# Heart worm and Flea prevention



## MWilson (May 22, 2015)

My vet put my little guys on Trifexis. My Rascal, God rest his precious soul, was on Sentinel. What do you guys use and suggest for heart worm and flea prevention?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I wouldn't give Trifexis to my dogs. I don't believe in feed through chemicals for external "bugs".


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## MWilson (May 22, 2015)

Do you put chemicals on the skin to be absorbed, or do without?


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## HavGracie (Feb 27, 2012)

Gracie was on Trifexis for a while starting when she was about 9 months old. Fortunately, she never had a problem while on it, but then I started hearing and reading horror stories of dogs having very bad reactions to it, and some even dying. I discontinued using it and now I use Vectra 3D topically, but only for about 6 or 7 months out of the year. I also used to use Interceptor for heartworm, but they stopped making that for a while, so I started using Virbac's Iverhart, which is a generic drug for Hartguard. She has done fine on both of these.

It used to upset me whenever I went to the vets and they used to have Trifexis on display. I always made comments about how bad it was, and all of the problems it has caused. About 6 months ago when I went, I didn't see it on display and inquired about it. They told me they no longer carried it. YAY!!!


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## MWilson (May 22, 2015)

Thanks, HavGracie! Do you have issues with the topical and weekly bathing?


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## HavGracie (Feb 27, 2012)

I've never had any issues with the vectra, but they do recommend no bathing 2 days before and 2 days after applying it. Gracie usually gets bathed every 2-3 weeks, so it hasn't really been a problem. She's not one to run around outside very much or to dig or roll in the grass. She does like to roll over a dead dried up worm once in s while!!! yuck!


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## Molly120213 (Jan 22, 2014)

We use Heartgard Plus for Molly because they had stopped making Interceptor. I used that for over 14 years with my last dog and had no problems. We use K9 Advantix II for fleas. She is bathed about every 2 weeks, or as needed. As long as you wait a couple days before and after applying to bathe it is fine.


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## boomana (Jul 9, 2015)

My vet won't put dogs on Trifexis due to problems she's witnessed. I just use Advantage for fleas and worms for dogs with no issue. Been using it on my cats for at least 16 years, probably longer with no concerns. Not much of a tick problem where I go with my dogs since both my neighborhood and the dog park now treat the grass. I had an issue a year or so back with ticks, and my vet gave me a Frontline spray to use on the rare shot it would come up again for me. It hasn't.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

MWilson said:


> Do you put chemicals on the skin to be absorbed, or do without?


As little as possible. We haven't needed any this season.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

HavGracie said:


> Gracie was on Trifexis for a while starting when she was about 9 months old. Fortunately, she never had a problem while on it, but then I started hearing and reading horror stories of dogs having very bad reactions to it, and some even dying. I discontinued using it and now I use Vectra 3D topically, but only for about 6 or 7 months out of the year. I also used to use Interceptor for heartworm, but they stopped making that for a while, so I started using Virbac's Iverhart, which is a generic drug for Hartguard. She has done fine on both of these.
> 
> It used to upset me whenever I went to the vets and they used to have Trifexis on display. I always made comments about how bad it was, and all of the problems it has caused. About 6 months ago when I went, I didn't see it on display and inquired about it. They told me they no longer carried it. YAY!!!


Did you know Interceptor is back on the market? While Kodi didn't have any trouble with Heartgard while we had to use it, once Interceptor was back, I went back to the product that has the longer standing safety record in Havanese.

Also, whether it's Interceptor or Heartgard, do you know that as long as you are very careful not to miss a dose, you can dose them every 6 weeks rather than once a month? My dogs end up getting just 4doses of Intercepter per year, and are completely protected. (of course, how long you have to go each year depends on how warm it is where you live)


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

MWilson said:


> Thanks, HavGracie! Do you have issues with the topical and weekly bathing?


There is no problem with topicals and weekly bathing. I believe the directions say to use it 3 days before bathing and one day after. So you just have to get the timing right.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Molly120213 said:


> We use Heartgard Plus for Molly because they had stopped making Interceptor. I used that for over 14 years with my last dog and had no problems. We use K9 Advantix II for fleas. She is bathed about every 2 weeks, or as needed. As long as you wait a couple days before and after applying to bathe it is fine.


When we HAVE to use a topical (usually for ticks, not fleas, it is Advantix II This is the only product that actually repels ticks rather than just killing them after they bite. Since Kodi has a STRONG reaction to tick bites, that's important. Fortunately, for reasons I don't really understand, this has been a REALLY light year for ticks. :whoo:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

boomana said:


> My vet won't put dogs on Trifexis due to problems she's witnessed. I just use Advantage for fleas and worms for dogs with no issue. Been using it on my cats for at least 16 years, probably longer with no concerns. Not much of a tick problem where I go with my dogs since both my neighborhood and the dog park now treat the grass. I had an issue a year or so back with ticks, and my vet gave me a Frontline spray to use on the rare shot it would come up again for me. It hasn't.


That's another thing... the fleas and ticks in different areas become resistant to different chemicals. So what works for one person might not work for another. In our area, Frontline is useless.

I HAVE had success spraying the dogs with SentryNatural Defense right before a walk in the woods or high grass, where ticks are likely. That sits on the outside of the coat and is not absorbed. But it also washes off easily and must be reapplied regularly. It's more like putting "Off" on us than using a topical. It also is just herbal extracts... it is a repellant not an insecticide.


