[Pitlove]

Red, I’m not sure aquariangt was suggesting not seeking treatment, however I do think that a change is needed for this dog. That is fairly undeniable. Depending on where the OP lives, this dog is at an increased risk of heartworms, ticks, fleas, and a whole host of other issues. Speaking from living down south those things are all to scary and real down here. My boyfriends parents Rottweiler is currently being treated for heartworms because he is the outside dog.

Bringing the dogs inside would most likely create a significant improvement in the quality of life and possibly reduce these symptoms until the OP can afford or seek treatment.

[Madelon H]

Susan – thanks. I belong to the EPI4DOGS.COM group – they are awesome! Did/does your dog have EPI? I know they say you don’t have to have a low fat diet for EPI anymore – BUT here’s my thinking based on my personal experience. Doc, my GSD, was diagnosed at 3 months old with SIBO but not EPI (pancreas just had not completely atrophied at that time) – they did the cTLI test then and TLI was 16 B12 was 800+ Folate >24 – he had the chronic diarrhea with pale foul smelling cow patties – so he was on metronidazole and put on the Royal Canin Gastro Low Fat Dry Kibble – after 2 1/2 months all was well and I transitioned him to Royal Canin GSD Puppy – he was great – got to 95lbs until March 2015 when he started losing weight – no diarrhea – finally he had lost about 10lbs and despite my telling my vet something was wrong he said he was fine – then he started diarrhea and eating poop – I demanded another cTLI test – positive for EPI and SIBO – TLI < .4; B12 400; Folate >24. He was put on the can RC Gastro – WAY to expensive – once we started enzymes and B12 with Intrinsic Factor I switched him to TOTW Pacific Stream – poops got better but not consistent – then DESPITE being on flea/tick and heartworm meds his entire life he got tapeworms and coccidia (he had coccidia really bad as a pup) – he’s also been very itchy lately. SO my thinking after doing much research is that although they say you don’t need to restrict fat for an EPI dog I’m thinking you may need to restrict fat for SIBO – thoughts? The RC Gastro dry kibble is 5% fat and 3.6% fiber. I’m not opposed to prescription diet food if nothing else will work but I’m $4000 into this disease already and was hoping to find a comparable OTC food that won’t break my bank. I was looking at Natural Balance Limited Ingredient food that has 10% fat – do you think that it’s worth trying? I was also wondering about mixing canned food and kibble food since it appears most can food has less fat than the kibble?
Thanks so much!

[Pitlove]

Hey I’m sure the OP appreciates any advice he/she can get! No reason to slam someone who is doing the right thing for their dogs anyway! I hate putting chemicals into my dog as well and I try to avoid it as much as possible. I still give the Nexgard because my boy got fleas as soon as he was due for it and I wasn’t able to get to the vet. Probably shouldn’t have brought him to the dog park though, so that was our fault! However I give heartworm every 45 days instead of every 30 and I don’t give it in the “winter” time. I also don’t give flea + tick and heartworm in the same week and I don’t plan on revaccinating my dog except for a 3 years rabies because of the laws. I plan to titer him for the other vaccines instead. Doing all that makes me feel SLIGHTLY better about an oral flea and tick, though I’m still not happy with it.

[Kristin C]

Well thanks for not slamming me pitlove, I kind of gathered it was a little more fierce weather down there:) I think giving heartworm during mosquito season is a must, which is what we do up here in CT.

From what I understand fleas and ticks are most likely to gather on a compromised host, a pet with a weakened immune system. Since our dogs eat raw liver, liver treats, and they are currently getting B-complex vitamins each night, I am finding it has worked so far and just wanted to mention it. I understand the need in the south will be more aggressive than what i do up here.

[Pitlove]

Hi Kristin- Wow! Someone else from CT! I was born and raised there but living in Louisiana now. Very very different climate. Fleas and ticks weren’t nearly as big of a concern up north as they are down here. Also the mosquitos are so rampant down here, heartworm is a scary and real concern for me. Myself and the OP are both in the same state.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Cheryl,

Congrats on the new babies!

What are you using for heartworms? I use Sentinel Spectrum and my vet suggested Nexgard could be added to it for serious infestations.

Also, have you tried using neem oil on your yard in conjunction with the diamectious earth?

