[Hound Dog Mom]

In the past I’ve generally used regular Heartguard (not Heartguard Plus), but this year I got Valuheart (the generic). I just look for one that only has Ivermectin and not Ivermectin/Pyrantel. It’s recommended to give every 30 days but I (like Marie) give it every 45, less total doses a year and the studies done on the product have shown them to be effective for 45 days. The milk thistle is to help protect the liver. Dr. Becker has a map on her site that shows what month you should give the first dose and what month you should give the last dose depending on where you live. Remember – it’s a personal choice whether or not you want to give a heartworm preventative. I’m not trying to persuade you in either direction, just giving my point of view. Whatever route you go make sure you do a lot of research on the pros and cons of not administering, limited administration (like what I do) and administration per manufacturers recommendations (every 30 days, year round) – there will be risks no matter what you do so it’s very important to make the most informed decision possible.