# Heartworm & Flea meds for those under 5 lbs.



## CrystalAndZoe

I typically like to do my own research but I just don't seem to have a lot of spare time right now to do the research. And I know there is just a wealth of knowledge here so I would love it if you all would share your knowledge and research with me.

I like to treat my babies both traditionally and holistically. I don't like to overdue vaccines and I hate heartworm meds and flea prevention. But in my area it is a necessary evil. Thankfully Jett is a little over 5 lbs. Zoe & Jett are both on Interceptor and Comfortis and I feel I've chosen the less of the evils so to speak. However Callie is not quite 4 lbs yet. When I took her to the vet for just a well puppy visit, she gave me a sample of Revolution which is an oral treatment for both heart worm and flea prevention. And it goes as small as 0 to 5 lbs for the dosage. So I'm thinking for the dosage and the fact that I'm not having to give 2 different meds, that might be the best choice? Also, since Callie and Jett really play, tussle and mouth joust each other, I'm thinking an oral med is the better way to go?

What do you all do for the ones under 5 lbs?


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## MaryH

Crystal&Zoe said:


> I typically like to do my own research but I just don't seem to have a lot of spare time right now to do the research. And I know there is just a wealth of knowledge here so I would love it if you all would share your knowledge and research with me.
> 
> I like to treat my babies both traditionally and holistically. I don't like to overdue vaccines and I hate heartworm meds and flea prevention. But in my area it is a necessary evil. Thankfully Jett is a little over 5 lbs. Zoe & Jett are both on Interceptor and Comfortis and I feel I've chosen the less of the evils so to speak. However Callie is not quite 4 lbs yet. When I took her to the vet for just a well puppy visit, she gave me a sample of Revolution which is an oral treatment for both heart worm and flea prevention. And it goes as small as 0 to 5 lbs for the dosage. So I'm thinking for the dosage and the fact that I'm not having to give 2 different meds, that might be the best choice? Also, since Callie and Jett really play, tussle and mouth joust each other, I'm thinking an oral med is the better way to go?
> 
> What do you all do for the ones under 5 lbs?


Okay, I'm confused and I'm struggling like you Crystal with how to deal with heartworm and ticks (flears are not a big issue around here). I just did an internet search on Revolution and it says it's a topical treatment (like Frontline), not an oral treatment. Did your vet give you pills or vials like Frontline?

On this same subject, I just got off the phone with one of the new puppy owners. They were concerned because they gave Teddy Heartgard yesterday, he vomited this morning, wasn't much interested in food and didn't want to play. Why do people not listen??? I specifically said I would not give Heartgard to a puppy that young (5 mos. on 6/5) and that small (4 lbs.) since the smallest dosage is good for dogs up to 25 lbs. :smilie_tischkante: Thankfully they called the emergency vet, and magically he perked up while they were on the phone. Part of the disinterest in food is probably also that he is teething (the others are starting to get some adult teeth now) and to soften his food with water and microwave it for 20 seconds. So what have they beein doing? Hand feeding him chicken and cheese!! It will all work out, I'm sure, but until then .... I'm biting my tongue and it's starting to hurt!


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## CrystalAndZoe

MaryH said:


> Okay, I'm confused and I'm struggling like you Crystal with how to deal with heartworm and ticks (flears are not a big issue around here). I just did an internet search on Revolution and it says it's a topical treatment (like Frontline), not an oral treatment. Did your vet give you pills or vials like Frontline?
> 
> On this same subject, I just got off the phone with one of the new puppy owners. They were concerned because they gave Teddy Heartgard yesterday, he vomited this morning, wasn't much interested in food and didn't want to play. Why do people not listen??? I specifically said I would not give Heartgard to a puppy that young (5 mos. on 6/5) and that small (4 lbs.) since the smallest dosage is good for dogs up to 25 lbs. :smilie_tischkante: Thankfully they called the emergency vet, and magically he perked up while they were on the phone. Part of the disinterest in food is probably also that he is teething (the others are starting to get some adult teeth now) and to soften his food with water and microwave it for 20 seconds. So what have they beein doing? Hand feeding him chicken and cheese!! It will all work out, I'm sure, but until then .... I'm biting my tongue and it's starting to hurt!


lol...dang I'm tired. Yes, it is a topical NOT an oral. I prefer an oral. Don't worry...I did not give it to Callie by mouth!:HistericalSmiley:


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## The A Team

I am interested in this also as Ava is only three pounds. I will be giving the kids their heartworm meds this week (1st time since last fall). If there's something better for the smaller ones....I'm listening....

I really don't want to give anything for fleas/ticks until I see the first one, if they don't walk in grass or sand, we can avoid them all together. My yard is all decking and the front is landscape stones.


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## coco

My vet put Coco on the puppy dose of Revolution. She got sick on the kind they eat. Revolution is for fleas and heartworms.


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## jmm

Topical heartworm makes me just a little hesitant with dogs that are bathed so frequently. I know it is suppose to be fine...but it just makes me squirm a little. 
Comfortis can be used for dogs under 5 lbs. Your vet just needs to call the company for instructions. If this is your preference, it can be done safely.


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## CrystalAndZoe

jmm said:


> Topical heartworm makes me just a little hesitant with dogs that are bathed so frequently. I know it is suppose to be fine...but it just makes me squirm a little.
> Comfortis can be used for dogs under 5 lbs. Your vet just needs to call the company for instructions. If this is your preference, it can be done safely.


I had read that but did not understand if they just needed to make sure your dog is not underweight, certain health issues, etc and then used the same dose, or if they somehow compounded it for the smaller ones? If they can somehow compound it for your dogs weight, I'd like to do that for Jett too since he's just barely over 5 lbs. Do you know much about it? Are any of yours under 5 lbs and what do you have them on?


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## jmm

Mine are both over 5 lbs and take Interceptor and Comfortis. 
But I spoke at length with a Comfortis rep a few weeks ago. There is no reason why it cannot be dosed for a smaller dog other than the sizes they picked made the most sense for sales purposes. There is no medical reason it cannot be given. I'm not sure what their instructions are as I have not needed to do it.