[Cheryl Pepper Millie Sophie]

Hello Fellow DFA people,
I have been absent for a while due to major changes-the biggest being my adopting 3 more pups (toy schnauzers) which now brings my total to 6!!!
Crazy i know, but crew 2 as I call them Abe Murray & sister Marlie are all from the same litter.
They came to me underweight fleas and intestinal worms on May 30th. Now they are worm free weight great ( On commercial raw ,cooked meats and dehydrated THK) vet was so happy when she saw them-she wants to send me her hard cases-I politely said no.
But I have a huge problem -I am faced with fleas – i live in south louisiana -we are having one of the worst seasons ever. Crew 1 Pepper Millie & Sophie are my mini schnauzers Pepper is my blind angel who just turned 12 years young Millie turned 1 on july 4th and Sophie is 7 months-well I guess crew 2 brought them in and oh my they (the fleas) don’t want to leave.
I have always used a topical either frontline tritak or frontline plus ,but now it is totally ineffective.
I hesitate to give an internal pill for fleas ,since they MUST be on heartworm chewables ,since we are the heart worm capitol .
I have been seeing Nexgard but am so skeptical.
I started both crews on granulated garlic but know that can take time to work and I am very slowly dosing them, I use the mercola spray before we walk, bathed in old fashioned dawn, been washing everything like a fiend.
Friends I am at a loss, I am so afraid to spray a chemical on my yard so I use Diamacous Earth.
Any feedback, opinions on giving nexgard a try during the bad months and doing a topical in the other months? I fear for Pepper given her age & multiple health problems ingesting a chemical to kill fleas-Oh how I hate this.
Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this and reply.
Hope all of you are doing well and your fur-kids free of bugs and enjoying the summer

[Anonymous]

From the Boston Herald 7/11/2015 http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/lifestyle/2015/07/steer_clear_of_meds_sold_online

Dear Dr. John,

I seek your opinion on a matter that I find puzzling. Our family owns two dogs and a cat, and we take good care of them. We see our veterinarian on a regular basis and follow her advice on matters of preventative medicine and just about everything else. I would like you to share your thoughts on Internet pharmacies and the purchase of medications there instead of from our vet. Our vet offers reasonable prices, but medications are a bit cheaper at the online pharmacies. I have been told some of the products, such as heartworm preventatives and flea and tick preventatives, are supposed to only be sold by a vet. Our vet has given us written prescriptions that can be filled through the Internet, but she tells us these drugs are obtained illegally by these pharmacies. Is that true? What should we do? We want our pets to get medications that we can rely on, and we don’t want to support illegal activity.— P.M.

Dear P.M.,

What you ask is something that practicing veterinarians deal with every day. Many animal hospitals and veterinarians dispense medications to patients. As small businesses, they cannot match the pricing of corporations that buy supplies in much larger quantities and at a cheaper cost, in turn passing on those savings to customers. The drug companies say they will only sell these products directly to veterinarians, and it is my understanding that they do. Some veterinarians, who I feel are somewhat unethical and looking to make a buck, purchase large amounts of these products and then for a fee sell them to intermediary brokers, who then sell them to Internet pharmacies. This is called drug diversion or the gray market, and while technically not illegal, it is considered wrong and opens up questions of quality control and ethics.

Furthermore, the drug companies make it clear that if the animal develops a problem or side effect from the medications, they will support the care of the patient and stand by their product only if it was dispensed by a veterinarian and not if obtained through drug diversion. While I am also a consumer, I would rather follow proper, ethical and legal channels and purchase from the veterinarian directly. Only your veterinarian knows your pet and knows it best, not the online pharmacy. This is what I advise my clients.

[weezerweeks]

Pit love Heartgard plus does not have anything in it for fleas and ticks just for heartworms and other intestinal worms.

[Anonymous]

Sentinel Spectrum is not available in the US, ingredients are slightly different. They use it in Australia. You can purchase it online….but beware, a lot of counterfeit/damaged stuff out there. I am not familiar with Advantage multi.

Sentinel is for heartworm, Advantix II for flea/tick, Frontline for flea/tick

I have heard that Frontline works best for fleas and Advantix II works best for ticks. I am not familiar with Advantage multi.
Check with your vet as to what would be best for your dog….don’t use multiple products at the same time.

[Pitlove]

Yes, fleas, the risk of heartworm and ticks are very real and scary here. Huge difference from where I was born and raised in Connecticut.

Currently we are using a product from Canada that my boyfriends parents order for all the dogs online called Nu-Hart. My pit just recently got his HW test and it was negative thank god! His parents outdoor dog (Rottweiler) was just diagnosed with HW and is currently being treated and being allowed to say inside.

It’s been raining a lot here lately so our pup hasnt been outside much, but we give the HW every 45 days instead of every 30 and so far it’s been working. I’ll look into the Sentinel. I don’t think my current vet has it. They have Hartguard Plus which does HW, fleas and ticks. I’m nervous to use that though as I don’t like to give flea/tick meds in the same week as HW. Any thoughts on Hartguard Plus?

[Anonymous]

They are all pesticides, so I use the minimum amount to be effective. Sentinel every 6 weeks for heartworm, spring through first frost, annual testing. Advantix II monthly, late spring through fall. The ticks are moderate here in NE, haven’t seen any fleas in decades. I also avoid woods and tall grass, I lost a dog to Lyme years ago, it wasn’t pretty.

