# Coco just ate a mosquito!



## Canada (Jun 4, 2009)

I have always said that my Coco will eat ANYTHING!:w00t:
And I think this just proves it!
There was a mosquito on the wall and before we could swat it,
_Coco ate it!_
I hope she won't get sick.
The irony of this, is that the past 3 weeks I have been researching
heartworm medicines.

*I am debating between twice yearly testing and no meds.*
*OR testing once yearly and then Interceptor *
*every 45 days until cold weather.*

I hate the idea of giving meds but there are many mosquitos here.

I wonder if twice yearly testing would be adequate?
I have read the many links posted and they were very helpful, thank you.
And now I am debating between the two options above.

My geograpical location is in Canada, close to Michigan, USA.

Any advice would be invaluable and greatly appreciated.
As I just want to do the right thing for my two.


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## malts4tina (Oct 28, 2007)

I totally feel your concern over the HW preventative for your babies. I think with anything we have to weigh risk vs. benefit. Here in Texas, I have been told HW preventative is a must. My holistic vet recommends Interceptor for Daphne Rose, who is 9 months and 3 lbs 3 oz, every 60 days. My traditional vet recommends it every 30 days. I think I will split the difference and go every 45 days. 

I even told my holistic vet Daphne Rose only stays indoors, and she still said I need it here in Texas. 

Good luck with your decision. I am sure you will make the right one for your girls!!!


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

The treatment for heartworm is very nasty, even deadly stuff. Hoping and testing is not a good plan unless you have very, very low rates of heartworm in your area. That is a big gamble if you live in an area where prevention is recommended. 
I'd much rather give a tiny bit of Interceptor than end up giving Immiticide.


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## Canada (Jun 4, 2009)

malts4tina said:


> I totally feel your concern over the HW preventative for your babies. I think with anything we have to weigh risk vs. benefit. Here in Texas, I have been told HW preventative is a must. My holistic vet recommends Interceptor for Daphne Rose, who is 9 months and 3 lbs 3 oz, every 60 days. My traditional vet recommends it every 30 days. I think I will split the difference and go every 45 days.
> 
> I even told my holistic vet Daphne Rose only stays indoors, and she still said I need it here in Texas.
> 
> Good luck with your decision. I am sure you will make the right one for your girls!!!


Thank you! I really appreciate the advice, as I too, hate giving my girls anything (unless neccessary). It sounds like it would be neccessary here, unfortunately. 

My pups are also 9 months, like your Daphne Rose is!:aktion033: 




jmm said:


> The treatment for heartworm is very nasty, even deadly stuff.* Hoping and testing is not a good plan unless you have very, very low rates of heartworm in your area.* That is a big gamble if you live in an area where prevention is recommended.
> I'd much rather give a tiny bit of Interceptor than end up giving Immiticide.


Thank you, JMM. I was so pleased to see your response and recieve advice from you. :thumbsup:
You bring up an excellent point about basing decisions on the the rate of heartworm for my area. 
So I looked up a study by a local university. It says this about my area:

"...had 86 cases (53 in l995). There were 20,016 dogs tested (20,012 in l995) to give a prevalence of 0.43% (0.26% in l995). *There were 75 infected dogs which had not been on preventive medication in the previous year and the prevalence among such unprotected dogs was 1.85% (1.11% in 1995).* There were 50 infected dogs that had never left the area and the movements for 35 were unknown."

If those stats are correct, the chance seem _way_ to high to not be on meds. 

It sounds like Interceptor will be the choice. 
I read the study on the Safeheart method and thought that was of interest. 
I will ask the vet about the Safeheart method, but I can't see them recommending less medicine. That would cut into revenues. 
I wonder about the effectiveness of it, it sounds good from the report. Maybe I should print it out and bring it to their vet.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

You shouldn't cut the tablets. The medicine is not evenly distributed. If you absolutely have to do a lower dose than the already very small dose in the tablets, it needs to be properly compounded by a pharmacist. Your dog could eat the whole box and it would not have any toxic effect.


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## malts4tina (Oct 28, 2007)

Have you heard of compounding prescriptions? That is what I did with the Interceptor 2 to 10 lb dosage. I first heard of this from my friend who takes her babies to Dr. Karen Becker. She is a holistic vet in Chicago. She does this at her practice for small dogs. However, she compounds ivermectin (Heartgard) at her practice. My vets had not heard of it but were cooperative and called in the order to a local trusted compounding pharmacy. So I took in a 6 month supply of Interceptor and got back 12 capsules. I am going to start Daphne Rose on it any day now. She had a HW test a week ago. You can friend Dr. Becker on FB also.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

If you get something compounded be sure to check the expiration date. It may not last as long as the original package said.


