Vet Trip for heart worm Rx. Anyother ss way to deal with heart worms?

[big brown horse]

We have a great vet that realizes dogs are dogs, not people. with 7 kids, I can't afford the expensive monthly heartworm treatments. My vet sold me a bottle of ivermectin horse wormer for about $40 ....this will treat my dogs for years to come! (As long as the medicine does not expire....The standard monthly treatments are just money makers for the vets...the manufacturers, advertising executives....and the list goes on....

And you thought Merk was the only pharmasutacle (?) company gouging....

Is it the paste? If it is the paste, I think you can get it cheaper at the feed store. Now please tell me how much to give and how often!!

Thanks for the tip I will share it with all my peeps down in Houston where there is a HUGE mosquito problem.

I think I will try to breconbcs' approach since we have very few mosquitoes and heartworm problems.

 

[smithx9]

What I have is the liquid...I have large dogs (80 plus lbs)..I give to the first mark on the syringe...its really just a tiny bit...for a more perfect measure, you would need to know your dogs weight and then ask a vet....or maybe that info could be found on line somewhere....

My neighbor uses the past on her horse, and then lets the dog lick the tip of the past gun...you know, that last little squirt that comes out of the container...if that is any help.

 

[smithx9]

bigbrownhorse, do a google search on liquid ivermectin use as heaartworm preventative...I looked and there seem to be some dog breeds that have adverse reactions to this medicine...collies and other herding type breeds where what I saw...be safe, be sure before you use this on your dog breed...BTW what kind of dogs DO you have?

 

[Javamama]

I have nothing to offer here other than I'm in the same boat. I am so tired of the vets around here insisting I shoot my dogs up with every vaccine that's made. We never vaccinated our dogs growing up (other than rabies) and never gave them heartworm meds and they all lived into their late teens. I'm just not sure it's all necessary and I'm really on the fence about it. We need rabies shots now, but they won't let us get by without all the other garbage and an 80 dollar checkup fee on top of it.
I'd like to just get them tested, but vets here don't go for that. I'm half afraid of getting reported to some agency if I even ask about it.

 

[big brown horse]

I have two St. Bernards!! One was a stray 9 years ago and the pup (2 years old) was turned into a high kill shelter...they said she was too big.

The stray is "Jane Doe" she is about 9 years old and was almost dead when we got her. The pup is "Kate Moss" she was skin and bones when I got her.

So you can see how pricey Rx can get when you have big dogs. I don't mind paying extra, but if there is a home remedy out there I'm ready!!

I think we decided to let the Rx run out and just test twice a year like brecons said she does. We live in a place where there are very few cases of heartworm and not too many mosquitoes.

Thanks everyone for your advice!! Keep it coming!

 

[miss_thenorth]

Well, I think I have made my decision, too. I will take my dogs into the vet in the fall, after the mosquitos have died away, and just get the blood test for heartworm. Since we have moved here, I have not found a tick, or a flea on the dogs, so why treat for prevention? If they do acquire heartworm, I will find out in the fall and treat as needed. Hopefully, that will save us some money.

 

[smithx9]

Java mamma...you can give your own basic shots....we get our 5way booster shots from our local feed store...at a much, much less price than what they charge at the vet...(no office fee....) and giving the shot is not hard to do...the instructions come in the box...or just google how to do it...Foster's and Smith Vet supply have instructions in their cataloge.

Also, in regards to Rabies shots, I ask my vet to simply come out to the vehicle and give the shots...this usually works since I will often have 3 dogs and 7 kids with me....that's just too much to bring into the vet's office.

Another option on the Rabies, is to request a local vet to do a Rabies clinic...usually all this takes is for several dog/cat owners to get together at one location and have the vet give all the shots there. This could be a great time to meet new neighbors, have a giant yard sale, a dog wash fund raiser for you local humane society...any number of ideas would get a number of participants that would satisfy the vet. Usually if this is done in conjunction with a humane society what ever, the vet will basically charge just for the shot....I have participated in one of these before...was great...Hey...I just thought of a summer project for my kids to organize.....

 

[big brown horse]

Good advice smithx9...

For rabies: Find a neighbor who has horses and meet there when the vet does the home visit too. When we had our horses at a stable, we would bring up our stable cats to be vaccinated for rabies this way. (My last male cat was neutered on the back of her (the vet) pick up truck!) Of course call the vet first to give a head's up. She would do other animals after the horses were finished, so you did have to wait, but it was no big deal!

 

[Javamama]

I'm going to take care of the worm stuff myself from now on, but I'm pretty sure no vet will give a rabies around here without a full workup. Now, I haven't checked on any clinics, so I'll have to keep my eyes open for that. We are down to one dog as of Saturday so that makes life much easier.

 

[big brown horse]

Texas (the whole state) is under quarentine for rabies (has been for years)...you could not administer the vaccination yourself as in some other states. Your animal had to be registered as having the rabies shot by a vet. You had to carry proof where ever you go ESP if you were to leave the state. You could order it from animal medical supply companies like "Chicks" etc. but I don't think they would ship to TX.