# Heart worm at 6 months



## Kev (Sep 11, 2011)

EDIT: PUP HAS NO HEART WORMS, SORRY MISSPELLED TITLE



Starting June 1st, my vet wants me to bring my dog in to get him weighed so he can start some heart worm preventives 
I have a few questions:
1) is 6 months too young to start the preventives 
2) which brand do you recommend (vet has the kind which is pills and then there is a topical cream which prevents heart worms and fleas)
3)Since it's preventives, and he might not have worms, will he get sick taking it even though he has none (or he might, not tested) 

4)thank you!


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Kev said:


> EDIT: PUP HAS NO HEART WORMS, SORRY MISSPELLED TITLE
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I was able to put my pup on heartworm preventive when she was about 4 months without the test, then she got tested at about 6 months and continues to take the pills monthly all year long. Mine are on heartguard plus, which treats and controls roundworms and hookworms and heartworm.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

My pup was started on preventives at 12 weeks.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

It depends on the area you live when the mosquitos are actively reproducing. My pup was born in March and I didn't start him on HW preventative til he was about 3 months old. But my vet at our first 8 week old visit gave me a sample puppy pack w/ his first dosage. I waited til he was older and the frost/freeze warnings were over. I don't know that I'd want to give an 8 week old HW preventative at any time of year.
Karlo was about 3 months when he had his first dose. 
I use Ivomec for my dogs(doses by weight). I started this year early as we had a very warm spring, but in the past couple weeks several freezes(I could have waited!). I had the dogs tested a couple weeks ago, and started their first dose on the 15th.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

1) is 6 months too young to start the preventives 

I don't think so as long as it's properly dosed for his weight.

2) which brand do you recommend (vet has the kind which is pills and then there is a topical cream which prevents heart worms and fleas)

I use liquid ivermectin and dose myself. It's difficult to dose a dog under 50lb though without diluting. Before I did it myself I used Interceptor tablets from the vet.

3)Since it's preventives, and he might not have worms, will he get sick taking it even though he has none (or he might, not tested) 

If he doesn't have heartworms, he should not get sick if the dose is correct.


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## Kev (Sep 11, 2011)

Thank you 
due to winter conditions in Canada, we don't need to take hw medications for the cold times. We start around early spring to around fall.
The vet does not have heart worm medications for every month but a box with 6 pills that last the season. Anyone tried topical creams to prevent fleas and heart worms?


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Kev said:


> Thank you
> due to winter conditions in Canada, we don't need to take hw medications for the cold times. We start around early spring to around fall.
> The vet does not have heart worm medications for every month but a box with 6 pills that last the season. Anyone tried topical creams to prevent fleas and heart worms?



I used to do only 6 months a year too, but Heartworm cases started popping up in the most unlikely places...like the middle of the city, so it is now recommended to do all year round. For fleas/ticks I use Frontline Plus(topical) every 2-3 months.


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## Riley3696 (Aug 24, 2011)

All my pups were started at 12 weeks!!


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## Kev (Sep 11, 2011)

Speaking about health concerns, my pup at 19 weeks today was weighed in and stood at 47 lbs, around the average I suppose. I can see his ribs but they are a bit harder to feel then before but still possible. What's your opinion on this?


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Kev said:


> Speaking about health concerns, my pup at 19 weeks today was weighed in and stood at 47 lbs, around the average I suppose. I can see his ribs but they are a bit harder to feel then before but still possible. What's your opinion on this?


Did he just go through a growth spurt upwards? I noticed with mine that she would look fine, get taller, then look skinnier, etc...but still considered healthy


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## Kev (Sep 11, 2011)

Now I think of it yes, lol. I almost forgot he used to be smaller, seems to me like he sticked to one size.
Last week, he was about 19-20" tall when I measured him from foot to shoulder blades


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i thought it was mandatory that a dog had to be tested
before heart worm medication is given. i've never had
a Vet prescribe heart worm meds without testing first.



llombardo said:


> >>>> I was able to put my pup on heartworm preventive when she was about 4 months without the test, <<<<
> 
> then she got tested at about 6 months and continues to take the pills monthly all year long. Mine are on heartguard plus, which treats and controls roundworms and hookworms and heartworm.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

what else is your Vet doing beside weighing your pup
before prescribing heart worm meds?



Kev said:


> EDIT: PUP HAS NO HEART WORMS, SORRY MISSPELLED TITLE
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

doggiedad said:


> i thought it was mandatory that a dog had to be tested
> before heart worm medication is given. i've never had
> a Vet prescribe heart worm meds without testing first.


The dog can't be tested until they are 6 months old, but they can have medication without being tested if they are younger then 6 months and older then 8 or 12 weeks.


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