A. «Many pet owners living in cold climates assume that they can stop giving
heartworm preventive medication in the winter, because they aren't seeing mosquitoes,» says Wallace Graham, DVM, president of AHS.
This means that if a dog goes off
heartworm preventive medication for a prolonged period (four months was the time tested), re-starting it could still prevent adult heartworm infection in the heart and pulmonary arteries.
Most importantly, shelters should stress the necessity of giving
cats heartworm preventive medication in accordance with the recommendations of the Companion Animal Parasite Council and the American Heartworm Society.
Just like any other disease, heartworm disease has signs and symptoms that you need to look out for, especially if your cat is not on
heartworm preventive medication such as Revolution.
It primarily infects dogs, cats and ferrets and is potentially fatal; however, it is almost 100 % preventable with yearly testing and proper use
of heartworm preventive medications.
This means that if a dog goes off
heartworm preventive medication for a prolonged period (four months was the time tested), re-starting preventive could still preclude adult heartworm infection in the heart and pulmonary arteries.
Fortunately, ivermectin is available in several monthly
heartworm preventive medications.
The so - called «slow kill» method of heartworm treatment involves administering monthly
heartworm preventive medications (usually ivermectin - based) and waiting for the adult worms in the heart to die a natural death.
They must be current on vaccines and
heartworm preventive medication (if the area you live in is prevalent with heartworms).
It can also occur if adult heartworms are present and your dog is on
heartworm preventive medication.
Heartworm preventive medication is labeled by the FDA as veterinary only products to be used under the direction of a licensed veterinarian, therefore requires an active doctor - client - patient relationship and current prescription.
Dogs with chronic problems are put on
heartworm preventive medication on a monthly basis since this medication also kills Hookworms.
On your puppy's first visit we will start them on
heartworm preventive medication.
Some products offer the ability to kill older larvae, which helps keep the pet protected in case
the heartworm preventive medication is given late.
The American Heartworm Society believes it is in the best interest of all dogs greater than 6 months of age to be tested for both heartworm antigen and microfilariae on an annual basis and whenever a change in
heartworm preventive medication is planned.
Heartworm preventive medications are used to periodically kill larval heartworms that have managed to gain access to the dog's body.
Heartworm preventive medications are the only option for cats, as there is no approved treatment for feline heartworm disease.
Heartworm disease is treatable in dogs (but not cats) with a series of injections, along with a monthly
heartworm preventive medication.
The three most active ingredients in commercial monthly
heartworm preventive medications — ivermectin, milbemycin oxime, and selamectin — are all derived from a compound within the naturally occurring soil bacteria Streptomyces avermitilis.
According to a 2009 compliance study2 published by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), 64 % of dogs do not receive
any heartworm preventive medication.