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## CrystalAndZoe

jmm said:


> Mine are both over 5 lbs and take Interceptor and Comfortis.
> But I spoke at length with a Comfortis rep a few weeks ago. There is no reason why it cannot be dosed for a smaller dog other than the sizes they picked made the most sense for sales purposes. There is no medical reason it cannot be given. I'm not sure what their instructions are as I have not needed to do it.


Thanks! I'll contact my vet.


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## Pure Paws

Hey Crystal 

There is a recipe where you can make your own heatworm medicine with the ivermectin that is in heartgaurd. You then give them only the amount of cc's depending on their weight and not this 0 to 25 lbs. stuff. I am curious also if you are seeing any fleas with the shampoo.


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## CrystalAndZoe

Pure Paws said:


> Hey Crystal
> 
> There is a recipe where you can make your own heatworm medicine with the ivermectin that is in heartgaurd. You then give them only the amount of cc's depending on their weight and not this 0 to 25 lbs. stuff. I am curious also if you are seeing any fleas with the shampoo.


No I've not seen any fleas. But then Zoe & Jett are on Comfortis (5-10 lb dosage) and I gave Callie the Revolution (0-5 lb dosage) so I wouldn't expect to see any. Does PurePaws shampoo help prevent fleas?


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## Pure Paws

Crystal&Zoe said:


> No I've not seen any fleas. But then Zoe & Jett are on Comfortis (5-10 lb dosage) and I gave Callie the Revolution (0-5 lb dosage) so I wouldn't expect to see any. Does PurePaws shampoo help prevent fleas?


 All of the products are Ph balanced with citric acid which is a natural flea and tick repellent. As you know Susen and I have several Maltese and we do not treat our yard or the dogs and I do not have one flea. We do have dogs next door and last summer they complained about how bad the fleas were. All I know is that we feed them quality food and use the products and something must be working:aktion033:


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## CrystalAndZoe

Pure Paws said:


> All of the products are Ph balanced with citric acid which is a natural flea and tick repellent. As you know Susen and I have several Maltese and we do not treat our yard or the dogs and I do not have one flea. We do have dogs next door and last summer they complained about how bad the fleas were. All I know is that we feed them quality food and use the products and something must be working:aktion033:


Hmmmm....well now I want to try not using a flea med. But I'll be honest...it makes me very very nervous.:huh: I also wonder if it would work as well for those breeds that people aren't diligent weekly bathers like we Maltese owners are. Oh to be able to not give flea meds OR deal with greasy spots from natural remedies! That would be awesome!


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## MaryH

Crystal&Zoe said:


> Hmmmm....well now I want to try not using a flea med. But I'll be honest...it makes me very very nervous.:huh: I also wonder if it would work as well for those breeds that people aren't diligent weekly bathers like we Maltese owners are. Oh to be able to not give flea meds OR deal with greasy spots from natural remedies! That would be awesome!


Chrystal, I used to use Frontline (for fleas and ticks) but hated the greasy spot, especially on show coats. I haven't used it in at least 5 years now. My dogs hang out in the yard, go to public grassy places, and go to dog shows. Other dogs in the neighborhood get fleas if they are not treated with something but my dogs stay flea free. I really do believe that fleas do not find a clean body to be a very welcome host. My cut down dogs get bathed every 7-10 days and fleas have not been a problem. Maybe you should skip the next flea treatment and just keep a close eye on your dogs to find out if they even need to be treated. If you see a flea or two then just start up on flea treatment again.


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## wooflife

Crystal&Zoe said:


> Thanks! I'll contact my vet.


Crystal - let me know what you find out. Now that Izzy is under 5 lbs again I'll need to figure this stuff out. I tolerate the greasy spots on the boys because fleas drive them absolutely bats, but Izzy isn't bothered by flea bites so I'd rather just get them off of her.

I'm going to talk to Dr. Becker again and get her opinion on heartguard vs. interceptor. I'll let you know what she says. I had been planning on using interceptor again..until now....


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## CrystalAndZoe

wooflife said:


> Crystal - let me know what you find out. Now that Izzy is under 5 lbs again I'll need to figure this stuff out. I tolerate the greasy spots on the boys because fleas drive them absolutely bats, but Izzy isn't bothered by flea bites so I'd rather just get them off of her.
> 
> I'm going to talk to Dr. Becker again and get her opinion on heartguard vs. interceptor. I'll let you know what she says. I had been planning on using interceptor again..until now....


