Another heartworm question

Barney'spal · 01-22-2012, 09:15 AM

Last week when I was at the vets, I mentioned that I wanted to keep my dogs on the heartworm pills all year. I was thinking that this would avoid the yearly test saving me a miserable trip to the vets. I was told that the pills weren't a sure bet and would have to have the blood test, even with the pills each month. What I don't understand is, if by chance, they had heartworm when on the pills, wouldn't it kill them to take the preventative? I must be misunderstanding something here.

Mikey T · 01-22-2012, 09:57 AM

Quote:

What I don't understand is, if by chance, they had heartworm when on the pills, wouldn't it kill them to take the preventative?

with the old DEC pill taken every day that would be a real possibility with newer once a month now it is not going to happen in most cases when treating a positive hearworm case they are administered 1 month or two before using an arsenic compound to kill the adult worm so that is not the reason for the yearly testing/

It is because people do forget and a infection though rare sometimes occur. It is better and safer for the dog to treat an infection early cause less damage than later. So yearly testing is still required. Also if you Chan ge medication you need to have a couple of test to establish fault if you want to file a claim against a manufature to have them pay for treatment. that is the other reason as well.

FWIW the American heartworm society now recommend year round application of heartworm medication with the emergence of a newly introduce mesquito that reproduces with very little water so it can emerge on warm winter day or even survive through the winter in urban environments.

Current Canine Guidlines

Quote:

Diagnostics:AHS recommends annual antigen testing. Antigen-positive dogs should be tested for the presence of microfilariae.
Chemoprophylaxis: AHS recommends year-round administration of chemoprophylactic drugs to prevent heartworm disease, enhance compliance, and control pathogenic and/or zoonotic parasites.

...Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito), which was introduced into the southeastern United States in 1985, has now spread north, approaching Canada and past the Rocky Mountains to the west coast. This urban-dwelling mosquito is able to reproduce in small containers such as flower pots. In the northern half of the United States, urban sprawl has led to the formation of “heat islands,” as buildings and parking lots retain heat during the day and subsequently radiate it during the night (Figure 1). This can potentially create microenvironments that support development of heartworm larvae in mosquito vectors during colder months, thus lengthening the transmission season.

...The earliest that heartworm antigen and microfilariae can be detected is about 5 and 6 months post infection, respectively. Antigenemia may precede, but sometimes lags the appearance of microfilariae by a few weeks. Antigen may never be detected or only sporadically detected in dogs with very low worm burdens. In addition, antigenemia may be suppressed until about 9 months post infection in infected dogs placed on macrocyclic lactone chemoprophylaxis. To determine when testing might become useful, a pre-detection period should be added to the approximate date on which infection may have been possible. A reasonable interval is 7 months. Thus, there is no need or justification for testing a dog for antigen or microfilariae prior to 7 months of age.

...therefore, heartworm test results are either positive or below detectable limits (BDL) and should NEVER be recorded as “negative.”

...Annual testing is an integral part of ensuring that prophylaxis is achieved and that more timely treatment can be provided to dogs that test positive in order to minimize pathology

...In instances of noncompliance or changing the brand or type of heartworm preventive, it is important to first ensure that the dog is free of heartworm infection. The dog should be tested prior to starting or changing products. A positive test at this time indicates earlier infection. Typically, most practitioners retest at six months to coincide with refilling prescriptions and performing semiannual exams. A positive antigen test at this time is most likely due to an infection acquired before starting or resuming preventive therapy; however, in rare instances, existing infection may be missed (i.e., false negative test due mainly to young- or low-worm-burden infection). Therefore, subsequent antigen testing should be performed on the one-year anniversary date of the initial test and annually thereafter.

Preventives Consistent macrocyclic lactone (ivermectin, milbemycin oxime, moxidectin or selamectin) chemoprophylaxis will eventually clear microfilariae from the blood of most dogs with patent infections. This is achieved by the drugs’ ability to exert a direct or indirect microfilaricidal effect, depending on the specific product used, and retard repopulation by gradually suppressing embryogenesis. Consistent dosing will usually eliminate microfilariae within six to 12 months of oral dosing with monthly macrocyclic lactones or one month following moxidectin SR injection. In the event a pre-existing prepatent infection matures after starting macrocyclic lactone chemoprophylaxis, microfilariae are unlikely to be found, or appear only transiently in small numbers. Since macrocyclic lactone chemoprophylaxis may negate microfilaria testing and microfilariae do not contribute to heartworm antigenemia, antigen testing is the most reliable method of retesting.