It depends on the area you are in, regarding how aggressive you need to be, that being said, I am leary of the oral pesticides…..
I would defer to your vet.

BTW: Allergy testing done by a dermatologist/specialist is not inaccurate. My dog with environmental allergies is doing very well.

[DogFoodie]

I understand hating the chemicals. 🙁

I use the Sentinel Spectrum for heartworm protection for my dogs now. My integrative vet recommends it and uses it for her own dog. It has the added benefit of containing Lufenuron, which essentially makes adult fleas infertile, reducing the number of fleas in your environment. It offers no protection against ticks, which your Nexgard does. Nexgard kills adult fleas. My vet suggested that for a heavy infestation, both could be used together.

I recently learned about a new non-prescription product that is a spot-on for fleas and ticks called Activyl, but I know very little about it.

What are you currently using for heartworm protection?

[weezerweeks]

Dori I hate like crazy to put frontline on them but they are my rescues and live behind our store. During the winter they stay in their condo but in the summer it’s too hot so they stay under the building. I can not have fleas back there. I never use anything on my yorkie. The only thing he gets is Heartgard because he had heartworms when I got him. I never use off brands from Walmart etc on my cats and I only do it for 3 months. I hated to worm them but I gave them Drontal because it covers hook,round and tape. I never give medicine like this to my home animals but I don’t have a choice with these babies. Hopefully one day I’ll get to bring them home(as outside cats)

[Anonymous]

It’s a nasty habit some dogs develop
http://www.dogpoopdiet.com/why-dogs-eat-poop/#more-278
“If your dog eats poop, you should make sure it’s not because of a health issue. Some dogs will start eating poop when they aren’t absorbing enough nutrients, they have parasites, or they have issues with their pancreas. All coprophagic dogs should be examined by a veterinarian”.

The only cure I have found for it is to follow them around and when they do their business, scoop it up or bag it immediately. Out of sight, out of mind. After a while they stop turning around to look for it, some dogs outgrow it.

All pet owners should take their pets for an annual checkup if possible, heartworm check etc. Often you can negotiate with the vet which tests and vaccinations are unnecessary, especially after you develop a relationship with one.
Senior wellness checks at about age 7 are important.

[Anonymous]

I forgot to mention, I give the heartworm preventative every 6 weeks instead of every 4 weeks. I stop in the winter, start again in the spring.

In your situation, I would take the dog to the vet for a wellness check before making any changes.

[Anonymous]

I agree, that at certain times in a dog’s life, lab work is important…but if the dog is displaying no symptoms of illness, maybe every 3 years or so, if the vet thinks it’s indicated is more like it. Especially a geriatric work up at some point after the age of 7.

Lab work, however, doesn’t always pick up potential problems. And, not every pet owner can afford the $200-$400 bill for all the testing (ball park figure) once a year.

Best to discuss with your vet, what you can skip here and there, and what’s most important.

Of course there is heartworm testing every year, parasites, etc.

[Chrys H]

For digestive problems I started with Apawthocary tincture, but similar ingredients are found in Veterinary’s Best Stomach Digest now called Gas Busters, tablets well received by both Maltipoos.
Other things in my dog resource bag are Vitalogic Stomache Digest -for humans but same ingredients in dry cap as we’re the Apawthocary product, open cap add 1/2 to dry food made wet (or your food) has plaintain, slippery elm, marshmallow, soothing stomachs aids that we humans take on occasionally as well. Probiotics, Holly Hill Health has a capsule that doesn’t require refrig & is designed to work in intestinal tract, once again human grade, open xap sprinkle on dig food for added boost especially after taking a Heartworm treatment or getting vacc or exposure to extra stress. I found that many times after my dogs as puppies or young dogs after previously mentioned known body stressors or eating muscellanouses (one’s they are too quick & you don’t believe it to be toxic just an irritant help prevent diarrhea or small dog hypoglycemia vomiting from empty stomach too long.

My 8+ yr old female Maltipoo came to us as a pup that even Vet believed to just have kennel cough. Turned out to be Parvo, survived that but due to isolation unit with high level of chlorine in air developed pneumonia as well. Today 8+ yrs old is very healthy but is very sensitive. Human Little Tummies Gripe Water and Little Tummies Colic are part of my first aid kit too.

[Anonymous]

My neighbors dog got worms from just sticking his head in rabbit holes in the backyard.
He was Frontlined and on heartworm pills…which is supposed to prevent.

PS: He probably nibbled on rabbit feces, it looks just like kibble.

[idunnowhat2callmyself]

Okay, I’m just going to throw this out here because I’ve found this to be a remarkably useful website, and if there’s anyplace I might productively ask my question, it’d be here. I apologize in advance for the length of it.