Most holistic vets say Interceptor. Why are you thinking Heartguard? Did I miss something? It's really early and I've not had my coffee yet so I probably have. If I wasn't worried about fleas, I'd be doing Interceptor for sure.

~~~~

Mary....I know that from time to time I've left the Comfortis go longer then the 30 days, even in winter, and have found a flea. :*( So I'm thinking my area must be worse then yours for fleas since mine get bathed weekly. But that was before I started to use PurePaws so I am really hoping that works.


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## wooflife

The paper work I have from Dr. Becker says:

"We are in a heartworm endemic area and need to provide protection to our dogs starting April or May 1 (after the termperature has been above 60 degrees for 3 weeks) through the second good frost (hard freeze). After heartworm testing in the spring dogs can receive Heartguard (not heartguard plus with the monthly dewormer) every *45* days. we recomend giving dogs milk thistle daily for *one week *after each heartworm pill to help the liver detoxify (most milk thistle capsules are 125 mg) give small dogs 1/2 cap daily, medium dogs 1 cap daily and large/giant dogs 1 cap twice daily." The text in purple was highlighted for my dogs which range 4.6 - 17 lbs.

Interceptor prevents against more worms than just heartworm - so my guess is that she doesn't want to give any more meds than are necessary. I deduced this because she also specifies not to use Heartguard plus. 

In other online research - I'm not sure how current it is - I read that interceptor is newer and some vets prefer sticking with Heartguard because it has a longer history without problems.

I'm really trying to investigate this thoroughly so if anyone has other opinions or good information to share please do so. Every peice of information will be useful in making my final decision.


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## wooflife

Moving on to fleas and ticks - I'm still doing my own research on these as well but this is what was recomended.

Garlic - small dogs 1/2 clove daily (not pills or powders) to repel all parasites internal and external. 

Essential Oils - *Ectopamine* which is a natural spray that repels fleas, ticks and mosquitos. Available on Amazon.com

Frontline or Advantix for topical anti-tick treatment. 

Comfortis is the safest oral medication for flea prevention. It is only labeled for prevention of fleas but works for ticks as well.

Again thoughts and opinions welcome for all of the above...


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## Rocky's Mom

wooflife said:


> The paper work I have from Dr. Becker says:
> 
> "We are in a heartworm endemic area and need to provide protection to our dogs starting April or May 1 (after the termperature has been above 60 degrees for 3 weeks) through the second good frost (hard freeze). After heartworm testing in the spring dogs can receive Heartguard (not heartguard plus with the monthly dewormer) every *45* days. we recomend giving dogs milk thistle daily for *one week *after each heartworm pill to help the liver detoxify (most milk thistle capsules are 125 mg) give small dogs 1/2 cap daily, medium dogs 1 cap daily and large/giant dogs 1 cap twice daily." The text in purple was highlighted for my dogs which range 4.6 - 17 lbs.
> 
> Interceptor prevents against more worms than just heartworm - so my guess is that she doesn't want to give any more meds than are necessary. I deduced this because she also specifies not to use Heartguard plus.
> 
> In other online research - I'm not sure how current it is - I read that interceptor is newer and some vets prefer sticking with Heartguard because it has a longer history without problems.
> 
> I'm really trying to investigate this thoroughly so if anyone has other opinions or good information to share please do so. Every peice of information will be useful in making my final decision.


Oh geez, so many different vets say different things. My vet said to give Rocky the Heartguard and when I got home and gave it to him...I noticed the box said Heartguard Plus. He also said he will not check him for Heartworms again becasue he did that and won't do it again till he's a year old? Does this make sense? I'm a little confused...I think I'll call him today. Note: After giving him the Heartguard Plus he was fine.


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## MalteseObsessed

I know very little and am worried about my little ones, but finally gave in to giving them their dose of Advantage Multi for 3-9 lb. Both my pups are under 5lb (one is 3 1/2 and one is 4 1/2). I probably did something really wrong, but I shared one dose (tube) with both pups. They did fine afterwards, but Tweety's coat really discolored where I dosed her. Cosette's fur was fine.


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## mary-anderson

Here is an article I found very interesting when it comes to fleas Natural, Non-toxic Flea Control 
I don't have a problem with them here in Hawaii but I know others that do and see dogs come in the SPCA covered in them:angry:. I have been using Frontline but will stop after reading the article. My fluffs are bathed weekly (pure paws) and I add nutritional yeast, animal essential product and garlic to their food. If I have any problems it's ticks but usually with my Cocker Spaniel. Alvin had a tick once, the vet said keep him from playing in shaded areas. We fenced off our planted areas they can only go in the grass. Had no problem since.


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## moshi melo

mary-anderson said:


> Here is an article I found very interesting when it comes to fleas Natural, Non-toxic Flea Control
> I don't have a problem with them here in Hawaii but I know others that do and see dogs come in the SPCA covered in them:angry:. I have been using Frontline but will stop after reading the article. My fluffs are bathed weekly (pure paws) and I add nutritional yeast, animal essential product and garlic to their food. If I have any problems it's ticks but usually with my Cocker Spaniel. Alvin had a tick once, the vet said keep him from playing in shaded areas. We fenced off our planted areas they can only go in the grass. Had no problem since.


I've been debating on what to use for Shiloh as well. This Insect Dust (Diatomaceous earth) stuff sounds promising and safe. I'm going to try this as I worry about the topical Frontline because Shiloh sleeps in our bed. 
And since the Heartguard Plus is for 0-25 lbs, does anyone know if it can just be divided in half and and only give half the dosage? If you think about it, even half of 25 lbs is only 12.5 lbs, which is way more than my 3.5 lb dog needs? Just a thought.


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## wooflife

moshi melo said:


> I've been debating on what to use for Shiloh as well. This Insect Dust (Diatomaceous earth) stuff sounds promising and safe. I'm going to try this as I worry about the topical Frontline because Shiloh sleeps in our bed.
> And since the Heartguard Plus is for 0-25 lbs, does anyone know if it can just be divided in half and and only give half the dosage? If you think about it, even half of 25 lbs is only 12.5 lbs, which is way more than my 3.5 lb dog needs? Just a thought.


 
Blog : e-Vet Clinic

here is an article here by a wholistic vet talking about Diatomaceous earth. Only works in large quantities and if it's dry. It's recomended for dry areas or inside on bedding..... Not sure how you were planning on using it.

And I agree with you Heartgaurd seems like a ton of medicine for >5 lb dog.


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## wooflife

I just called Heartgard to ask them. Of course they sell the product so with a grain of salt here is the information I was given.

