse track record of adverse reactions than other products. in the time frame from 5/26/99 to 4/1/05 (under 6 years), 223 deaths were reported, 9545 cases of adverse reactions (without treatment) were reported and 9737 dogs were reported as treated for adverse reactions.

compare to interceptor, in the period from 12/29/92 to 4/1/05 (over 12 years), 127 deaths were reported, 2299 adverse reactions reported and 2384 dogs reported as treated for adverse reactions.

Do you by any chance have any number for Frontline Plus?