heartworm protection.. branded vs no brand?

Question

i am trying to purchase heartworrm, intestinal worm, and flea treatment for my shih tzu which arrives in mid dec

there are so many brands out there and i cannot tell the difference between them at all.

what are the differences between branded heartworms and non branded?

i see there are major brands like:
advocate
frontline
heartguard
advantange.. and many more

what about the brands in the supermaket..
purina
no name brands

are these just as effective but half the price?

dave:
i am asking the question because i want to protect my dog from heartworm, fleas and intestinal worms

where i live, i can purchase a brand called 'advocate' which does 3 things in one pack. prevents heartworm, fights fleas and larvae, and intestinal worms like hookworms etc.

where i am confused are the different types of brands in the market.
ie: frontine protecting only fleas
ie: purina protecting heart and intestinal worms
ie: heartguard prevention of heart worms

what i don't know are the differences of getting a top branded heartworm, flea and intestinal worm treatment/prevention vs a non branded.

i am taking the non-branded like purina (no offence) as purina is not sold in top pet supplies places but only in supermarkets

i know i need to get 3 things to protect and prevent. But i cannot tell which one is better than the other

Answer 1

You look for active ingredients.
Heartguard has two ingredients--
ivermectin and pyrantel pamoate
You need those ingredients in the right dosage for your weight, but brandname doesn't matter. Ivermectin kills migrating larvae in the bloodstream while pyrantel kills worms in the gut (strongids)

As far as flea protection, I just like Frontline. I am not aware of another "brand" that sells a product with the same ingredient in it. It is the same stuff used in "roach traps" and it works. If there were another brand available that had Fipronil in it, I would buy it. The only important thing is using the active ingredient in the right dosage.

Your vet could help you with dosage amounts.

Answer 2

Sorry but you are talking about three different types of products.

For heartworm protection you need to buy it from a vet or you can purchase it on-line with a prescription from the vet. These are normally given once a month and will prevent intestinal worms but give no protection from fleas and ticks. Be careful about the type of heartworm protection that you use because some brands use Ivomec which is fatal to some breeds (especially Collies and Collie crosses).

The worm pills that you purchase in the store only give protection against intestinal worms, not heartworm. Read the boxes carefully because many only protect against round worms and give no protection against hook worms or tapeworms.

The third type of products provide flea and tick protection. These do nothing to protect against heartworms your intestial worms.

Answer 3

You can NOT get heartworm meds without a prescription from your vet..they are NOT an OTC product.

Frontline & Advantage are NOT heartworm meds they are flea products.. OTC flea products are ineffective and are also dangerous to use so stay far away from them.

Do NOT use OTC dewormers (not the same as heartworm preventative)..these too are worthless and can be very dangerous.

I think before you get a puppy/dog that you better really do some research and study, based on your questions you don't have basic knowledge you need.

Answer 4

If I use a vet bought heartworm med I use only Interceptor or Heartguard and I only buy Frontline or Advantage for fleas. Advantage and Frontline can be bought cheaper from a pet catalog such as K V Vet. Since I have 6 dogs and have fostered many in the past I use Ivomec for heartworm prevention. It costs me $36 for 3 yrs for my 6 plus my friend's dog and any fosters.