The 0-25 lb dose is safe for dogs from 1/2 lb to 25 lbs and is not too much for a >5 lb dog. The medicine has no long term effects because the medicine leaves the system in 48 hours. It goes in and kills any heartworms that might be there in the larvae stage and then clears out of the system. The growth stage of heartworm is 4-6 weeks so if given every 30 days it will kill the worms before they reach adulthood and cause problems.

It would be virtually impossible for a dog to overdose on heartgard unless they got into the warehouse and ate 300 times their dosage rate.


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## CrystalAndZoe

Just a note on Heartguard. We have a weekly Pet Vet segment on one of our local news stations. A few weeks ago, the vet mentioned that there is study going on in Mississippi right now because there is a possibility that heartworms have become resistant to HeartGuard.

I'm really surprised that Dr. Becker recommends HeartGuard. So many other holisitic vets say Interceptor. I know she says regular HeartGuard not the Plus. But I know I've read tons of stories here on SM where these little ones get sick on it.


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## poochie2

I use Sentinel flavoured tabs. It is for fleas and heartworm prevention. They have a dose for pups 2-10 pounds. My malts is 11-12 pounds so I give her the 11-20 pound tab.


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## spookiesmom

Fleas are a major problem here, so need to be treated year round. Spookie is on Confortis, when she was smaller, like 3-4#, the vet said to cut the puppy size in half for her. I still do at 7#. She is on Interceptor for heartworm, also a year round problem. I gave her both one day, she acted a little off. Now I give a day apart, and she is fine. I also use Pill Pockets for all my dogs. I think they are gross looking and smelling, but the pills go down without a problem.


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## Pure Paws

Crystal&Zoe said:


> Most holistic vets say Interceptor. Why are you thinking Heartguard? Did I miss something? It's really early and I've not had my coffee yet so I probably have. If I wasn't worried about fleas, I'd be doing Interceptor for sure.
> 
> ~~~~
> 
> Mary....I know that from time to time I've left the Comfortis go longer then the 30 days, even in winter, and have found a flea. :*( So I'm thinking my area must be worse then yours for fleas since mine get bathed weekly. But that was before I started to use PurePaws so I am really hoping that works.


 we give this article to everyone who adopts a new baby. I think his web site is very good and believe he is on the right track in his advice. We have a hard time believing that something that attacks the central nervous system of the flea can distinguish between the flea and the DOG!!! Here is the link Dr. Jeffrey Levy DVM PCH :: Classical Veterinary Homeopathy : Heartworm

Here is the link for his website

Dr. Jeffrey Levy DVM PCH :: Classical Veterinary Homeopathy


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## wooflife

Pure Paws said:


> we give this article to everyone who adopts a new baby. I think his web site is very good and believe he is on the right track in his advice. We have a hard time believing that something that attacks the central nervous system of the flea can distinguish between the flea and the DOG!!! Here is the link Dr. Jeffrey Levy DVM PCH :: Classical Veterinary Homeopathy : Heartworm
> 
> Here is the link for his website
> 
> Dr. Jeffrey Levy DVM PCH :: Classical Veterinary Homeopathy


There is good information there and all of it consistent with my visit with Dr. Becker. First and foremost is a very healthy dog. I've got a little bit of a leg up on that one but still working on getting enough excersize.

I did talk to her about not giving anything to the dogs for heartworm, she wasn't crazy about the idea as her last case of heartworm was a maltese in downtown Chicago that lived in a highrise and almost never went outside. Heartworms were from a mosquito that got inside. 

However, she did say if I chose to do nothing that testing every three months would be recomended. Just in case.

Also if a 1/2 clove of garlic every day will repel all parasites internal and external I have to wonder if it's not just a good way to go all around. It certainly seems like the least toxic way to get rid of fleas, ticks, mosquitos, and worms. 

Crystal - I still don't know why heartgard is recomended over interceptor when I talk to her next I will find out. I haven't gotten their blood tests back yet so I haven't started any meds yet.


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## jenn78

*I am glad this topic was brought up! I have been fighting with fleas over the last couple months with my girls. 
Last month I had to help my girlfriend with her litter of 6 chihuahua puppies, we had to wean them because the mom got eclampsia**, so I had the puppies here for about 4 weeks and they had fleas. When they were with their mom for the first 3 weeks they didn't have fleas, because the mom was treated for fleas with advantage.
Anyway, I have always used advantage on the girls, Babydoll is 5.1lbs and Sweetie is 5.9lbs, I have never had a problem with fleas. After having the puppies here for the 4 weeks I started noticing a few fleas on Babydoll when I would bathe her, then we had new neighbors move in next door with 3 pit puppies, needless to say, I don't think they use any kind of flea prevention on them. I put Babydoll and Sweetie in the bath yesterday morning and Babydoll had at least 20 fleas on her, Sweetie only had a few, so I called the closest vet, because my vet is 30 mins away and only carrys advantage and frontline, they recommended comfortis, so I went and bought a 6 month supply for both girls, so they have 3 months each. Well I gave them both a tablet yesterday afternoon. Sweetie did fine with it and Babydoll didn't do so well, she was hiding in her crate like an hour after I gave it to her and wouldn't come out when I called her, which is not like her at all. So I kept a close eye on her all night and this morning she had thrown up in her crate. Today she has been fine, back to her normal self. I did read online that they should eat before being given the comfortis so I am thinking maybe thats why she acted the way it did, maybe it upset her tummy. 
I was hoping comfortis would be a good change for us because the girls do get baths weekly, and I am not sure about the topical washing off. I am glad to see there are others that use it with no ill effects.
I really love this site!!
Hope everyone has a good night.
*


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## jmm

It is really important that they eat with the Comfortis. If they don't it can effect the length of time it is effective. 
It is a common side effect to vomit the first time Comfortis is given. Typically if you repeat the dose the next day the dog will take it without a problem. 
I've been using it on my dogs with EXCELLENT results.


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## MaryH

jenn78 said:


> *I am glad this topic was brought up! I have been fighting with fleas over the last couple months with my girls. *
> *Last month I had to help my girlfriend with her litter of 6 chihuahua puppies, we had to wean them because the mom got eclampsia**, so I had the puppies here for about 4 weeks and they had fleas. When they were with their mom for the first 3 weeks they didn't have fleas, because the mom was treated for fleas with advantage.
