Heartworm preventative questions

[noludoru]

So, lately there has been some minor drama between my vets' office and me over heartworm. They require a yearly heartworm test before they'll allow their clients to purchase heartworm medication, even if their dogs have been on heartworm preventative throughout the year. (Hell, they tried to convince my mom a few months ago that the cats need to be on heartworm medication and have heartworm tests even though they are indoors year-round and when they are outdoors, it's on a fully screened-in porch.) I haven't run out of the meds yet, but they have been pushing a $100 heartworm test on Middie since last year.

My main issue with it, to be completely honest, is the expense. $100 seems crazy to me. My next issue with it is that even if I have a reasonable certainty that my dog does not have heartworm, they wont allow me to purchase more when I run out without the taking the test, which would put him at risk. The way they are pushing it makes it seems like they're doing it for the money. Which I actually had some of before I got Middie.

I ended up getting into a debate with one of the receptionists yesterday over the whole issue. She was insisting that heartworm preventative doesn't kill off heartworms, and giving it to a dog that has heartworm would kill them. I explained that my understanding is that dogs with severe heartworm infestations were given the preventatives instead of the arsenic-based treatments to kill off the worms slowly - to make it easier on their bodies and to not cause big chunks of heartworm all dying at once in their hearts. That could be over-simplified, but it's the gist of the idea. One of the other receptionists chimed into the debate and confirmed that I was correct, and normal (or larger) doses of preventative are given to some dogs with heartworm as a treatment.

So, on to my question. You could probably have skipped all that, but I felt like rambling a bit.

1. Does a dog who has been on ivermectin for the last 2-1/2 years (and tested clear for it before then) really need annual heartworm tests to get more preventative when his heartworm prevention has been proven to kill off heartworm?

 

[colliewog]

There are reasons relating to AVMA doctor-patient relationship, American Heartworm Society protocols, and in some states, prescription laws, that require the testing and an exam prior to prescribing.

 

[noludoru]

There are reasons relating to AVMA doctor-patient relationship, American Heartworm Society protocols, and in some states, prescription laws, that require the testing and an exam prior to prescribing.

Yearly, though? I could understand every other year.

Thank you.

 

[corgipower]

The way my vet in NY did it was I could either take them off heartworm preventative for the winter and test annually or I could keep them on it year round and test every other year.

The meds do fail sometimes, so it is a good idea to get them checked periodically. As for using the preventative as a treatment if they're positive, I think it depends on how advanced a case they have and which product you use.

As for the cost, do a google search for low cost heartworm testing in your area. I was able to get it done for my dogs at half the cost my vet would have charged. And Izzy just went to a place that was $15.00 for the test.

 

[Izzy's Valkyrie]

As for the cost, do a google search for low cost heartworm testing in your area. I was able to get it done for my dogs at half the cost my vet would have charged. And Izzy just went to a place that was $15.00 for the test.

Yep, got two dogs tested and got a scrip for Iverheart, bought two boxes of Iverheart plus with shipping for less than $70 TOTAL.

Find another place to get tested is all I can suggest. Your vet seems like a money sucker.

 

[corgipower]

Yep, got two dogs tested and got a scrip for Iverheart, bought two boxes of Iverheart plus with shipping for less than $70 TOTAL.

I'm moving in with you.

 

[noludoru]

The way my vet in NY did it was I could either take them off heartworm preventative for the winter and test annually or I could keep them on it year round and test every other year.

See, that seems reasonable to me. Every other year is something I'd be cool with, even if it was $100. Annually, if it was $50, I'd also be completely okay with.

Find another place to get tested is all I can suggest. Your vet seems like a money sucker.

That's what I've been thinking. They are VERY expensive, but my pets like them, I like them, and they take care of them all so thoroughly. I've never had a bad experience there - my only complaints are the vaccine-pushing and the expense.

I think I'll call around and get him tested when I run out of meds, and then get the preventative from another vet.

For $15, I'd test annually regardless. It's just that $100 is a lot for a test when I'm already paying loads for his heartworm meds.

 

[Izzy's Valkyrie]

What do you use for him? KV Vet supply online is super cheap and way more cost effective than any shop I could walk in to in my area.

 

[Spiritwind]

The vet clinic I worked at in Ohio several years back required heartworm tests every other year, for dogs that were kept on heartworm prevention year around. Every other year, the test was like $45... and I could buy white interceptor for about $4 a pill ($24 a box!!) haha... I miss those days!! Loved working at that vet clinic.