My family’s got four dogs currently: One small, one medium, one medium-large, and one large. It’s a nice range. I try to order higher-quality kibble brands to offset the lower-quality ones sometimes brought home by other people. A month or two ago, I had a two-hour phone conversation with my aunt, who’s got one small dog on a raw diet (with wet canned stuff in the mornings.) I’d hoped to simply be able to follow her precise regimen, adjusted for our pack…and got a half-page worth of notes during that convo in Microsoft Word. I should’ve figured it wouldn’t be simple, and I suppose I could start ordering some whole rabbits or tripe or turkey necks and supplements or any of the other various things I jotted down from the site she mentioned…but the whole thing still seems so overly, excessively complicated and worrisome. She said that she hadn’t even told her vet about the switch, but had been at it for about a year now.

A few benefits stood out: Cleaner teeth naturally, because no matter how much toothpaste or how many correct-ingredient-inclusive wipes I use, nothing removes the ‘icky’ stuff (which is worst on the oldest dog.) My aunt also noted that cleaning up after them is much easier thanks to the raw–and since that job typically falls to me, I’d really appreciate that. AND potential weight loss/healthy-weight management, as well…I almost always opt for the low-fat variety of everything to be on the safe side. Fortunately the hefty Brittany did recently move down to a smaller dosage of heartworm med, and can suddenly fit behind the sofa again–so I guess it finally paid off.

I’ve given the pooches everything from the raw-coated kibbles to Stella & Chewy patties to Fresh Pet to Honest Kitchen “green slop” (we’ve had that huge box for over a year now), to dozens of kibble brands that all seem essentially identical–and so on and so forth. When I try to look up which kibble or commercial raw food to try (assuming that cans would disappear far too quickly to be worthwhile), I am instantly overwhelmed and confused–I see loads and loads of brand names and packaging and shapes, but all of the food and flavors appear to be the same. I have no idea how to even tell which to buy. The sizes and portions and pricing baffle me–how am I to tell what will feed multiple dogs of various sizes and breeds for more than a couple days? We usually get a new big kibble bag about twice a month. I simply cannot tell what the raw equivalent would be…and even for dry food, I’m now kinda stumped. Every time I’m asked to order another bag, I freeze. How to choose?!?! My list’s grown so long, and we’ve tried so many…now I usually go with whichever has the best price per pound at the time, and a decent rating/reviews. I wish I could just find the perfect brand to consistently turn to, and continuously rotate through their flavors and treats. (Deciding which treat to pick up becomes a whole other can of worms, and I’m just like, “Gods, why, why, why must this be so bamboozling?! Why the hundreds of redundant choices? The dogs don’t even care, they just want our stuff!”)

Only one of the four dogs eats neatly (my Saluki, who has a snood. 😉 The other three are slobs, knocking the bowls around and splashing before they even touch the floor. The little Beagle frequently flat-out refuses to eat from a bowl, insisting that the food be spilled onto the floor for him. Also, my mom’s a clean freak–and I’m a bit of one myself at times. For these reasons, I knew that any attempt to transition would be tough and drawn-out, if not impossible. I knew I’d have to discover the cleanest, neatest, easiest, least odiferous method.

Now, before I got older and started performing more research into these areas, my parents…well all right, let me just put it this way. The two Beagles we had at the time I was born ate cheap supermarket kibble and human leftovers, lived in the backyard, never once to my knowledge had their teeth brushed (the one had green teeth and rancid breath) or nails trimmed or even saw the vet…yet both lived happily & health-problem-free for 16-18+ years (we can’t be exactly certain because they were adopted from a shelter.) Thus it can be very difficult for me to convince these guys, no matter how many times I reiterate what the healthy-food brochures say, to go out of their way for “special frou-frou dog food” or anything they’re unused to.

WHEW. Ever so sorry to unload all that frustration here. Any advice, recommendations, or assistance that anybody ever feels like dropping would, of course, be most appreciated.

[jakes mom]

Could someone just speak generally about supplements, what they give their dog (or cats, I have both) and why? There’s so much info out there! If you’re not giving a medicine, supplement, etc for a specific problem ( and see an improvement) how do you know it’s helping and worth giving? Just believe the literature and hope it’s helping? Heartworm season is upon us, and I’ve been hearing about milk thistle after hw meds. I hear about supergreen capsules, coconut oil, fish oil, on and on. With no FDA oversight, how do I even know if it’s got what the company says it has and I’m not wasting money? I’d like to hear from people who regularly give their pets supplements, what kind and how much (per # of animal), and what companies you trust. Right now dog gets joint supplement and also RMBs and dog and cats all enjoy some coconut oil. They’re all seniors. What would you be giving them if you were me? Thanks in advance!

[Anonymous]

They are all pesticides (flea/tick and heartworm preventives) not medications.

I am in the same boat, lots of woods here. I use Advantix II every month, late spring-fall, Sentinel every 6 weeks May-November. Annual heartworm test.

