# Heartworm Medication



## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

I live in NM which is a very dry climate with few (if any) mesquitoes. We don't have fleas at all and the Vets do not recommend any type of flea medication.

I am seriously considering not giving the girls heartworm medication going forward. They have been on Interceptor, but after reading "Scared Poopless", I'm beginning to believe that I'm doing more harm than good. I have never used heartworm meds in the winter months while living in NM or Arizona. Yes in California and/or Florida I did use the meds year round.

What are your thoughts on heartworm medication and if you give it, how often (all year or only a few months) and what brand are you using?


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## 2maltese4me (May 8, 2006)

I use Sentinel. I love the small little pill...no greasy mess to deal with. I've been using it for like 20yrs. Never had a single flea and have never had heartworm issues. We have no worries for ticks here in this part of NC.


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## Missy&Maggie (Jun 17, 2007)

I also use sentinel, year round living in FL. We've never had a flea issue either. My Vet recommended Sentinel because of Maggie's size.


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## MrBentleysMom (Dec 19, 2007)

I also use Sentinal year round. We love it and Bentley actually chews it up!


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

I used to use HeartGuard and then in flea and tick season FrontlinePlus. I'm with you on wondering how much harm we're doing after that book "Scared Poopless" too. But my little girl came down with Lepto after my not giving her the vaccine and heartworms are a real problem. It really is a dilema. I've switched to Sentinal because they do have dosages for smaller dogs and with that I don't have to use FrontlinePlus. I figure the less chemicals the better right? As far as ticks, since Frontline doesn't prevent the tick from actually latching on, I guess I've decided that since mine get brushed every evening and it's pretty easy to spot a tick on these guys, I'll just remove them when I find them like I have the one and only time I did find a tick on Jett. As far as year round heartworm meds, I decided to not give them any after Christmas and started again the first of this month. Maybe a couple of months break helps a bit, I don't know. But I figure I would have spotted a mosquito in my house by then if there were any survivors. It really is so tough to know what to do. Prevention is harmful it seems, but the reason there is preventive meds is because the problems it's preventing is harmful too. Kind of a damned if you do and damned if you don't situation. I really like things when they are black and white darn it.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

Maybe no mosquitos, but are you sure about no fleas in NM? I used to travel there frequently for business and I know that prairie dogs are flea carriers (I used to facinated by the desert animals, lol). Fleas not only are bothersome but they carry bacteria (remember from your history lessons the plague in the 1300's? That was started by fleas on rats, ick). Plus I always associated desert with sand fleas--they were most bothersome to my air force pals over in the middle east (not the same as NM, lol, but still fleas around).

I guess if you have no mosquitos then no worries? But now you have me wondering about what the Scared poopless says about it. We use interceptor.


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## SpringHasSprung (May 4, 2007)

I also use Sentinel after the advice of all you good people and I thank you all AGAIN! 

I HAD been using Heartgard/Frontline and every single time I gave it to Spring, she would get the throw-ups within a day or two. Bad throwups. We have not had that since the switch. I just think that with the smallest dosage being 22 lbs? and under, that that is WAY to much medication for a 6 pound dog. Being in Illinois and Florida at different times of the year, I know she MUST be on flea stuff.


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## LitGal (May 15, 2007)

My holistic vet recommends Interceptor (if we're to use anything), so that's what Haiku gets. Haiku doesn't spend a lot of time outside, especially after dusk when the mosquitoes are bad, but we do have a lot of mosquitoes in the summer. She's on the pills for six months of the year.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

> I also use Sentinel after the advice of all you good people and I thank you all AGAIN!
> 
> I HAD been using Heartgard/Frontline and every single time I gave it to Spring, she would get the throw-ups within a day or two. Bad throwups. We have not had that since the switch. I just think that with the smallest dosage being 22 lbs? and under, that that is WAY to much medication for a 6 pound dog. Being in Illinois and Florida at different times of the year, I know she MUST be on flea stuff.[/B]


Ollie used to throw up after applying Frontline, too. He's between 8 1/2 and 9 lbs. I hadn't given it to him all winter and just applied for the first time in several months--and it was the first time he never threw up on it. I wonder if it had to do with him being a puppy last year--even though he was a big puppy. I have no idea. I'll stay with the Frontline for now, but I'm not crazy about it because of our prior experience!


