Best Heartworm Medicine For Herding Dogs
My sister s dog died from heartworm infestation and it s not something i d like my dogs to go through.
Best heartworm medicine for herding dogs. The companion animal parasite council recommends year round prevention of both heartworms and fleas for dogs throughout the. However fda approved heartworm medications are still very safe for these animals at the recommended dosages. A mutation called abcb1 or mdr1 sometimes occurs in herding dog breeds. Now i know you re terrified to even think about not giving your dog heartworm meds.
Never had a problem with side effects although i use 2 tablets cut into 4 as mine all weight 22 kgs or less. For herding breeds we usually avoid heartgard plus. Why i don t give my dogs heartworm meds. Certain dogs may be more sensitive to particular types of medications like those with the mdr1 genetic mutation also known as abcb1 which is relatively common in herding breeds.
It has an excellent 5 out of 5 star rating from customers and with good reason. This method is not 100 perfect however because larvae can live in your dog s system even if they cannot grow due to low temperatures. Peta i ve been using sentinel spectrum for 21 years on the 2 shelties i had and my 4 aussies aged 16 13 7 and 4. Heartgard is one of the most trusted and top rated heartworm medications for dogs.
Just as vaccines can damage the immune system so can your dog s heartworm meds. But don t worry i ve got a solution i think you ll like. We usually choose for herding breeds trifexis or sentinel as ivermectin the active ingredient in heartgard plus can adversely affect herding breeds. That being said the doses used in heartworm preventatives are very low and can be used safely even in dogs with this mutation.
These owners recommended only giving your dog preventative medicine during risk months and to have your dog regularly tested for heartworm larvae. It so much easier giving a pet medication when the pet gobbles it up as if it were a treat. Flea and heartworm prevention are two important components of ensuring your dog s lifelong health. Fleas can cause skin allergies transmit tapeworm infection and infest the home environment while heartworms can cause serious damage to a pet s heart and lungs.
Dogs of some herding breeds and some mix breed dogs can have a genetic mutation that makes them dangerously oversensitive to ivermectin the active ingredient in some commonly used heartworm. Heartgard plus chewable for dogs.