Heartworm pill question??

Question

I have two Shelties one (1year) 35 pounds and one (4 months) 17 pounds. Can I use a heartworm pill that is in-between their weights like one for 11-25 pounds? So I could use the same pill for both? And...which heartworm preventative is the best? (for shelties?) Thanks!! :)

Also...with the smaller one still growing, the heartworm prevention I buy forherweight now may not be here weight in 6 months when the 6 month pack is used up. Do I buy a prevention for her that is slightly over her weight?

What is a good age to start a puppy/dog on heartworm?

Answer 1

If you give the larger dog the 11-25# size, you run the risk your dog will get heartworms.

They are broken up into certain weight ranges for a reason.

As to which one is right for YOUR dogs, you need to consult YOUR veterinarian....who will ask you questions and make recommendations based upon your dogs' specific risk factors and your region of the country. There is no 'ONE' best heartworm preventative for any breed across the board. That's why we carry more than one type.

Edited to add: These are PRESCRIPTION medications...which means that they will be PRESCRIBED for your pets by your DVM. You can't just decide to use a different dose on your own.

NOTE: The annual 'needle' mentioned by Nicky is ProHeart-6, which used to be labelled for use in the United States for every 6 months. It was taken off the market, however (unfounded reasons, imo.) We're still waiting to get it back. It was slightly different than the injection used in other countries that lasts for a year, which is what we're hoping to have when they bring it back.

ADDITIONAL EDIT: For most breeds that will grow 'through' a weight size before a pkg is used up, we commonly go ahead and start it on the dose it will end up on. For instance, we'll start G. Shepherd puppies on the >50# size at their very first visit. The HW prev. dose is about 100 times less than the dose used of the same drug when we treat scabies, so getting the higher dose of HW prev. cannot possibly hurt them.....UNLESS they are a collie-type breed, which have a special genetic sensitivity to some of the drugs used to prevent HW's. It is perfectly safe for collies at the labelled HW prev. dose, however. So....for you, I'd recommend doing what a following poster does and take your pet in to be weighed monthly, and purchase a single dose for him each month until he reaches 25#, then buy the 25-50# size for him (or share a pkg with your other dog.) It is highly unlikely a Sheltie would end up greater than 50#, lol.

Heartworm prevention is supposed to be started at 4-6 weeks of age. We usually start it at the first vaccination visit if it hasn't already been started by then. If you wait until the pup is 6 months old, it will have to have a blood test before beginning on it. (The life cycle of that parasite is somewhat complicated....too much so to get into here.) If your 4-month-old hasn't been started yet....he's behind, and might already be harboring the "in-between" larval stages that can't be detected by the tests, while at the same time being unsusceptible to the preventative medication. There's no way of knowing until they reach a certain stage, however. That's why a test 6-7 months later is recommended. (Many people choose to wait until the regular, routine test a year later, however.) But start him NOW if he's not on it already. (They should have gone over all of this with you when you took him in for his routine puppy visits. If he hasn't had those yet, he's doubly behind.)

Answer 2

Interceptor Flavor Tabs are used in dogs and puppies to Prevent Heartworm Disease, Control Adult Hookworm Infection, And Remove And Control Adult Roundworms And Whipworms. In Cats And Kittens, Interceptor Flavor Tabs Prevent Heartworm Disease And Remove Adult Hookworms And Roundworms.

I have had my dog on the Intercepor Flavor Tabs pill since he was 6 months old and I'm sure it COULD have been earlier Its like $3 a month!!! I dont understand why more people dont use it. Actually the sizes DO matter but there are 4 different sizes for this pill they are:

2-10lbs 2.3 mg tablet
11-25lbs 5.75mb tablet
26-50lbs 11.5mg tabley
51-100lbs 23.0mg tablet

MY dog is still growing so I take him to the vet every 16th of the month to get him weighed and his pill so I can give it to him on the 17th of every month!

I also

Answer 3

I would definately get the single dose from a vet. Becareful with online prescription medications (ie heartworm meds) because a lot of times they are not covered if you purchase from online dealers, even places like petmeds. Just depends who you buy from. If by chance your puppy was taking the pills you purchased online, and came up positive for heartworms, the manufacturer will not cover the treatment since it was not purchased directly from a veterinarian. But if that same situation arises and you were purchasing from a vet, the manufacturer will pay for the treatment of heartworms.

Answer 4

You have to stay in the weight category for the pill to be effective. You can start some of the meds at 4-6 weeks of age. Be sure, even if your dog tests NEGATIVE for heart worms, to have it retested 6-7 months after the first test is done. There are a lot of them out there - Heartgard Plus, Tri-Guard Plus (generic and cheaper but works as well) and several more. Check with your vet to see if you can buy the pills for the little pup a month at a time since it is still growing. My vet let me do that.
Good luck.

Answer 5

I suggest the heart worm needle, they have it annually with their booster, alot easier in my opinion, then you only have to give them the intestine all wormer every 3 months, and 2 needles once a year.

Answer 6

i wouldn't recommend giving the larger dog one for the smaller wieght class it will not be beneficial to her, talk to your vet for the right one, he/she would be the best to ask, have a nice day