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## Furbaby's Mommie (Jul 10, 2004)

Trying to do the lest 'harm' and still providing all the protection our little ones need is the worse dilemma! :smstarz: I gave Frosty Heartguard until he was about 12 and had a terrible vomiting spell that landed him in the hospital on IV. It was the only thing I could link it to, so just quit for the rest of his life. I started Shoni on Interceptor at about 4 mo. old, then have waivered ever since. I think he has had 2 in the last 5 mo. It is not a bad problem here, but I do see mosquitoes sometimes in the house in the winter. He isn't outside long enough to worry too much, and the blood test once a year is probably no more expensive than the pills and since he is a MVD dog I don't want to stress his liver................ :new_shocked: so I think I just convinced myself he doesn't need Interceptor!! :wacko1: :blush:


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

My holistic vet gave me Interceptor today.


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## thinkpink (Sep 25, 2004)

All of this is news to me. I thought she had to have heartworm medicine year round. Our weather is so topsy turvy we can have fleas and mosquitos almost anytime, but she rarely goes outside anyway. I think I need to get that book because I certainly don't want her to have and medication that she doesn't absolutely need.


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## Gigis_Mom (Mar 14, 2008)

My vet has Giggi on Sentinal too.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

> All of this is news to me. I thought she had to have heartworm medicine year round. Our weather is so topsy turvy we can have fleas and mosquitos almost anytime, but she rarely goes outside anyway. I think I need to get that book because I certainly don't want her to have and medication that she doesn't absolutely need.[/B]



I think it depends on what part of the country you are in. I'm in the South and they recommend it 12 months a year here unfortunately. Interceptor is supposed to be good for small breeds. 


"Scared Poopless" is a good book.


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## MandyMc65 (Jun 14, 2007)

I use Heartguard and Frontline.

I may switch though hearing how many ppl are using Interceptor or Sentinal... Looks like I need to do some researching


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

My vet just got in Interceptor and asked if I wanted to switch to it. But with Interceptor you have to use something for fleas too, like Frontline? Is that correct? I so wish I had a holistic vet here. Why are the holistic vets recommending Interceptor instead of Sentinel? Which is the lesser of two evils so to speak, Sentinel with no Frontline, or Interceptor with Frontline?


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## Cara (Jan 31, 2008)

Ok so now i am confused. Is Sentinel a heart worm pill and a flea pill? What does SEntinel have that Heart Guard doesnt??


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## njdrake (Apr 23, 2007)

I've used Sentinal and Frontline but a few months ago my vet recommended Revolution. She has raised Maltese for years and said that's what she had switched too. She said she likes it because it comes in doses for the really small dogs. Tess is around 3 1/2 pounds and I worried about using products for dogs weighing more. They have Revolution for dogs 5 pounds and under and the next dose is 5.1 pounds to 10 pounds. I really don't see much difference and I've had no problems with fleas but I didn't before either. It isn't as greasy as when I used frontline and you can bath them a couple of hours after applying it. I've had them on it for about 7 months with no problems. I use it every month because I'm back and forth from Ohio to Florida so I'm around flea areas all year. It's just so hard to know what to do. I worry about using anything.


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## widgeon (Apr 23, 2007)

I have been using Frontline for fleas and Heartgard for the heartworms. It is for up to 22 pounds though! I was wondering, has anyone ever cut it in half and used just half of it? Wouldn't that give them enough protection? I should probably ask my vet :blink:


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

I think that Interceptor doesn't stay in the system as long as the others. It is not a flea remedy, just heartworm.


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## Moxie'smom (Dec 16, 2007)

I used interceptor on my last maltese.

Now the vet switched me to Sentinel which has flea protection plus heartworm. I give it on the 22nd of each month which is his birthday date. I've been giving it to him since we got him.
When the ticks start coming out I'll use frontline, but i hate putting poison on my baby. It smells horrible. 

I have had good results though with it, we have still had to pick off a couple of ticks. With moxie's hair long it'll be interesting. I'll make sure he wears socks!!!!


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Ask about the incidence of heartworm in your area before deciding. Testing annually is NOT adequate if you live in an area where preventative is recommended. Once your pet tests positive, it may require treatment which is dangerous, painful, and expensive. It is MUCH riskier than monthly preventative. 

I prefer Interceptor. Heartgard has ivermectin which is contraindicated for dogs with seizures, liver disease, and some collie breeds. Maltese as a breed are prone to epilepsy and liver problems, so I'd rather just no have it in my house. I also don't like that it is dose for up to 25 lbs whereas the Interceptor is 2-10 lbs. 

Interceptor is in and out of their system in 3 days. It does NOT stay in their body for a month. It works backwards, killing any "baby" heartworms that may have been acquired in the past month. You need to give it every month to keep up with the cycle. Your dog could eat the WHOLE box of interceptor and it is not toxic. 