Then I move to NC and the vet clinic I used to work at required yearly tests that averaged about $80 for employees, I don't even know what it cost regular clients. A 6 pack of white interceptor was about $70.....

However I no longer work there, and get my heartworm pills MUCH MUCH cheaper from other sources lol....

 

[MafiaPrincess]

My old vet's office allowed every other year and taking them off HW meds in winter as it's ontario. New vet office didn't seem to give much of a **** about HW testing. I had to push for it.. and then push for the results. Apparently they only call if you have a problem..

 

[Adrienne]

My vet's office allows you to sign a waiver against the testing and will still give you the prescription. My dogs had the test last year but this year I will just be giving them the heartguard. I may test them next year again, will depend on my pocket book. Hope you figure something out! That is outrageously priced for the test too...my vets test is around 40$.

 

[elegy]

$100 for a HWT sounds like highway robbery to me. Geez!

I know a fair number of vets even in this area where heartworm disease is uncommon require annual testing. The clinic I work for does not if the dogs are kept on year round. We test every... once in awhile.

 

[noludoru]

I think I'll get the test somewhere else and try KV vet supply for the meds. We're paying a fair bit more than $70 for them.

 

[Sweet72947]

I think I'll get the test somewhere else and try KV vet supply for the meds. We're paying a fair bit more than $70 for them.

Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure you need a vet's prescription for heartworm medication, I'm pretty sure its a regulated substance. But I could be wrong.

 

[corgipower]

Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure you need a vet's prescription for heartworm medication, I'm pretty sure its a regulated substance. But I could be wrong.

You do need a prescription.

But you can get the vet to send a prescription to KV and then you can order from them.

 

[Sweet72947]

You do need a prescription.

But you can get the vet to send a prescription to KV and then you can order from them.

But if her vet won't give her a prescription because they want her dog to be HW tested, then she can't get it from KV. If she goes to a new vet, they'll likely want Middie tested as well before they give her a prescription.

 

[MafiaPrincess]

Depends on your vet though. Last few I used wanted to charge me for writing the Rx as I wasn't going to buy from them after paying for HW tests and the vet appointment so it's not like they didn't already mae $100 off me.. Amount they wanted to charge made it no longer worth anything to order elsewhere.

I was tired of being given the runaround. I now use ivomec which I did get on kvvet as it isn't for companion animals, so no Rx.

 

[RawFedDogs]

I have my own heartworm prevenative protocol which allows me to only give my dogs 4 doses of the prevenative per year. It's really very simple if you understand the life cycle of a heartworm and understand how the prevenative works.

Here's what I do. I don't give prevenative during the winter when there are no mosquitoes. BTW: Mosquitoes are how dogs get heartworm. Also, the heartworm larvae enter the dog's body through a mosquito bite. It remains a larvae for 45 days before becoming an adult heartworm. Sooo ... I wait until about 42 days (6 weeks) after mosquitoes appear around here. They usually appear around the middle of April.

Toward the end of May, I take my dogs to the vet for a heartworm check which is about $20 if there is no exam included. The heartworm check can be done by a vet tech and isn't expensive if I don't have to pay for a physical.

Soooo ... if the test is negative, and it always has been, I don't have to give a prevenative for 45 days. Thats because the "prevenative" isn't actually a prevenative. It kills any larvae that is in the dog's body the day it is given. So if the larvae are killed they never become adult heartworms. That puts the first dose of prevenative around the first part of July and every 42 days after that (6 weeks). It generally works out to about 4 doses cause Nov is usually the last dose.

The dates could work out differently depending on where you live.

 

[noludoru]

But if her vet won't give her a prescription because they want her dog to be HW tested, then she can't get it from KV. If she goes to a new vet, they'll likely want Middie tested as well before they give her a prescription.

That's what I meant - I will get him tested at a different vet that actually charges a fair price for it and get a prescription from them so that I can buy heartworm medication elsewhere. I don't have a problem with the test itself, just the cost.

RawFedDogs, are you sure about the mosquito thing?

 

[Inga]

I work with a rescue group that goes to the local reservation and gives dogs Heartworm meds, tests, shots and free spay/neuter clinics. When we find dogs that are positive the treatment is monthly Heartguard. These things are all overseen by vets. The same vets that would insist on tests before giving scripts in their offices. It was recommended to me by a vet to give Ivermec. It costs me about 1/5th of what the Heartguard would cost me.

The truth is the vets have to make a living as well. We all want them to be there when we need them for emergencies but don't want to pay much for all the other care. In a perfect world, they wouldn't have to do this but we are not in that world yet.

The same goes for Human doctors, and every other profession. There are mark ups in everything.