barneysmom2510 · 01-22-2012, 11:06 AM

My vet insists on doing a blood test every year for heartworm I think that is pretty standard. I go back and forth on year round treatment I just gave barney one for january but I really don't want to treat year round. But reading what Mikey just posted now I don't know. I have never treated my other dogs year round dec-feb I don't give it. I live in a little town not even close to any real urban area so we do not have any parking garages or concrete bulidings. We are pretty much surrounded by water so it gets very cold seem like these mosquitos that can infect in the winter are more in urban/suburban areas. We never get near 57 degrees after october.

bubbad · 01-22-2012, 11:57 AM

Usually I have given it through the summer only but because my yard is infected with hook worms I am going to start all year since I have poop eater.

barneysmom2510 · 01-22-2012, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubbad

Usually I have given it through the summer only but because my yard is infected with hook worms I am going to start all year since I have poop eater.

Just curious why does it matter if one is a poop eater?

nuttypigs · 01-22-2012, 12:17 PM

So glad we don't have heartworms over here, they sound pretty nasty.

Annie714 · 01-22-2012, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barneysmom2510

Just curious why does it matter if one is a poop eater?

I can only assume this is because the poop eater would eat infected poop and then become infected herself.

barneysmom2510 · 01-22-2012, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Annie714

I can only assume this is because the poop eater would eat infected poop and then become infected herself.

I had no idea heartworm could be transmitted that way .

Yogi's Mom · 01-22-2012, 05:53 PM

I only give our dogs heartworm medicine in the spring through the fall. At one time, I was doing it all year round but I just think it's not necessary. Our dogs get the SNAP test every spring.

jaleely · 01-22-2012, 06:27 PM

We try to give heartworm year round. Yes, the preventative is also actually the cure. Ivermectin is in a low does, used monthly for a preventative, is given in large doses for the cure. It's still very hard on the dog to have heartworms, and sometimes the treatment can't get a hold on it...so prevention is best. If you look up the ingredient, though, ivermectin, you will see it's used for many things...and you can get it online and mix with propolene glycole to make your own monthly treatment at a huge fraction of the cost for "normal" heartguard.

01-22-2012, 09:15 AM	#1 (permalink)
Barney'spal Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: northern michigan Posts: 710	Another heartworm question Last week when I was at the vets, I mentioned that I wanted to keep my dogs on the heartworm pills all year. I was thinking that this would avoid the yearly test saving me a miserable trip to the vets. I was told that the pills weren't a sure bet and would have to have the blood test, even with the pills each month. What I don't understand is, if by chance, they had heartworm when on the pills, wouldn't it kill them to take the preventative? I must be misunderstanding something here. __________________ Properly trained, a man can be a dog's best friend.

01-22-2012, 11:06 AM	#3 (permalink)
barneysmom2510 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Rockport ma Posts: 633	My vet insists on doing a blood test every year for heartworm I think that is pretty standard. I go back and forth on year round treatment I just gave barney one for january but I really don't want to treat year round. But reading what Mikey just posted now I don't know. I have never treated my other dogs year round dec-feb I don't give it. I live in a little town not even close to any real urban area so we do not have any parking garages or concrete bulidings. We are pretty much surrounded by water so it gets very cold seem like these mosquitos that can infect in the winter are more in urban/suburban areas. We never get near 57 degrees after october. __________________ -LISA Mini daschunds Sadie Lou & Daisy dukes Chihuahua Lola Bassett Hound Barney Last edited by barneysmom2510; 01-22-2012 at 11:12 AM.

01-22-2012, 06:27 PM	#10 (permalink)
jaleely Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Ventura, CA Posts: 942	We try to give heartworm year round. Yes, the preventative is also actually the cure. Ivermectin is in a low does, used monthly for a preventative, is given in large doses for the cure. It's still very hard on the dog to have heartworms, and sometimes the treatment can't get a hold on it...so prevention is best. If you look up the ingredient, though, ivermectin, you will see it's used for many things...and you can get it online and mix with propolene glycole to make your own monthly treatment at a huge fraction of the cost for "normal" heartguard. __________________ Baby Bowsah's Bwog

01-22-2012, 11:57 AM	#4 (permalink)
bubbad Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Boiling Springs,Pa Posts: 1,347	Usually I have given it through the summer only but because my yard is infected with hook worms I am going to start all year since I have poop eater.

01-22-2012, 12:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
nuttypigs Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Yorkshire UK Posts: 222	So glad we don't have heartworms over here, they sound pretty nasty.

01-22-2012, 05:53 PM	#9 (permalink)
Yogi's Mom Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 1,111	I only give our dogs heartworm medicine in the spring through the fall. At one time, I was doing it all year round but I just think it's not necessary. Our dogs get the SNAP test every spring.

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