Sentinel is interceptor plus flea birth control. It does not kill fleas or repell them.


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## MandyMc65 (Jun 14, 2007)

> Ask about the incidence of heartworm in your area before deciding. Testing annually is NOT adequate if you live in an area where preventative is recommended. Once your pet tests positive, it may require treatment which is dangerous, painful, and expensive. It is MUCH riskier than monthly preventative.
> 
> I prefer Interceptor. Heartgard has ivermectin which is contraindicated for dogs with seizures, liver disease, and some collie breeds. Maltese as a breed are prone to epilepsy and liver problems, so I'd rather just no have it in my house. I also don't like that it is dose for up to 25 lbs whereas the Interceptor is 2-10 lbs.
> 
> ...


So, if Sentinel is Interceptor Plus a flea birth control that would "replace" Frontline and Heartguard? Whereas the Interceptor would just replace the Heartguard. And if I wanted to repel the fleas would I be able to just use something that is natural? Like some type of oil? We have a place here that has all of that kind of stuff. Kind of like the stuff on this link??

I think I will switch Jax to one of these b/c I don't care for the Heartguard. The first time he had it, he had a pretty bad reaction and he still gets a little case of diarrhea with it. But, I'd rather that than have him get heartworms. The frontline there is not a reaction though. I have yet to read Scared Poopless, but I want to. I'll have to buy it soon!


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## carolicious (Feb 25, 2008)

Wow, it's a good thing I read this thread! We were just about to order 6 more packs of Heartguard that Coby has started on. Sentinel costs a lot more than Interceptor, probably due to the added flea control? I really don't want to use frontline/advantage for fleas because they don't seem to be much of a problem around my area so we just got a natural flea prevention spray from the naturalpetstore.com or somewhere.. and just stick with only heartworm preventative medication. Thank you all for bringing this up, I'm going to ask my vet to give us a prescription for Interceptor instead of Heartguard.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Sentinel only prevents fleas from reproducing. So it doesn't replace Frontline which kills them. If your dog has fleas or gets fleas, they won't go away with Sentinel. They just won't reproduce.


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## sassy's mommy (Aug 29, 2005)

> Sentinel only prevents fleas from reproducing. So it doesn't replace Frontline which kills them. If your dog has fleas or gets fleas, they won't go away with Sentinel. They just won't reproduce.[/B]


But.............if your dog comes into contact with fleas you can give a "Capstar" which starts killing fleas within 30 minutes and works for about 24 hrs. This way you don't have to have your dog on a topical med that poisons the body for a full month. This should probably only be used in doggies that don't go outside. So the occasional flea can be zapped with a "Capstar." 

We use sentinel once a month and an occasional Capstar.


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## binniebee (Sep 27, 2007)

I use Interceptor for the heartworm prevention and Frontline Plus for the flea & tick prevention. Fleas, ticks and mosquitos thrive here in middle Tennessee for about 10 months out of the year! So I use Frontline about 10 months out of the year. Interceptor 12 mos. Some years we are lucky if we get one good freeze in the Winter. Ticks are TERRIBLE in my yard, which has huge Hickory trees hanging all over it, and mosquitos are just indigenous to the South. Yech. I even got Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever from a tick the first summer we lived here (4 years ago)!

Cyndi


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## Julie718 (Feb 17, 2006)

I give Tango & Tillie Interceptor, but Tango is on Heartguard now because of his allergies. They have him on the non-flavored Heartguard. I had no idea it can cause so many problems in our Malts! :shocked: I guess I will need to do some research and Heartguard and see if I'm going to change Tango back on Interceptor.


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## GreenFuzzer (Jun 16, 2007)

<span style="color:#008B00">Doesn't anyone use Advantage Multi? If not why? This is what our vet has had us using since Gracie came into our lives. It is by prescription and dogs weight.</span>


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## Maidto2Maltese (Oct 19, 2004)

In our area we seem to have exposure to everything! Lyme Disease is a big time problem as well as a big rise in Ehrlichiosis ( in fact Naddie had tested positive for that last year) . Ticks are a HUGE problem in our area. Mosquitos weren't bad last year but we seem to have cycles and some years they ar horrible!
Naddie also had a bout with heartworm and thankfully came thru that fine. 
We use Heartgard and K9-advantix... I hate giving anything!...but hate the diseases even more.


