When should a puppy start on heartworm?

As most of you know, I just got my puppy Bella last week since I lost my Piccolina to Parvo. Piccolina's vet (the one that didn't detect Parvo when I took her and that's why she's gone today) told me that he doesn't start them on heartworm until they are about 6 months old. I found another vet for Bella since I obviously don't trust the other one anymore. She's going to be checked tomorrow and he wants to start her on heartworm medicine right away. She's 10 weeks old and weights only 1-1/2 lbs. Is she ready for heartworm or is it too early?

Please advice. Thanks!

 

My vet had me start my pup on heartworm preventive right away - she was about 3-4 months old when we got her. They gave me Sentinel, in a dose appropriate for a puppy of her weight.

There is no point in testing a dog younger than 6 months old for heartworms, since it takes 6 months from the time of infection for a test to come up positive. I guess maybe some vets like to wait until 6 months, do a test, and then start the preventive? I would imagine every vet has a different protocol and a different reason for it.

I have since decided to discontinue heartworm medication. I am having my dogs tested every 6 months to get the earliest detection possible. I feed a species-appropriate raw diet and avoid unecessary yearly vaccination boosters and poisons such as heartworm preventives and flea and tick preventives. I also avoid all medications and antibiotics unless aboslutely necessary. I am relying on a healthy immune system to prevent a heartworm infestation and to clear it if one did occur. Homeopathic medicines can also cure heartworms much more gently than the traditional treatments most vets use.

Are you in a high risk area? If not, I would personally suggest waiting before starting the preventive. However, if you live in a place where mosquitos are the size of birds you might want to start now.

 

8 weeks is usually the norm. you should see the mosquitoes here in summer jamiya. aye aye aye! :shock: im like a mosqito magnet too. if there is a nightly gathering, invite me, and i will be the groups mozzie repellant.

 

Yeah, I'm like that as well. I think mosquitoes comes from miles around just to bite me. Nala also seems to attract bugs much more than Bonnie. I guess we're just tastey....

 

just don't do the 6-month heartworm preventative shot....

 

I'm in South Florida close to the Everglades so the mosquitoes are huge & plenty. I'm with you guys...mosquitoes love my blood. I'm always getting bittten by them.

Why should I not give her the shots? Is it too strong for them? I'm asking so when I go tomorrow, I'm ready. Thanks.

 

There have been many dogs that have a bad reaction to the shot. In fact, I just posted an account of one dog today - the subject line is "Proheart 6 *cross-posted*".

 

on the shot...even if your vet advocates it do not let your dog have the shot. My vet's office approves of this heartworm treatment method and they figure that the thousands of dogs that survive this outweighs the number of dogs dying from it....WRONG!!! Any dog dying from anything that is supposed to keep them healthy is just wrong and I won't take a chance with my dog being one of the statistics. Problem being you would never know how your dog would react until it's too late - not worth it at all. The monthly HeartGuard has been proven to be safe (except for potential liver problems years later) but at least it's not going to be deadly in a matter of hours) and HeartGuard has been around for a long time.

 

My litter was started at 8 weeks on Filarabits (sp?), the dosage can be adjusted as they grow.

 

We started Molly & Emma on it right away as that is what our vet suggested. They will have one pill every month from May-October, which is when mosquito season is here.... I would imagine if we got our girls in November for example, we would have waited until the next season.

By the way, I'm SO glad you got rid of your last vet!!!!!

 

The new vet started her on HeartGuard on Friday. Since she was sick on Friday so she didn't eat it. Now that's she's better, I gave it to her with her food this morning so hopefully she'll eat it.

I'm glad I got rid of the last vet too...you know that I got a call on Saturday from the old vet to verify my appointmet for Piccolina for her shots. These idiots, I had informed them that the dog had died when she did and still they call me to remind me of her appointment. When the lady called I was so upset I told her that the dog was dead and I had been calling them and the doctor never even returned my calls.

I just couldn't believe it!

 

OMG!!!! :shock: Please tell me you are KIDDING! I can't believe they are that careless & disrespectful!!! I didn't think I could be more angry about the situation, but now I am! Although I know nothing can be done to bring your baby back, I think I would write a letter or place a call detailing everything that happened with this vet. I may save someone else from suffering from their neglegence