I also use Preventic collars (amitraz) sometimes alone or in conjunction with topicals.
Some vets may say this is too much, some vets say it is okay, but to apply them at different times, I suspect the collar is only really good for a month anyway (not 3 months).

I also use homeopathic remedies such as Wondercide spray, brewers yeast tablets, a garlic clove about once a week….all controversial.

[Lori M]

I wondered about the VSF Nuroplex Herbal supplement and drops, glad to see someone has experience with it…for sure no vet is going to endorse something like that. I’m getting a wee bit ticked with the vet…all they want me to do is wait and watch….the only thing they offerred was making sure she wasn’t on one of the three heartworm meds that weren’t recomended. When i called and asked about an alternative flea med to Frontline all they recomended was Advantics and a list of other drops that worked the same way, no powders or any non-invasive types. I understand they have to be careful what they recomend, but it’s a ridiculous amount of money we pay them for what i feel like so far with these seizures has been little to no helpful information. I saw the one recomendation for the flea powder…can i get some more feedback on that….I don’t live in a city big enough to find it here i’m sure. Chances are i’ll have to buy it on line anyway. Any and all suggestions for alternative flea and tick meds would be appreciated!! I live in the south so not using anything is NOT an option. We are deep in flea, tick, and heartworm territory.

[Anonymous]

Watch and wait, if the dog has more than 1 seizure a month the vet may recommend medication, not a big deal…see my previous post. Idiopathic epilepsy is not unusual.

First, they want to see if it is just an acute situation related to the flea/tick pesticide or the heartworm pesticide. A one time reaction to some toxin.

It may be a fluke, she may never have a seizure again…..
Best of luck.

PS: You could consult a homeopathic vet http://www.vitalanimal.com
I don’t believe everything they say, but, some of it makes sense.

[Lori M]

My 3 year old Husky had her first seizure last monday….my heart wouldn’t stop racing for 3 days…it was terrifying. After she had time to come out of it and rest for a couple of hours i took her to the vet. My vet did tell me that the first thing they tell people is to immediately stop the heartworm medications related to seizures and he listed (3), Iverheart, and either Trifexus or Comfortus and one other…i don’t remember which. Yancy was on Heartguard and he said that one was OK. I remember the Iverheart clearly because i had her on it for about a year, the year prior. I had tried it because of the price, it was quiet a bit cheeper. I’ve gone to a grain free, high protein dog food and started making my own puppy jerky in my dehydrator, in order to better manage what toxins make it in her body, but i’m still conflicked about bones…Any suggestions? I’m like a sponge now, this all very new and scary for me, so any and all comments are appreciated.

[Bobby dog]

DF:
Here’s a few conversations that I remember:
/forums/topic/concerned-about-giving-milk-thistle-after-heartgard/
/forums/topic/heartworms-need-advice/page/4/

[DogFoodie]

We had a conversation about this a while back (probably a year or two ago now), and I hope some of the others who recall it weigh in also.

There is also reason to believe that milk thistle can slow the transit time of certain types of heartworm preventatives. So, it is important to wait for several days for the medication to clear the liver before offering milk thistle.

Sorry I don’t recall the details. I look for more information when I have a chance, but I’m in a rush right now!

[Anonymous]

http://vitalanimal.com/non-toxic-flea-control/ Check out the blogs as this subject comes up frequently. http://vitalanimal.com/natural-path-work/

They are all pesticides, I use the least amount possible that will be effective. Heartworm preventive every 6 weeks spring -fall, testing once a year. Advantix II in the summer (monthly topical) I also use Wondercide as a deterrent.
The homeopathic veterinarians say they have some natural ways, but I’m not so sure…
I avoid all tall grass, brush, woods and keep the lawn mowed low.

More info http://mashvet.com/resources/hartworm-prevention http://mashvet.com/resources/flea-tick-alternatives
http://www.homeovet.net/content/lifestyle.html

[kassie m]

Hi! I have been reading much about Heartworm medications and have found myself very confused. I would prefer to put as little through my dogs’ systems as possible as far as chemicals go. I have never had an issue with fleas or ticks on any dogs, so I am not necessarily concerned with a preventative, but if anyone has any natural, ingestible suggestions just to be safe, I would appreciate it!

Anyways, from my readings, Inceptor and Heartgard are preferable. I would prefer Inceptor, I think… :,). I have read that supplementing with Milk Thistle afterwards can assist the liver and am interested in when to begin dosing and how much I should dose my dogs. I have three dogs at the following weights: 46 lbs, 64 lbs, 71 lbs. Thank you for all your help in advance!

[jakes mom]

Good, Bdog, how are you? We’re both busy outside now that the good weather is finally here, right? I was hoping you’d pop in, I knew you had a list of good less expensive foods. Jake is fine, just had a checkup and heartworm test. Cats are all good. Dustin, my 20yo is still hanging in there. Going to vet next week for checkup and bw to monitor his hyper-t.