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## 2maltese4me (May 8, 2006)

> All of this is news to me. I thought she had to have heartworm medicine year round. Our weather is so topsy turvy we can have fleas and mosquitos almost anytime, but she rarely goes outside anyway. I think I need to get that book because I certainly don't want her to have and medication that she doesn't absolutely need.[/B]


When we lived in NY it was only necessary to use X amount of months out of the yr. Now that we live in the South, we use it yr round.


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## 2maltese4me (May 8, 2006)

> Sentinel only prevents fleas from reproducing. So it doesn't replace Frontline which kills them. If your dog has fleas or gets fleas, they won't go away with Sentinel. They just won't reproduce.[/B]


Hmmmm, wonder how I've managed to avoid fleas for over 20yrs then???? I've never given any secondary meds. I wouldn't call 20yrs sheer luck either.  Sentinel is doing the job for me, irregardless.... :thumbsup:


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## SpringHasSprung (May 4, 2007)

I'm not necessarily selling Sentinel as we've only used it for about 6 months now, but I do find issue with Heartgard/Frontline. IMO, it is just WAY too much medication for our tiny babies and when I add in the horrible vomiting every time I gave HG/Frontline to Spring, it's a huge NO WAY for me. So far, so good with the Sentinel.


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## SpringHasSprung (May 4, 2007)

I forgot to add that I questioned the Heartgard people about cutting it in half and they told me that they did NOT recommend doing that. I guess it has something to do with the way the meds are distributed within the "pill".


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## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

Thanks for responding. I know that a lot of this is very dependent on what area of the country you live in.

We're lucky that NM doesn't have a flea problem. All of the vets that I've talked to here (there have been several) laugh at me when I ask them about Frontline. They tell me it's a waste of money as we don't have a problem that warrants flea prevention meds and I know that in Arizona and NM I've never seen any dogs with fleas. Certainly none of mine have ever had any.

I think I will continue on the Interceptor. I do like the fact that it is available for 2-10 lb furbabies and the fact that it doesn't remain in the system for more than a few days. I've never had a problem with Interceptor and have used it for all of my dogs -- including the Lhasas and Nellie, the lab, since Interceptor was first introduced. Obviously Nellie uses the kind for the "big" dogs and the Lhasas were on the pill for the 10-25 lb. furbabies.


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## susie and sadie (Jun 22, 2005)

> Trying to do the lest 'harm' and still providing all the protection our little ones need is the worse dilemma! :smstarz: I gave Frosty Heartguard until he was about 12 and had a terrible vomiting spell that landed him in the hospital on IV. It was the only thing I could link it to, so just quit for the rest of his life. I started Shoni on Interceptor at about 4 mo. old, then have waivered ever since. I think he has had 2 in the last 5 mo. It is not a bad problem here, but I do see mosquitoes sometimes in the house in the winter. He isn't outside long enough to worry too much, and the blood test once a year is probably no more expensive than the pills and since he is a MVD dog I don't want to stress his liver................ :new_shocked: so I think I just convinced myself he doesn't need Interceptor!! :wacko1: :blush:[/B]


You're right, it's so hard to know the right thing to do! :smpullhair: 

I also give Susie and Sadie Interceptor, but my holistic vet told me it was safe to only give it every 60 days (it has to do with the life cycle of the heartworms). I figure the less I have to give it to them the better, considering their MVD.

Before I knew about their liver issues, I would always give them milk thistle the week before and the week after they got their pill, just to give their liver extra support. Now they get milk thistle and Sam-e daily. Hopefully that helps lessen any negative effects of the medication. rayer:


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## emmie0527 (May 4, 2007)

> I also give Susie and Sadie Interceptor, but my holistic vet told me it was safe to only give it every 60 days (it has to do with the life cycle of the heartworms)[/B]


I use Interceptor and Advantage. It's interesting to find out about the Holistic vet saying to give the interceptor only every 60 days. How do you find a Holistic vet? I live in a kinda rural area, so we only have 2 vets close by. I'm taking Bailey to the vet next week for a check up and I'm trying to make a list of questions to ask.

I really appreciate the wealth of information on this site!!!


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## susie and sadie (Jun 22, 2005)

> How do you find a Holistic vet? I live in a kinda rural area, so we only have 2 vets close by.[/B]


You can search for one by state here. (I hope that works! I'm new at posting links!)


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## Naylamom (Jan 17, 2008)

My vet prescripted Heartguard and frontline to Nayla, she is 5 months old and weights 6 pounds. I have not given it to her yet. I live in NYC and found a tick on her already. I don't take her out in the streets, only in the courtyard in our building, she probably picked up from there. I have not found anymore on her I check twice a day. I don't know if she will get an alergic reaccion or not, I'm so afraid to use the meds. This is so frustating. I wish there was another way to repel fleas, ticks and mosquitos.