> Anyway, I have always used advantage on the girls, Babydoll is 5.1lbs and Sweetie is 5.9lbs, I have never had a problem with fleas. After having the puppies here for the 4 weeks I started noticing a few fleas on Babydoll when I would bathe her, then we had new neighbors move in next door with 3 pit puppies, needless to say, I don't think they use any kind of flea prevention on them. I put Babydoll and Sweetie in the bath yesterday morning and Babydoll had at least 20 fleas on her, Sweetie only had a few, so I called the closest vet, because my vet is 30 mins away and only carrys advantage and frontline, they recommended comfortis, so I went and bought a 6 month supply for both girls, so they have 3 months each. Well I gave them both a tablet yesterday afternoon. Sweetie did fine with it and Babydoll didn't do so well, she was hiding in her crate like an hour after I gave it to her and wouldn't come out when I called her, which is not like her at all. So I kept a close eye on her all night and this morning she had thrown up in her crate. Today she has been fine, back to her normal self. I did read online that they should eat before being given the comfortis so I am thinking maybe thats why she acted the way it did, maybe it upset her tummy.
> I was hoping comfortis would be a good change for us because the girls do get baths weekly, and I am not sure about the topical washing off. I am glad to see there are others that use it with no ill effects.
> I really love this site!!
> Hope everyone has a good night.
> *


Unfortunately you may have a bigger problem than the fleas just being on the dogs, especially if you have carpet in your home. Having had flea infested puppies in your home for 4 weeks would really have been more than enough time for fleas to have traveled and laid eggs throughout your house and you may have to have your whole house treated in order to break the cycle of fleas laying eggs and eggs hatching into more fleas.


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## CrystalAndZoe

jmm said:


> It is really important that they eat with the Comfortis. If they don't it can effect the length of time it is effective.
> It is a common side effect to vomit the first time Comfortis is given. Typically if you repeat the dose the next day the dog will take it without a problem.
> I've been using it on my dogs with EXCELLENT results.


I agree that it's very important to make sure they've eaten when giving the Comfortis. Also, I like to make sure I separate the heart worm med and flea med by 2 weeks.


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## Lecarrus

Sophie is 3 lbs and 5/mos old. I too am looking for a heart worm/flea med.
My other dogs use comfortis however my vet sd she is too small for that


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## jmm

If you call the company they will give you dosing instructions for the Comfortis for your 3 lber


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## maggieh

Neither of my girls tolerated Heartguard (the "runs" big time) and the vet said it could not be cut in half, so we switched to Interceptor.

I'm still trying to figure out what to do for fleas this year - they will be in doggy day care with other dogs so a preventative is required.


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## gigigirlz

This is a very confusing subject for me....with Skylar Sue...she was a bigger girl...Mariah Lyn on the other hand is a tiny little thing...as you well know Crystal...I have taken her to two different vets...and have received two different opinions...confusing I know...and no where near the decision you have to make with Zoe....the first vet told me to use Heartguard Plus..and Frontline...the second vet said Promeris and Interceptor....:smpullhair:....I am definitely NOT going to use the Promeris...have had some really bad feedback on it...but am going to use the Interceptor for heartworm...it is for dogs 2-10 pounds...for fleas...I am going to try and use nothing...if I do see a problem...will put about 1/3 of a vial of the frontline on her...hopefully that will work..I plan on giving her the heartworm meds April 1st....and like I said...will hold off on flea treatment...


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## gigigirlz

Just checked...and the frontline..is actually frontline plus...


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## Bailey&Me

I use Frontline and Interceptor on Bailey and so far there have been no reactions, thank goodness! I make sure to separate the two by at last a few days. I HATE using the Frontline on him...I cringe every time I need to do so but the fleas and ticks are awful in my area (Lymes Disease is huge here too) so I need to use something to prevent them. I'd be interested in learning more about Comfortis and will continue reading up on it.


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## CrystalAndZoe

gigigirlz said:


> This is a very confusing subject for me....with Skylar Sue...she was a bigger girl...Mariah Lyn on the other hand is a tiny little thing...as you well know Crystal...I have taken her to two different vets...and have received two different opinions...confusing I know...and no where near the decision you have to make with Zoe....the first vet told me to use Heartguard Plus..and Frontline...the second vet said Promeris and Interceptor....:smpullhair:....I am definitely NOT going to use the Promeris...have had some really bad feedback on it...but am going to use the Interceptor for heartworm...it is for dogs 2-10 pounds...for fleas...I am going to try and use nothing...if I do see a problem...will put about 1/3 of a vial of the frontline on her...hopefully that will work..I plan on giving her the heartworm meds April 1st....and like I said...will hold off on flea treatment...


You may find you won't need anything for fleas Jeanne. I use Interceptor for Heartworm but went all last year with nothing for flea meds and was fine. The essential oils in PurePaws are known natural flea deterrents. I bathe mine once a week and they get misted with the conditioning spray daily when I comb and brush. Last year they were eating Grandma Lucy's Artisan food which has garlic in it. That is also a natural flea deterrent. So it could have been a combination of both. Mine go outside to do their business, Zoe's outside at mom and dads all the time to chase those squirrels and chipmunks. lol She keeps Mom & Dad hopping with her requests for recliner time with G'pa to going outside to check the squirrel/chipmunk situation. And Jett & Callie are at the store where other dogs come in. So I think that was a pretty good test. We'll see if we do as well this year since I'm not doing G'ma Lucy's Artisan. Theory is, the healthier your dog's immune system, the less tasty they are to parasites. I've been doing all I know to do to build up my babies immune systems so keeping my fingers crossed. I will probably have a vial of CapStar or Frontline just in case I do happen to see one and split it.


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## aspen

Coco is 4 lbs. and I use frontline because our area has fleas and ticks. I called frontline to see if I could use only a half of vial but they said it wouldn't be as effective. I use the whole vial and I was a nervous wreck when I first used it on her.
The greasy spot goes away after a few days. She is doing fine on it.


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## uniquelovdolce

ok , im so ignorant when it comes to this topic .... well dolce is one yr and five months and i havent used any of that on him , not for fleas , not for heartworms .. thankfully he hasnt had neither , dolce doesnt go out alot except maybe in a bag , or last spring/summer and he is only 3.9 lbs .. so should i use something , must i . what do u recommend ?


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## Bailey&Me

uniquelovdolce said:


> ok , im so ignorant when it comes to this topic .... well dolce is one yr and five months and i havent used any of that on him , not for fleas , not for heartworms .. thankfully he hasnt had neither , dolce doesnt go out alot except maybe in a bag , or last spring/summer and he is only 3.9 lbs .. so should i use something , must i . what do u recommend ?