[Anonymous]

I received incorrect information from the regular vet.
It doesn’t matter what you feed the dog if the allergies are environmental, the dog will still have symptoms. Most allergens are airborne and impossible to avoid.

Allergies get worse as the dog gets older, not better.

My dog is doing so well, she may not even need to continue the immunotherapy (after 2 years).

We see the specialist once a year, he returns phone calls otherwise. The treatment is cheaper than going back and forth to the regular vet. In fact we haven’t gone to the regular vet in 3 years, get heartworm checks at Petco. Vaccinations for this dog are avoided.

PS: At one point I had 2 air purifiers and a dehumidifier going at the same time.
All they did was make noise, gave them all to the Goodwill.
And I never did find the perfect dog food, in fact, if a dog is allergic to the storage dust mite (common allergen), the specialist told me this allergen is in all kibble, regardless of how well you store it, they get in during the processing.

[davis h]

Hi All
I once used a product Activyl Plus. Didnt work..my Service Dog Booster had meningitis and came within 24 hours of death. He had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
http://www.cvm.missouri.edu/news/Booster2014.html
Hes a cancer survivor that almost died from a tick bite! Harsh chemicals or death? Im trying Bravecto BUT the lesson is..dont rely on a new product until you know it works. Be vigilant.
In Arkansas and Mississippi where I live, ticks and heartworm equal certain death. My choice is chemicals. Sure side effects but Ive had it with fleas,ticks,heartworms. I have 7 Labs and i cant comb every day so a good preventative is necessary. Its a rough alternative but beats what ive gone through due to perasites.

[Z B]

Thank you. Yes, I’m definitely concerned about the pesticides and plan to ask my vet. Lots of mosquitoes now, so I don’t know what she’ll say about the heartworm medicine. I can probably manage without the frontline if I can find some natural things that actually work.

Thanks for the links!

[Stacy H]

I definitely agree with seeing a vet ASAP.

My dog Sisko has unfortunately has had grand mal seizures ever since I adopted him in November 2012. He would have them every several weeks.

Tried removing toxins, good diet, natural supplements, no more heartworm medicine… unfortunately he still ended up being put on phenobarbital.

I wish I had thought of it sooner, but we’ve actually had tremendous benefit with a hemp supplement. (The one I use is called Canna Companion.) On phenobarbital alone he was having seizures every 16-19 weeks. After adding the hemp supplement, we’re now over 30 weeks and counting seizure-free. His mood also has been improved greatly, more energy, playing with toys again. Just my own little story and something to think about.

Also, I have personally found this website to be quite valuable to me in dealing with seizures, even if it hasn’t been updated in quite a long time:
http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/site_map.htm

• This reply was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by Stacy H.

[Dog_Obsessed]

I have never heard of or used this treatment, but on a whole, alcohol is horrible for dogs and should be avoided at all costs. The link in your post gave me a 404 error, so I searched on the topic and found this article: http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2014/03/does-guinness-beer-kill-heartworms/
As it states, “The amount of beer recommended for the heartworm treatment is minimal, so the risk of toxicity or alcohol poisoning is slim, but obviously should be taken into consideration. But if the risk is there, why try it all?”
The article then says, “Well, health risks come with any treatment. Ivermectin, the main ingredient in most heartworm medications, is itself a poison – an anthelmintic.”

I agree with both of these statements, but since Ivermenctin has been tested and found to be safe in most dogs, (though problems can still occur) I would definitely think of that as the safer choice for heartworm prevention. As LM said, I would never use any sort of homeopathic treatment without consulting a homeopathic vet.

[Rob M]

I have used Guinness and am here to testify that
It works !!!. My best friend, Boozer, of 12 years tested positive for heartworms in 2012, while I was working as a volunteer at my local county animal shelter. Checking for treatment at a local vet and finding the cost outrageous, the director told me of a treatment she heard of through a friend if hers. I looked it up on the web and deceided to give it a try. Boozer weighed 60 lbs so I gave him 3 Oz’s of Dublin’s Black Label Stout. Two weeks later I gave him another 3ozs.
Six months later I took Boozer to Banfield Veteranerian at Petsmart, where they tested him not once, but twice after I told them about the beer treatment. He reported negative both times and remained heartworm free for the rest of his life. He left me after a stroke in 2014.
Respectfully,
Rob M Wilm. NC

• This reply was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by Rob M. Reason: misspelled woed

[Anonymous]

I use k9Advantix II (topical monthly) on my dogs, but only during the summer. Heartworm pills every 6 weeks (not 4) during warm months, yearly testing, careful checking and avoidance of all tall grass, brush and woods.
I also use Brewers yeast/garlic supplements as they are supposed to deter bugs, plus natural spray repellents.
I would not use an oral agent, wish I didn’t have to use anything, but the ticks are bad in my area. They all are pesticides/poisons.

