Which months need heartworm protection for dogs in Northwest South Carolina?

Question

Which months are mosquitos present in Northwest South Carolina.

Answer 1

It is recommended that Heartworm preventions (Heartgard, Interceptor, etc.) be used year-round. It doesn't just protect dogs from Heartworm, it also protects them from intestinal parasites.

Note: stulisa42, it is true that Heartworm prevention can be given every 3 months to prevent Heartworm, however, it is recommended monthly to prevent the intestinal parasites. (P.S. It is spelled Heartgard)

I also wanted to mention how upset it made me that you felt like you had to "sell" and make profits for the vet office you worked for. Thankfully, I never had to deal with this and to be quite honest I would never work for a hospital that made me feel that way.

I work for the animals, not to help my "company prosper". It s unfortunate you had such a poor experience. I consider myself lucky.

Answer 2

First, you should do a complete study of the life span of a mosquito. Believe me, that takes some reading!
Mosquitos are only out after the winter months when the temperature is above 60 degrees for 10 days, that's day and night.
You should also learn that the heartworm pill is good for more than one month.
Read Dr. Malernee's site on this.
http://www.evidencebasedvet.com Click on articles and scroll down to the one on heartworm. He, who is a regular vet, will give you a link into the government's website. The governments site shows the studies that were used to show the pills effectiveness. The heartworm pill was studied by giving it every other month. All dogs were hearworm negative at the end of the study including the ones who had heartworm before the study began.

Answer 3

Mosquito's don't really go by what month it is, but more by temperature. If we have a cold snap for a week, then temps rise again(very common here) they are gone for the cold snap, but back with a vengeance during the warm period. I would have to say after you are confident that it will not warm back up for 3 days in a row , above 65 F, then it is ok to lay off of the heartworm meds. Regardless, give them again in three months, even if the temps remain below 65 F. Just in case there were babies present already in the blood when you stop.

I give Heartguard every 3 months year round, and my 10 and 5 yr old dogs stay heartworm free.

Add..I'm telling what is needed to prevent, not what the company wants you to buy so they can prosper. I know you vet tech's are suppose to recommend monthly/year round, but thankfully I no longer have to try and help my job make money.

Too...This schedule is good for Heartguard users. Heartguard protects by killing baby heartworms in the bloodstream before they make it to the heart. It takes 3 months for the babies to grow enough to lodge in the heart. Heartguard kills the babies, then say they contract heartworms again 2 days later. As long as you get the meds in before that 3 months time span is up, it will kill any babies before they go to the heart.

Answer 4

Does not matter.heartwormer needs to be given year round.If you miss a month then the dog needs to be retested before you start again.In alot of places the test is higher than the pills are so you're really saving money by keeping the dog on it and the medicine covers other types of worms as well so why not just keep your dog on the meds and be safe?

Answer 5

I live in OH.

I give Heartguard 10 months a year to my personal dogs. Year round if we have a mild winter. The only months I skip are Dec and Jan or Jan and Feb. It has to freeze and below freezing every night for me to lay off the meds. (that's my personal rule).

For our rescue dogs. They are on Heartguard year round. Period.

I'm significantly north of you but we don't take risks.

The thing is, as a non-profit, we don't have money to throw away giving meds to dogs that don't need it.... BUT we don't risk our dogs health to save a buck. Does that tell you something?

Answer 6

Year round is recommended for the entire southeast U.S.

Answer 7

.I would personally keep them on it all year. Heart worm is rampant down there