Liza, since NY is so cold, I think you were okay not using anything over the last few months but it might be a good idea to look in to both flea/tick and heartworm meds now that it's getting warmer. Did your vet do a heartworm test on Dolce during his 1-year check up? I would at least put him on a heartworm pill as heartworms are extremely dangerous and the treatment is really intense. I'm not sure how high the risk is in your area but there have been instances in which the dog didn't go out much but still got heartworms (through mosquito bites). From what I have seen on SM, a lot of people use Interceptor for heartworms and Frontline for flea/ticks. That's what I do. I only do the Frontline because ticks are awful in my area and so is Lymes Disease. If my area didnt have such a high risk or if Bailey didn't go outside as much, I would not use the Frontline. 

There's a lot of info on this particular thread too so it would be helpful to read through the whole thing and also do a search for more related threads. I would also speak to Dolce's vet to see what he recommends and carries at his clinic.


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## CrystalAndZoe

aspen said:


> Coco is 4 lbs. and I use frontline because our area has fleas and ticks. I called frontline to see if I could use only a half of vial but they said it wouldn't be as effective. I use the whole vial and I was a nervous wreck when I first used it on her.
> The greasy spot goes away after a few days. She is doing fine on it.


Of course Frontline would tell you that. They want to sell more product and they don't want to have someone come back to them saying their product didn't work if they didn't use the whole vial. The medicine in completely mixed in the Frontline Vial and vets will tell you it's fine to only use half or even less on a very small dog. My Zoe is 9 lbs and Jett is 5 and I split the vial on them for years and never had a flea. Many here on SM have been doing it that way for years as well. Ask your vet if you are not sure. Now HeartGuard is a different story. The medicine may not be mixed throughout the whole chew and that is why you can't split it.



uniquelovdolce said:


> ok , im so ignorant when it comes to this topic .... well dolce is one yr and five months and i havent used any of that on him , not for fleas , not for heartworms .. thankfully he hasnt had neither , dolce doesnt go out alot except maybe in a bag , or last spring/summer and he is only 3.9 lbs .. so should i use something , must i . what do u recommend ?


Dr. Karen Becker who is a Holistic Vet in Chicago told a story about a small dog that lived in a high rise apt in downtown Chicago that never once went outside. So his people never put him on heartworm meds. And he got heartworms. Mosquitoes can get inside any home or building.


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## vjw

Please, please don't give GARLIC or onions to your pets!!! Here's why:

Onion and Garlic Toxicity in Dogs and Cats

ASPCA | Is Garlic Toxic to Pets?


When it comes to medicines for our pets, we need to leave these decisions to the veterinarians, scientists, and chemists who have had years of training.

Also, what works for one dog may not work for another. Environmental risks need to be taken into consideration too.


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## CrystalAndZoe

Small amounts of garlic have been proven to be beneficial to dogs as it is to humans. Mine were on GL's Artisan for a year and never developed or showed even a hint of a symptom of Hemolytic Anemia. Annual complete blood panels have been perfect. There are quite a few commercial dog foods and commercial dog treats that have a small amount of garlic in their list of ingredients.
*
Toxins that Affect Dogs - Veterinary Information

Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?: Veterinarians Explain Garlic?s Benefits and Dangers

*


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## uniquelovdolce

thank u guys ! im going to call my vet n inquire , i believe but im not 1005 sure thatthey did check for heartworms , when they say no worms thats what they mean right ? im going to call just to make sure .. i also remember seeing frontline as their products not too sure on interceptor but i will def look into this . So i def should give the heartworm med but dont neccessarily have to give for the fleas? or for summer months i should give both ?? thanks for r help ladies.


Bailey&Me said:


> Liza, since NY is so cold, I think you were okay not using anything over the last few months but it might be a good idea to look in to both flea/tick and heartworm meds now that it's getting warmer. Did your vet do a heartworm test on Dolce during his 1-year check up? I would at least put him on a heartworm pill as heartworms are extremely dangerous and the treatment is really intense. I'm not sure how high the risk is in your area but there have been instances in which the dog didn't go out much but still got heartworms (through mosquito bites). From what I have seen on SM, a lot of people use Interceptor for heartworms and Frontline for flea/ticks. That's what I do. I only do the Frontline because ticks are awful in my area and so is Lymes Disease. If my area didnt have such a high risk or if Bailey didn't go outside as much, I would not use the Frontline.
> 
> There's a lot of info on this particular thread too so it would be helpful to read through the whole thing and also do a search for more related threads. I would also speak to Dolce's vet to see what he recommends and carries at his clinic.





Crystal&Zoe said:


> Of course Frontline would tell you that. They want to sell more product and they don't want to have someone come back to them saying their product didn't work if they didn't use the whole vial. The medicine in completely mixed in the Frontline Vial and vets will tell you it's fine to only use half or even less on a very small dog. My Zoe is 9 lbs and Jett is 5 and I split the vial on them for years and never had a flea. Many here on SM have been doing it that way for years as well. Ask your vet if you are not sure. Now HeartGuard is a different story. The medicine may not be mixed throughout the whole chew and that is why you can't split it.
> 
> 
> 
> Dr. Karen Becker who is a Holistic Vet in Chicago told a story about a small dog that lived in a high rise apt in downtown Chicago that never once went outside. So his people never put him on heartworm meds. And he got heartworms. Mosquitoes can get inside any home or building.





vjw said:


> Please, please don't give GARLIC or onions to your pets!!! Here's why:
> 
> Onion and Garlic Toxicity in Dogs and Cats
> 
> ASPCA | Is Garlic Toxic to Pets?
> 
> 
> When it comes to medicines for our pets, we need to leave these decisions to the veterinarians, scientists, and chemists who have had years of training.
> 
> Also, what works for one dog may not work for another. Environmental risks need to be taken into consideration too.


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## S&LP'S Mommy

I read this entire thread and now I'm pretty confused. Sasha is 6.5 lbs and takes Interceptor once a month. My vet recommended it. Now after reading this post I'm thinking maybe I should only be giving this to her in the summer months? For fleas I normally dont do anything with the exception of sometimes a flea collar when we go upstate. Lola's vet which is not Sasha's vet recommended Heartguard I told her I felt more comfortable giving her Interceptor since Sasha is on it and Shes never had any side effects. 

So is it safe to give interceptor monthly?


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## Bailey&Me

uniquelovdolce said:


> thank u guys ! im going to call my vet n inquire , i believe but im not 1005 sure thatthey did check for heartworms , when they say no worms thats what they mean right ? im going to call just to make sure .. i also remember seeing frontline as their products not too sure on interceptor but i will def look into this . So i def should give the heartworm med but dont neccessarily have to give for the fleas? or for summer months i should give both ?? thanks for r help ladies.