I have heard terrible things about this product http://vitalanimal.com/trifexis-hoax/

[Christal M]

First, I would like to explain something about sentinel and sentinel spectrum.

These two drugs do NOT kill adult fleas or eggs. If a flea bites your dog, this drug simply sterilizes the flea, so that flea can no longer reproduce.

Sentinel provides the flea sterilization, as well as prevention for heartworms, hookworms, roundworms and whipworms. It comes in a tablet form. Sentinel spectrum is a smaller chewy square that works for all of the above and tapeworms. Both are dosed monthly.

Secondly, to the person who was livid because they found fleas and ticks on their dog after using bravecto, please understand that this drug does not repel parasites. It only starts to kill them after they bite.

[aimee]

Hi Caroline,

Each year when my dog’s blood is taken for heartworm testing I also have a blood profile run. If my dog was on any ongoing medication that could affect organs I’d probably have it done more often than yearly.

[GSDsForever]

Allergy & Food: I would try a single novel protein/novel carb source diet, including restricting all treats (can only be that protein/carb).

This needs to be something your dog has never eaten before, ideally both the meat/protein source and the carb(s). You feed this a long while and other monitoring (you and your vet), then slowly add back in one protein at a time. You see what makes the symptoms disappear in your dog.

Heartworm Preventative: There are only so many active ingredients effective in heartworm prevention. Heartguard would have the same ingredient as Iverhart, Ivermectin. Your other option is the main active ingredient in the formerly made Interceptor, which now only is available with other anti-parastitics in the formula.

You do need to use one of them, as heartworm is very deadly & brutal on a dog.

You can also have the main active ingredient compounded for your dog at a compounding pharmacy, in whatever form and flavoring/inactive ingredients (in case of severe allergy to what you’ve already tried) and exactly custom to the weight of your dog.

Dry skin & shampoo/conditioner — Please see my thread I already started on that topic here, asking for help.

[Susan]

Hi sounds like your girl has IBD, I read on a link now I cant find it, it said you shouldn’t give dogs enzymes especially if they have a healthy gut, there 2 types of enzymes the plant enzymes or Porcine enzymes….I’d stop the kibble, my boy has IBD & has so many problems with kibbles, just finished trying another kibble & he was sooooo ill, bad acid reflux, now has a real sore throat from the acid reflux, vet wants him on just Turkey breast mince mix in 1 raw egg, then I make about 4 loaves & put on a baking tray & bake 20mins…just for 4-6 weeks to give his stomach a rest, I freeze section & also boil sweet potato boil pumkin & freeze, I boil some Quinoa as its gluten free,….he has stop scatching & his red paws have gone & the red under his chin has gone… I’m finding Patch needs a gluten free diet & has real bad food allergies that has caused his IBD & Colitis when he eats something that he’s allergic too, he has his bloody poos cause the food is irritating his bowel..look up gluten free & low residue foods & stick with those foods also don’t rotate too many foods as you wont know what is causing the itchy skin….
I have found foods that agrees with him & give for breakfast & dinner & something else that agrees with him for lunch & a late dinner, he has 4 small meals thru the day, we found this works best for Patch. also use Malaseb medicated shampoo I found to be the best…. Patch does not take any heartworm meds, he cant take any worm meds only Milbemax all wormer every 6months & I dread the day its due he eats grass the next day & feels sick all day but doesnt have diarrhea on the Milbemax, vet said its very mild, Patch can not use Advantage flea spot on… only Frontline plus, as Frontline only penetrates 2 layers of the skin, where other flea spot ons penetrate thru into their blood, Patch nilly died from Advantage…you name it Patch cannot take it, its all to do with his IBD…..
So I have learnt LESS IS BEST….

[Jennifer H]

BCNut – You live in Florida, right? What do you use/trust for fleas and heartworms? I have my dog on Advantage Multi (as per the suggestion of my holistic vet, after he had a bout of hookworms two years ago) but I’m reading so much about the worry people have about mixing flea/heartworm meds, and using topicals.

[theBCnut]

Oleanderz,
They get heartworms from mosquitoes and other worms come from contaminated soil or contact with an infected dog’s feces.

[Oleanderz]

D_O- Thank you for that valuable info, after doing a bit of research on DE, I have decided that this product is not for me. I’m going to play it safe with my pup; since I’m away at school most of the time. My brothers aren’t the most attentive of teenagers and I believe a simple spritz and go would do the trick so I’ve ordered the CedarCide best yet spray. I’ll let everyone know how it’s working around the second month of Spring. It’ll be plenty warm enough for the mites and maggots to start stirring around here!

Naturella- Are you on you on your first year of Sentinel Spectrum as well? It’ll be fascinating to see how we both end up this year! Though I guess Dori’s dogs are more than enough proof of legit-ness of this brand. Good luck with Bruno! (I’m guessing that’s him on your icon? He’s a cutie!!)

