# Question on heartworm prevention and flea treatment



## julie87 (Aug 19, 2012)

I live in northern California, so far my 7 month old GSD got 2 heartworm preventives, I heard bad things about them. Are benefits greater than risks? Also, what is the best flea treatment?Thanks.


----------



## kelina (Nov 17, 2012)

Oatmeal FLEA AND TICK REMOVAL SHAMPOO!!! you can buy this at petco!
Works for me!

And heartworms? Not so sure sorry julie! But benefits to me at least are better than risk.. you have your dog o two heart worm preventatives, the risk of preventing it is..? Lol


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i think the benefits are geater than the risk.


----------



## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I also think the benefits of HW meds far out way the risk of having the dog end up with HW. Treatment for HW is not pretty

As for Flea preventative, does your dog have fleas? If not, well I wouldn't use anything, we already put enough junk in and on our dogs.

I haven't had a flea on any of my dogs in years and use 'nothing'.


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I have all of my dogs on heartworm treatment all year round. As far as flea medicine, I treat them from March-Oct, but not monthly..I use frontline every 3 months. I don't like the idea of treating them topically with something every month, every three months is pushing it.


----------



## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Big Dogs, Big Heartworm: So This Is What Heartworm Treatment Looks Like?

I've had 3 fosters go through heartworm treatment and use HW medications on my dogs. The summer that my last foster had her treatment, we had 7 dogs with HW from places that people think there isn't HW disease.

I don't know what your tick situation is there - but would consider looking at that with the topicals. I had never seen a tick here before, and no one had fleas, so I didn't use any topicals this year. This fall, I found 1 brown tick on 2 dogs so that is a concern.

Be sure to know what HW med your dog is on and that it is not already a HW/flea combo.


----------



## WilsonRandy (Oct 27, 2012)

Heartworm prevention with Ivermectin is a must. What you should realize is that using Heartguard or similar commercial preparations is a complete rip-off.

Assuming your dog is MDR1 negative you can simply use liquid or paste Ivermectin. 

Ivermectin is a very safe compound and anyone can learn how to dose it properly for pennies a dose.


----------