Liza - "no worms" doesn't necessarily mean no _heartworms_ - they could have been referring to a stool sample showing up clear of any worms. A heartworm test is something separate that usually vets will do at the annual checkup. Bailey is due to get his within a couple of weeks so I will know more about it then. I would definitely recommend getting your vet's advice on what is necessary for your area and lifestyle. If Dolce doesn't go outside often and doesn't come in contact with other pets and you have never seen fleas or ticks on him before, you probably don't need to do Frontline...just my opinion!


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## Bailey&Me

Sasha11 said:


> I read this entire thread and now I'm pretty confused. Sasha is 6.5 lbs and takes Interceptor once a month. My vet recommended it. Now after reading this post I'm thinking maybe I should only be giving this to her in the summer months? For fleas I normally dont do anything with the exception of sometimes a flea collar when we go upstate. Lola's vet which is not Sasha's vet recommended Heartguard I told her I felt more comfortable giving her Interceptor since Sasha is on it and Shes never had any side effects.
> 
> So is it safe to give interceptor monthly?


I'm sure others will have more insight on this, but I'll just share what I do for my dog. I give Bailey Interceptor every 30-40 days...I continue this in the winter too because I just don't want to take a chance with heartworms. I give him Frontline only in the warmer months...his last dosage was in November 2010 and he got nothing about a week ago. Like I mentioned, the ticks are terrible here...I already noticed a couple of ticks on him in early March even though it's still pretty cold here. I tried treating him with a natural flea/tick repellent I found but it didn't work so I started the Frontline again.


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## CrystalAndZoe

uniquelovdolce said:


> thank u guys ! im going to call my vet n inquire , i believe but im not 1005 sure thatthey did check for heartworms , when they say no worms thats what they mean right ? im going to call just to make sure .. i also remember seeing frontline as their products not too sure on interceptor but i will def look into this . So i def should give the heartworm med but dont neccessarily have to give for the fleas? or for summer months i should give both ?? thanks for r help ladies.


Most vets recommend year round heartworm meds because mosquitoes have been found to be alive in a home in the middle of winter. You need to ask your vet what is recommended for your area. Also, don't give heartworm meds until he has been tested negative. A heartworm test is done with a blood draw. The parasite worms are looked for in a stool sample.



Sasha11 said:


> I read this entire thread and now I'm pretty confused. Sasha is 6.5 lbs and takes Interceptor once a month. My vet recommended it. Now after reading this post I'm thinking maybe I should only be giving this to her in the summer months? For fleas I normally dont do anything with the exception of sometimes a flea collar when we go upstate. Lola's vet which is not Sasha's vet recommended Heartguard I told her I felt more comfortable giving her Interceptor since Sasha is on it and Shes never had any side effects.
> 
> So is it safe to give interceptor monthly?


Yes, it's safe to give monthly. Go with your vets recommendations for your area on whether you need to give year round or if you can take them off for a few months in the winter.


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## S&LP'S Mommy

Crystal&Zoe said:


> Most vets recommend year round heartworm meds because mosquitoes have been found to be alive in a home in the middle of winter. You need to ask your vet what is recommended for your area. Also, don't give heartworm meds until he has been tested negative. A heartworm test is done with a blood draw. The parasite worms are looked for in a stool sample.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, it's safe to give monthly. Go with your vets recommendations for your area on whether you need to give year round or if you can take them off for a few months in the winter.


OK, Thanks. 

Also for Lola our new vet told me to start her on interceptor but told me she didnt need to test her. Should I request for her to be tested. Tomorrow she will be spayed and they will run a mini panel.


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## S&LP'S Mommy

Bailey&Me said:


> Liza, since NY is so cold, I think you were okay not using anything over the last few months but it might be a good idea to look in to both flea/tick and heartworm meds now that it's getting warmer. Did your vet do a heartworm test on Dolce during his 1-year check up? I would at least put him on a heartworm pill as heartworms are extremely dangerous and the treatment is really intense. I'm not sure how high the risk is in your area but there have been instances in which the dog didn't go out much but still got heartworms (through mosquito bites). From what I have seen on SM, a lot of people use Interceptor for heartworms and Frontline for flea/ticks. That's what I do. I only do the Frontline because ticks are awful in my area and so is Lymes Disease. If my area didnt have such a high risk or if Bailey didn't go outside as much, I would not use the Frontline.
> 
> There's a lot of info on this particular thread too so it would be helpful to read through the whole thing and also do a search for more related threads. I would also speak to Dolce's vet to see what he recommends and carries at his clinic.


 
Thank you. I will continue the interceptor monthly.


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## CrystalAndZoe

Sasha11 said:


> Thank you. I will continue the interceptor monthly.


My vet is adamant about not giving heartworm meds without testing first to make sure they are heartworm negative. If you've already been giving her the Interceptor per your vets recommendations, go ahead and continue. Just ask her about it at your up coming appt.


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## jmm

If you have a pup 6 months or younger, you can start without testing. It takes at least 6 months for heartworms to mature enough to be detected by the test. So unless your dog was infected on the date of birth, the test would be only a money maker for your vet. If you have a 6 month old not on prevention I'd go ahead and test and then test annually thereafter. Otherwise I start testing at their first adult wellness visit.


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## Lacie's Mom

Every year at their annual exams, we do a blood draw and heartworm test. All have tested negative. I give Interceptor once a month year round.

I'm lucky to live were fleas and ticks are not a problem. In fact, when I first moved to NM and asked about Frontline, my Vet told me that we did not need to use anything for fleas in our area. Most of the other vets I have spoken with agree. We live in a patio home and have only desert landscaping (which is also what our neighbors have). We do not have grass. So I do not give anything for flea protection and have never had a problem here. Now, in other parts of the country where fleas can be a problem, I have used Frontline on the girls.

I am nervous about interceptor with Secret who is under 4 lbs., but my Vet thinks it is fine. So far, no problems.


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## Halobabe99