C4C- No, I wasn’t even aware Avon had a bug protection line. Sorry! (The reviews seem pretty solid, dunno how they’d work on pets though.)

I haven’t given Lucille anything steady since her first year with Interceptor; it was only because of my childhood novice, inexperience with dogs and financial standing that I didn’t even think about heartworm medications. After reading about the terrible tragedy with Turbo, I have decided to no longer go without the meds either. I recently got the ok from my vet for my pup to begin with SS and CedarCide if all else fails, I will return her to the Interceptor. Hopefully they haven’t chopped and screwed the formula too bad.

[DogFoodie]

After Losul shared his personal experience with heartworms with us, I’ll never NOT give my dogs heartworm preventative. Since he first told us about Turbo months ago, I have been vigilant with dosing my dogs. And, I believe, that raw is not a guarantee that your dogs won’t get adult heartworms. Just my .02.

[Nancy C]

I have worked with one homeopath who recommends NO heart worm meds. ??? Correct. He says he has had his great danes for 30 yrs, and he’s always had 5 or 6 of them, NEVER given them heartworm meds and they have never had heart worms. NONE of them. He feeds raw and he says THAT is the key. Total raw. He also told me that in the last 7 years he has never lost a dog patient to heart worms.
There are several other Homeopathic websites I frequent. One is VitalAnimal.com in Texas with Dr. Will Falconer who is nationally known (his website is wonderful) and Dr. Patricial Jordan in Asheville NC. (Her bio is beyond belief)… They DO NOT RECOMMEND ANY heartworm meds! So My two dogs are not on it now and I am trying to decide what to do in the spring. Also the homeopath, Dr. Dobias in California does not recommend either. So tell me: Anyone reading this doing some REthinking about it. The heartworm meds are VERY toxic themselves and there is good reason to be very suspicious of them. The Pharmaceuticals have penetrated the vets and they have scared us to death. Fear is a big piece of the problem. And I find myself being fearful too. Will be interested in what anyone has to say about this.

[crazy4cats]

I was reading an article about Heartworms in my area. The article was from a few years back, but one mosquito preventative that was mentioned in it was Avon’s Skin So Soft. I forgot about that product. I’m not even sure if it is around anymore. Has anyone tried this on themselves or their dogs?

[losul]

I started this thread almost a year ago as way to receive much needed advice and info, as I was hit with an unexpected bombshell, and needed to learn quickly all that I could. I didn’t even know very much about heartworms at the time. I’m forever grateful to all those who provided loads of info and advice, and all kind words of support, thoughts and best wishes. At the same time I wanted to chronicle everything I learned in a manner as objective as possible, not only for my own useful purposes of reviewing, but also hopefully for others it could possibly help that found themselves in the same predicament. I wanted to weigh everything I could, learn as much as I could, do all I could, so that I could arrive at the best decision I could make. I stand by my own personal decision. This was never a clear cut decision, it was NEVER simply one way is right and one way is wrong. There are way too many VERY important factors to weigh. The issue itself is way too important and serious, and dogs health and lives can be at risk. If my dogs condition warranted the other method, I would most definitely have used it. But I’ll NEVER try to promote a particular method as a blanket statement.

The events of the last several days showed this thread was no longer where I intended it to go. What happened to facts and objectivity? I’d never take sides in there is only one right way, and only one wrong way, there isn’t IMO, there is no one size fits all. I’ve had Turbo’s results since yesterday, again I know I made the right decision for us, no one else. I’ve now had to come to another VERY hard decision. I’ve decided NOT to post them in public.

Glenna, if you could ask Dr Sagman to forward your EM address to mine, and he would be so kind to do so, I am more than willing to discuss with you.

[Oleanderz]

Okay, I feel like a terrible pet owner right now, but I have to ask this. Are these parasites transmitted through contact with other dogs? Or just being outside on infected dirt or eating bad grass? I’ve always been confused about heartworms, hookworms, and roundworms and how they’re contacted. I saw the title Interceptor and I remembered this empty box I have in my dog’s file and records. The one time I bought Interceptor, I was really… young, so everything my vet offered me, I bought. I used it over the course of a year and forgot about it (Or in this case, they stopped putting it into the market and my technicians never offered me a substitute. I didn’t even know.). Fast forward 6 years now I’m wondering; her tests for heartworms and such still always come back negative, it is a violent slap to the face just now when I realize that that medicine was so important. I normally just put K9AII on her and keep it rolling. I haven’t really been looking into a preventative or anything for this. Does anyone know exactly when it will be coming back? If not soon, what do you use on your dogs to protect them from these hijackers?

(Also very unrelated to the topic how do I add a picture to my icon?? Still very new here (; w ; ) )

[Shawna]

PSS — wolbachia also causes the damaging inflammation in heartworm.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by Shawna.