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## carolicious (Feb 25, 2008)

> My vet prescripted Heartguard and frontline to Nayla, she is 5 months old and weights 6 pounds. I have not given it to her yet. I live in NYC and found a tick on her already. I don't take her out in the streets, only in the courtyard in our building, she probably picked up from there. I have not found anymore on her I check twice a day. I don't know if she will get an alergic reaccion or not, I'm so afraid to use the meds. This is so frustating. I wish there was another way to repel fleas, ticks and mosquitos.[/B]



there are other ways. They have those sprays and shampoos that are formulated to repel ticks and fleas naturally. I bought some all natural repellent spray for Coby after reading a review about it, someone swore by it. I, myself, do not know how well it is working though since it just started warming up so we'll have to see. But so far he has never come back with any ticks or fleas after his walks or play in the backyard.


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## totallytotontuffy (May 16, 2007)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=553152
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I had been using heartguard but wanted to change to Sentinel this year in light of heartguard's smallest dosage being "up to 25 pounds". So I asked my vet for Sentinel and she said she would prefer that I use Interceptor. She said that she has seen the most adverse reactions to Sentinel and reiterated what others have said about the flea protection in that it only kills the eggs and doesn't prevent the fleas from infesting your dog.


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## sophiesmom (Apr 21, 2006)

I live in the Raleigh area and for any that maybe in the area, are there any holistic vets here? The vet for Sophie and Abbie have them both on Revolution now but I will be switching to Interceptor with her suggestion of Frontline. We have had a scare with Sophie and really are scared to put anything topick on her, yet we have to. Where we are, the summer is so bad the mosiquitos (excuse the spelling) are awful. I was using Advantix 9 for that .


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

> I live in the Raleigh area and for any that maybe in the area, are there any holistic vets here? The vet for Sophie and Abbie have them both on Revolution now but I will be switching to Interceptor with her suggestion of Frontline. We have had a scare with Sophie and really are scared to put anything topick on her, yet we have to. Where we are, the summer is so bad the mosiquitos (excuse the spelling) are awful. I was using Advantix 9 for that .[/B]


You can do a search here: AVHMA site

My holistic vet suggested Interceptor for heartworm. She said that Frontline is okay to use but she recommended using it every other month, on a different day from when the heartworm meds is given. She said to use the Frontline spray instead of the one app squeeze thingy, because you can use a smaller dose. Spraying it on a cosmetic puff and apply. I also have a spray by Ark Naturals, "Neem Protect Spray."

I am going to use the Neem Spray each time I walk Nikki.


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## carolicious (Feb 25, 2008)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=566030
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I believe that's the one we got for Coby! It doesn't smell so wonderful though.. but oh wells, I guess I can't expect it to smell like flowers or coconut or something when it's supposed to be repelling nasty little things.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=566037
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Neem and citronella smell nasty, yeah. I've used it on myself and mosquitos don't like it.


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## Moxie'smom (Dec 16, 2007)

We had Moxie on Sentinel, but this month we're switching to interceptor because we have to start Frontline plus. he already had a dog tick 2 weeks ago. We live in CT, well that is where Moxie most likely could get a tick. No ticks in NYC. 

Does anyone know if we could split the interceptor since he is only 5 pounds and split the frontline as well?


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

> We had Moxie on Sentinel, but this month we're switching to interceptor because we have to start Frontline plus. he already had a dog tick 2 weeks ago. We live in CT, well that is where Moxie most likely could get a tick. No ticks in NYC.
> 
> Does anyone know if we could split the interceptor since he is only 5 pounds and split the frontline as well?[/B]


If you want the interceptor to cover intestinal parasites, give the whole pill. He could eat a whole box of it and it would not be harmful. 

I split Frontline. Merial does not recommend it.


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## Naylamom (Jan 17, 2008)

> We had Moxie on Sentinel, but this month we're switching to interceptor because we have to start Frontline plus. he already had a dog tick 2 weeks ago. We live in CT, well that is where Moxie most likely could get a tick. No ticks in NYC.
> 
> Does anyone know if we could split the interceptor since he is only 5 pounds and split the frontline as well?[/B]


Yes, there are ticks in NYC. I found one on Nayla a few weeks ago.


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## Naylamom (Jan 17, 2008)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=566250
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Okay, if I give Nayla Interceptor and frontline plus I should not give it to her on the same day?


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