My Lucy was just 4 pounds her last visit, and my vet gave her Trifexis for 5-10 lbs. told me to cut the pill in half and give it to her. I did, and she seems fine. I HAD been finding the stray flea on her, so she needed something. I bathed her and her brother last night and found a tick crawling on him. I'm wondering if I should use a topical like Advantix II to repel AND kill fleas and ticks? I have 4 dogs, so I need the cheapest solution!


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## Ladysmom

Halobabe99 said:


> My Lucy was just 4 pounds her last visit, and my vet gave her Trifexis for 5-10 lbs. told me to cut the pill in half and give it to her. I did, and she seems fine. I HAD been finding the stray flea on her, so she needed something. I bathed her and her brother last night and found a tick crawling on him. I'm wondering if I should use a topical like Advantix II to repel AND kill fleas and ticks? I have 4 dogs, so I need the cheapest solution!


You can try Frontline spray. I prefer Frontline to Advantix since Advantix contains permethrin which can cause toxic reactions in cats and some dogs. With Frontline spray you can customize the dose and it is much cheaper than the individual tubes.


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## Aarianne

I haven't read these in a while, but here's a different view on heartworm medication from Terrierman's blog: 
- Terrierman's Daily Dose - The Billion Dollar Heartworm Scam

He later wrote another blog post on it here: 
- Terrierman's Daily Dose - Your Vet Has a Heartworm Medication Secret

Here is the article he refers to in his posts and gets some of his info from (such as the start/stop maps) for those that don't want to read Terrierman's blog: 
http://www.terrierman.com/heartworm-seasonality-knight-LOK.pdf

Here is another blog post/article I just found written by a vet in Connecticut who doesn't use a "preventative" on her own dogs and explains her reasoning and recommendations: 
Heartworm in CT: Hazard or Hype? | Animal Wellness Veterinary Center

Just some food for thought.


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## SammieMom

MaryH said:


> Chrystal, I used to use Frontline (for fleas and ticks) but hated the greasy spot, especially on show coats. I haven't used it in at least 5 years now. My dogs hang out in the yard, go to public grassy places, and go to dog shows. Other dogs in the neighborhood get fleas if they are not treated with something but my dogs stay flea free. I really do believe that fleas do not find a clean body to be a very welcome host. My cut down dogs get bathed every 7-10 days and fleas have not been a problem. Maybe you should skip the next flea treatment and just keep a close eye on your dogs to find out if they even need to be treated. If you see a flea or two then just start up on flea treatment again.


Hi Mary,
Hope you are doing well. I give flea control this way too. but in summer I will see a flea once in a while, so we started up this month with comfortis. My concern is he is on Interceptor and Comfortis, BUT NO tick protection. I have never seen a tick and have my yard treated. He does not hang out in the yard for long periods, just a potty break. But that always bothers me being in Florida. 2 yrs now and I have never seen a tick. Would you continue with what I'm giving Sammie?
Thanks for all your tips. :chili:
Kandis


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## MalteseJane

SammieMom said:


> Hi Mary,
> Hope you are doing well. I give flea control this way too. but in summer I will see a flea once in a while, so we started up this month with comfortis. My concern is he is on Interceptor and Comfortis, BUT NO tick protection. I have never seen a tick and have my yard treated. He does not hang out in the yard for long periods, just a potty break. But that always bothers me being in Florida. 2 yrs now and I have never seen a tick. Would you continue with what I'm giving Sammie?
> Thanks for all your tips. :chili:
> Kandis


Why on earth would you put a chemical on your dog if you see a flea ONCE IN A WHILE. It always bothers me when I read that people go paranoid and over board because of one or two fleas. They start by putting chemicals on the dog and treating the inside of the house. Geeez those chemicals are more harmful to your dog and you than the fleas. And because of 1 or 2 fleas you are not going to have an infestation. We lived 30 years in Houston, same climate than Florida, hot and humid. The only time we put Advantage on Alex was when he was full of fleas that he caught at the GROOMER !!!! We treated the yard on a regular basis when we caught the first flea on Alex. We killed the flea between our nails when we bathed him. And that was it. I never saw a tick where we lived in Houston. But I know that some areas have them. But treating the yard is your first protection. Everything else is useless if you don't treat your yard. By the way we never went on walks with Alex there because not everybody treated their grass. And to be fair, we did not treat the front yard either. As for heartworm he got the pills only during the months when the mosquitoes were very bad. Once in Arizona, no more of that stuff. I am convinced that his recurrent Staff infection came from the heartworm medicine. After stopping them completely in Arizona, he has not had another staff infection. Sooooooooo now we have Charlie, he is not going to get anything of that stuff. We are lucky we don't have fleas or ticks in our area and I have yet to see a mosquitoe (we are here since end of 2008). Charlie will be free of chemicals as much as possible. And if we go camping with our daughter & family, I will dump him in essential oils so that all the bugs will be scared to touch him. Lol, my daughter put some essential oils on the harness of her chihuahua and her husband asked her what was so stinking in the car !! But they came home and no fleas or ticks on the dog.


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## Noah

Aarianne said:


> I haven't read these in a while, but here's a different view on heartworm medication from Terrierman's blog:
> - Terrierman's Daily Dose - The Billion Dollar Heartworm Scam
> 
> He later wrote another blog post on it here:
> - Terrierman's Daily Dose - Your Vet Has a Heartworm Medication Secret
> 
> Here is the article he refers to in his posts and gets some of his info from (such as the start/stop maps) for those that don't want to read Terrierman's blog:
> http://www.terrierman.com/heartworm-seasonality-knight-LOK.pdf
> 
> Here is another blog post/article I just found written by a vet in Connecticut who doesn't use a "preventative" on her own dogs and explains her reasoning and recommendations:
> Heartworm in CT: Hazard or Hype? | Animal Wellness Veterinary Center
> 
> Just some food for thought.


I have never seen this article before, but I totally agree. With my past dogs, I gave 2 doses in the summer for heartworm and that's it. Basically would use flea med if I saw fleas on them, which was once in about 10 years. There's all this "preventative" stuff, which is just a big money maker. Fleas generally don't like a clean host, that's why they don't like humans much because we shower too often. I'm not a big fan of chemicals, so I use as little as possible. I think all these chemical lead to more cancer, lower immune systems, etc which is far worse than a few fleas. Just my 2 cents.


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## ckanen2n

I also do not treat for fleas and never had amore than an occasional flea brought home from a show or even the vet! I am not sure about heart worm for Giovanni. He is still under 6 months and where is a mosquito going to bite him, on the nose?! :huh:


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## edelweiss

Yes, mosquitos do bite on the nose, in the hair part, nose part, etc. Heartworm is serious and 6 months is not too early to start. Please speak w/your vet about this---there is treatment for heartworm but it isn't what you want to do!


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