i think i have a problem. my 11 weeks puppy is taking pro heart 6 tablets for heartworm. i have read this is dangerous for dogs and it can kill them. i got the tablets from the vet..darn vet!!
but i found out the proheart 6 /12 injection is the one that kills the dog. what about the tablet kind? can i safely use this on my puppy for the next 5 tablets? it is to be given to the dog every 30 days.
To the best of my understanding ... orally administered anti-heartworm medication is weight sensitive ... So, the vet will first weigh your dog and then prescribe the correct monthly dosage ...
If you are concerned about the dosage ... you can:
(a) Read the instructions that come with the medication and/or do some quick research on the net ... just type the name of the product (together with the word "dosage") into Google and see what you can find
(b) Call your vet to reconfirm the dosage ... or
(c) Take your dog to another vet for a 2nd opinion ...
So far ... there is no recognised danger when prescribing orally administered anti-heartworm medication (ie in tablet form to be eaten by the dog) ... the caution is with the injection.
My dog is currently on proheart tablets and she will be finishing the course in 3 months time. I was informed by the vet in KL that after 6 months of tablets, I should send my dog for the proheart vaccination. You know, as my dog stays with my parents in Ipoh, her vet in Ipoh actually said there is no need to give her the Proheart tablets in the first place as heatworm disease is rarely found in Ipoh. But her vet in KL (when she was staying with me) says that I should no matter where I am. So I decided, that prevention is better than cure. After reading that the vaccination may be fatal, I am thinking twice about sending Bailey for the vaccination. My question is what do I do next? Do I keep on giving Bailey proheart tablets throughout her life or is that an alternative injection that I can send her for?Please advise.
Puppy Power
Bailey
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated" - Mahatma Gandhi
A point for consideration is that (as best I know & remember) the Pro-heart annual injection has been withdrawn in USA - pending further investigation/research, but remains available in other parts of the world.
Although the supporters of annual anti-heartworm injections - say that the % of dogs that die from such injections is very small ...
To my own mind - the risk is only small as long as it doesn't happen to our dogs ... so ... as far as I am concerned, I would rather use the monthly tablets ...
As far as I know - there is no alternative "annual" type medication available.
Cheers
PS - I may be wrong - but I don't think it is correct to say that "heartworm" is rare in Ipoh ... Heartworm infestation is spread by mosquitoes ... and if it is found in the Klang Valley - it will be found in the Kinta Valley ... Perhaps the more improtant question is - are the vets in Ipoh familiar with dog deaths caused by heartworm?
I think I will just stay on with the tablets . Do not want to take any risk that may jeopardise the life of my furbaby. I dont think it is correct to say as well that heartworm is rare in Ipoh but that was what the vet told me and I just quoted him verbatim. How can the vets in Ipoh not be familiar with heartworm? And I know the vet graduated from UPM. Despite the difference of opinions by the vets, I am going with what I think is the best decision for my dog. Thanks for the reply!
Puppy Power
Bailey
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated" - Mahatma Gandhi
Yes, understand that you were just quoting the vet ...
Your question: "How can the vets in Ipoh not be familiar with heartworm?"
Ah ... unfortunately, it's been known to happen ...
I suppose, what I am trying to say is this ... am sure they have "heard" or "read" of heartworm ... But being able to diagnose a dog suffering from heartworm is quite different ... heartworm infestation share many similar signs & symptoms with pneumonia, kidney, liver & cardiac ailments ...
And if a vet is not in the habit of carrying out the antigen test (which would be the primary diagnostic tool for heartworm), then ... dogs with heartworm could quite easily have pass through unnoticed - and by the time the dog passes away ... how many owners take dogs back for autopsies?
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