heartworm disesae--a vet's perpective
Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2004 2:23 pm
Hi Everyone:
Good discussion on heartworm. Since I do conventional treatment as well as homeopathy in NYC, I usually do suggest Heartgard (as opposed to Interceptor) to my patients. This is especially for the dogs that go to the countryside and beach in the summer. NYC dogs who stay in the city are less likely to contact the disease (although there are mosquitoes in NYC.)
However a little know fact (from the mouth of the company representative that sells Heartgard) is that Heartgard protects for a total of 3 months (going backwards from the day you give it) for heartworm disease. If people are giving Heartgard Plus to their dogs to protect against intestinal worms (which it also covers) then they need to give it monthly.
So with a selected clientele who prefer holistic treatment I suggest they use the Heartgard (without the plus if they can get it) and give it every other month--at most-- during the heartworm season (June, August, October, and a last dose in Dec. -- if the weather has been unusually hot since Oct.)
Therefore they are only giving at most 3-4 doses of the medicine (rather than 6-7 doses or giving it year-round), which many conventional veterinarians suggest to cover them for intestinal worms. I advise them that if the dog gets heartworm disease or intestinal worms (because they are using the product off label) the manufacturer will not reimburse them for their expenses (as they guarantee to do if dogs contact these things while on Heartgard).
I lived and worked in Oklahoma for 9 months (1994-1995). Unfortunately I saw many dogs who contracted heartworm disease and DIED of if because they were not on any preventative and treated once the signs of the disease began to appear. Many of these dogs belonged to farmers who just ignored the dog's condition. So by the time I saw it, it was too late.
I always advise people to do the least invasive and least detrimental treatment with anything they have to decide about for their animal. But I give them all the information.
I have seen ONLY a handful of dogs have had a bad reaction to Heartgard. This might be enough to scare any owner into not using it. Everyone has to make these hard decisions for themselves...without fear being the motivating factor.
Your suggestions for natural products look excellent. I will definitely download it and offer it an alternative to clients who want to go totally holistic. However as a conventional veterinarian I have a certain responsibility to tell people the conventional treatment--with risks and advantages-- and let them make their own decision.
Once a dog tests position for heartworm disease, as a conventional vet, I would recommend the conventional treatment along with a lot of homeopathy to support the dogs system as it went through the process of eliminating the heartworms. I have not treated any dogs for heartworm disease ever in my practice. It is not a very big problem in NYC. So unfortunately I cannot speak from experience that issue.
Sincerely,
Jill Elliot, M.S.W., D.V.M.
Classical Homeopathy for People and Pets
New York, New York
Phone: 212-794-4993; Fax 212-570-9049
www.happytailsvet.com
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Good discussion on heartworm. Since I do conventional treatment as well as homeopathy in NYC, I usually do suggest Heartgard (as opposed to Interceptor) to my patients. This is especially for the dogs that go to the countryside and beach in the summer. NYC dogs who stay in the city are less likely to contact the disease (although there are mosquitoes in NYC.)
However a little know fact (from the mouth of the company representative that sells Heartgard) is that Heartgard protects for a total of 3 months (going backwards from the day you give it) for heartworm disease. If people are giving Heartgard Plus to their dogs to protect against intestinal worms (which it also covers) then they need to give it monthly.
So with a selected clientele who prefer holistic treatment I suggest they use the Heartgard (without the plus if they can get it) and give it every other month--at most-- during the heartworm season (June, August, October, and a last dose in Dec. -- if the weather has been unusually hot since Oct.)
Therefore they are only giving at most 3-4 doses of the medicine (rather than 6-7 doses or giving it year-round), which many conventional veterinarians suggest to cover them for intestinal worms. I advise them that if the dog gets heartworm disease or intestinal worms (because they are using the product off label) the manufacturer will not reimburse them for their expenses (as they guarantee to do if dogs contact these things while on Heartgard).
I lived and worked in Oklahoma for 9 months (1994-1995). Unfortunately I saw many dogs who contracted heartworm disease and DIED of if because they were not on any preventative and treated once the signs of the disease began to appear. Many of these dogs belonged to farmers who just ignored the dog's condition. So by the time I saw it, it was too late.
I always advise people to do the least invasive and least detrimental treatment with anything they have to decide about for their animal. But I give them all the information.
I have seen ONLY a handful of dogs have had a bad reaction to Heartgard. This might be enough to scare any owner into not using it. Everyone has to make these hard decisions for themselves...without fear being the motivating factor.
Your suggestions for natural products look excellent. I will definitely download it and offer it an alternative to clients who want to go totally holistic. However as a conventional veterinarian I have a certain responsibility to tell people the conventional treatment--with risks and advantages-- and let them make their own decision.
Once a dog tests position for heartworm disease, as a conventional vet, I would recommend the conventional treatment along with a lot of homeopathy to support the dogs system as it went through the process of eliminating the heartworms. I have not treated any dogs for heartworm disease ever in my practice. It is not a very big problem in NYC. So unfortunately I cannot speak from experience that issue.
Sincerely,
Jill Elliot, M.S.W., D.V.M.
Classical Homeopathy for People and Pets
New York, New York
Phone: 212-794-4993; Fax 212-570-9049
www.happytailsvet.com
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]