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Reply To: Heartworms, need advice.

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aimee
Participant

Hi again… While I was answering the first set of questions I see you found more: )

The “slow kill” typically refers to not using immiticide and using preventative (ivermectin) with doxy and dosed more frequently

Initially immiticde was recommended as a 2 injection series for dogs without heavy worm burdens and 3 injections for dogs with heavy burdens. It is now recommended that all dogs undergo 3 injections; safer and more effective. It is a staged kill, not as many dead worms hit the lungs at the same time. Shelters typically don’t do this. They opt for 2 because of cost and time constraints. It is “faster” in the sense that it is a one month instead of 2 month treatment but it is riskier.