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## malts4tina (Oct 28, 2007)

jmm said:


> You shouldn't cut the tablets. The medicine is not evenly distributed. If you absolutely have to do a lower dose than the already very small dose in the tablets, it needs to be properly compounded by a pharmacist. Your dog could eat the whole box and it would not have any toxic effect.


 
Hi JMM:

We were both posting about compounding pharmacies at the same time. I had never heard of them before my friend told me she compounds her HW preventative.


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## malts4tina (Oct 28, 2007)

jmm said:


> If you get something compounded be sure to check the expiration date. It may not last as long as the original package said.


 
That's a great point!!! Thanks for posting this. Do you get your HW preventative compounded?


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## Canada (Jun 4, 2009)

Thanks, JMM & Tina.
Great points about compounding the meds 
and not just splitting the medicine yourself.
A few months ago, I hadn't heard about that.
I went to an animal info exhibit a few months ago
and there was a rep from a nearby lab that does that very thing, 
compounding of meds.
I took her card just in case. 
At the time I wasn't sure if the lab would ever come in handy, 
but I always like learning about animal health options.

Allthough my pups are 6 pounds approx
so maybe that means they should have the full dosage?


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## malts4tina (Oct 28, 2007)

Canada said:


> Thanks, JMM & Tina.
> Great points about compounding the meds
> and not just splitting the medicine yourself.
> A few months ago, I hadn't heard about that.
> ...


 
I think your babies will be fine on the full dose of Interceptor if you cannot get it compounded. Maybe you can do the full dose but give it every 45 days instead of 30.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

I just give the whole dose to everyone...5 lbs - 8.25 lbs.


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## Canada (Jun 4, 2009)

malts4tina said:


> I think your babies will be fine on the full dose of Interceptor if you cannot get it compounded. Maybe you can do the full dose but give it every 45 days instead of 30.





jmm said:


> I just give the whole dose to everyone...5 lbs - 8.25 lbs.


Seems the consensus is it that my two should be fine on the full dosage of Interceptor every 45 days.
I_ really_ appreciate all the advice. Thank You both!

After Coco got very sick as a young pup (most likely from Drontal Plus Small Canine) with profuse vomiting, I am so scared to give them anything. I took her to the 24 hour vet and had her admitted with IV.
She was only 2.8 lbs then, so I feel less anxious now that she is larger.


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## Katkoota (Feb 18, 2006)

Good info here  

Thanks ladies. 

Kat

ps. Jilly, maybe it is that flying insect to blame, not darling Coco for eating it. Kat ate them twice so far during horse back riding sessions! In both cases, they were the ones who flew right into my mouth. I had no control and swallowed (yuck). it happened too quick and I was in the middle of a canter.


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## Canada (Jun 4, 2009)

TheMalts&Me said:


> Good info here
> 
> Thanks ladies.
> 
> ...


Little miss Coco says: "Fanks, Kat, for sticking up for me! But I confess I ate the mosquito on purwpose! :blush:
It wooked so tasty! So I stuck my wittle tongue out and ...SLURP! I ate him!"  

We were :blink:!!!


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## Katkoota (Feb 18, 2006)

Canada said:


> Little miss Coco says: "Fanks, Kat, for sticking up for me! But I confess I ate the mosquito on purwpose! :blush:
> It wooked so tasty! So I stuck my wittle tongue out and ...SLURP! I ate him!"
> 
> We were :blink:!!!


sshhh Coco, I am trying to cover that up for you by giving an example of something that really happened to me. Make sure to keep mama away from this thread so that she doesn't read your confession ...

LOOOOL I just couldn't help it but giggle when I pictured "stuck my little tongue out and....Slurp"  darling Coco, I thought that lizards do that  ok and probably Crystal might also do it because she also eats everything if given the chance. As of Snowy, when a fly comes to his way, flies all over his face non stop, Snowy tries to bite it - he misses thank God (except for a couple of times when he had to take the fly out with his tongue after succeeding in biting the air and scoring (fly gets in)


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## malts4tina (Oct 28, 2007)

Canada said:


> Seems the consensus is it that my two should be fine on the full dosage of Interceptor every 45 days.
> I_ really_ appreciate all the advice. Thank You both!
> 
> After Coco got very sick as a young pup (most likely from Drontal Plus Small Canine) with profuse vomiting, I am so scared to give them anything. I took her to the 24 hour vet and had her admitted with IV.
> She was only 2.8 lbs then, so I feel less anxious now that she is larger.


I am glad you feel comfortable with the Interceptor. You are a good mommy to worry and do your research. I used to think I could just go with the flow, but I have since learned that every dog is different. I totally understand your concerns. Once one of your babies gets sick, it is so natural to worry. I am the same way.

I gave my babies their Interceptor today. I give milk thistle for a few days after.


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