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## MWilson (May 22, 2015)

krandall said:


> Did you know Interceptor is back on the market? While Kodi didn't have any trouble with Heartgard while we had to use it, once Interceptor was back, I went back to the product that has the longer standing safety record in Havanese.
> 
> Also, whether it's Interceptor or Heartgard, do you know that as long as you are very careful not to miss a dose, you can dose them every 6 weeks rather than once a month? My dogs end up getting just 4doses of Intercepter per year, and are completely protected. (of course, how long you have to go each year depends on how warm it is where you live)


I like the thought of dosing only every six weeks. Are you certain about this? I have read articles on it but haven't seen anything from a scholarly source. I haven't read good things about Trifexis, which resulted in my original inquiry. I have never had issues with Sentinel in my previous pets and worried about a topical treatment. I live in the South and need to be safe rather than sorry. Fleas and ticks are a problem here, and we do enjoy being outdoors with our little guys.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

MWilson said:


> I like the thought of dosing only every six weeks. Are you certain about this? I have read articles on it but haven't seen anything from a scholarly source. I haven't read good things about Trifexis, which resulted in my original inquiry. I have never had issues with Sentinel in my previous pets and worried about a topical treatment. I live in the South and need to be safe rather than sorry. Fleas and ticks are a problem here, and we do enjoy being outdoors with our little guys.


Can't comment on the flea thing... I know you do have different problems than we do here in the "Frozen North".  But I am absolutely certain on the heart worm meds. Here is Dr. Dodds' recommendations for heart worm meds: Dr. Jean Dodds' Pet Health Resource Blog | Dr. Dodds' Take on and General Recommendations for...

My vet is in complete agreement AS LONG AS you adhere to the every 45 day routine. If you're likely to forget, you're better off staying with the every month routine.


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## HavGracie (Feb 27, 2012)

krandall said:


> Did you know Interceptor is back on the market? While Kodi didn't have any trouble with Heartgard while we had to use it, once Interceptor was back, I went back to the product that has the longer standing safety record in Havanese.
> 
> Also, whether it's Interceptor or Heartgard, do you know that as long as you are very careful not to miss a dose, you can dose them every 6 weeks rather than once a month? My dogs end up getting just 4doses of Intercepter per year, and are completely protected. (of course, how long you have to go each year depends on how warm it is where you live)


I think I read on the forum several months ago that Interceptor was back on the market, however, last time I went to the vets, they were not carrying it, but carrying sentinel instead. At this point, I will stay on Heartgard, at least until all of the doses are gone.

I also have been trying to keep Gracie on a 6 week schedule, from April to November. she just had her yearly test for heartworm and Lyme and was negative on both.:smile2:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

HavGracie said:


> I think I read on the forum several months ago that Interceptor was back on the market, however, last time I went to the vets, they were not carrying it, but carrying sentinel instead. At this point, I will stay on Heartgard, at least until all of the doses are gone.
> 
> I also have been trying to keep Gracie on a 6 week schedule, from April to November. she just had her yearly test for heartworm and Lyme and was negative on both.:smile2:


Remember that unless you keep her on heartwom meds year round, she should be tested BEFORE you start them up again in the spring.


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## MarinaGirl (Mar 25, 2012)

Emmie has never had a problem with Trifexis; it works well for her. She also hasn't had any vaccine reactions or sensitivity to flea or tick bites. There have been a couple of products that weren't very effective at managing fleas but I don't remember which ones they were. Just sharing my direct, non-negative experience. Every dog is different so make sure you do thorough research to figure out what works best for your Hav and family, and it sometimes can be trial and error. There's no one size fits all. Good luck.


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## SJ1998 (Feb 4, 2013)

I'm in Florida and for whatever reason, this has been a light year for fleas and ticks. I only applied flea topical once this summer. I am using an apple cider rinse too (doesnt smell too good the first couple of days!). I used Activyl for the topical (the flea version, not the tick). 

I dont use heartworm preventatives but I do test the dogs twice a year.


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## HavGracie (Feb 27, 2012)

krandall said:


> Remember that unless you keep her on heartwom meds year round, she should be tested BEFORE you start them up again in the spring.


Thanks for that info. So, then, you have Kodi tested for heartworm once a year, in the spring?

I usually take Gracie for her annual checkup in May, but I decided to wait this year until I got through most of the summer -- just in case she's had a very bad allergy season. Two years ago her allergies were very bad and she also developed a staph infection, so was on prednisone and other meds for a few weeks. Now I give her Benadryl from May til September, and that really seems to help.:focus:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

HavGracie said:


> Thanks for that info. So, then, you have Kodi tested for heartworm once a year, in the spring?
> 
> I usually take Gracie for her annual checkup in May, but I decided to wait this year until I got through most of the summer -- just in case she's had a very bad allergy season. Two years ago her allergies were very bad and she also developed a staph infection, so was on prednisone and other meds for a few weeks. Now I give her Benadryl from May til September, and that really seems to help.:focus:


Yes, but Heartworm is not a huge problem up here. If it is advised to test twice where you are, for sure do it. But you want to make sure they have no worm load before starting heartworm meds or they can make the dog very sick as worms start to die off.


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