yearly heart worm testing?

[Shelties]

How many of you get a heart worm tested once a year?, i honestly had no idea that you were actually supposed to do this assuming that the VET would automatically do this on their own right?. Well i just found out i was supposed to have my dogs tested for heart worms once a year before i even start giving heart worm medications since it can be fatal if you give it to a dog that is positive.

If i am supposed to ask the vet to have my dog tested then i blindly didn't even know about it. Now if the vet is supposed to get my dog tested even if the owner doesn't ask then i won't be a happy camper with the vet.

Now the vet that i had previously did it on his own, and would have casey tested before he gave me the heartworm meds. I didn't ask, he just did it. So i assumed this new vet would do the same thing, i guess not . Well when i get my new dog at the end of the week im going to take her in for check up and get casey tested for HW, since the weather is getting warmer and all.

[mainesheltie]

The vets I've used have all sent me reminders for all the tests/shots that are due for my dogs and my cats.

[calgal]

I don't get shots for my dogs nor heart worm testing. Never have. I'll have them titer tested when they are around 5 or 6 years old.

[Pearlulm]

My dogs are on heart worm preventative year round because we have a place in Alabama where there is a year long danger. My vet tested them before starting hw preventative as puppies, once again at 1 year and every other year after. If your dog/s are on it for only part of the year then I think they should be tested every year. (IMO)

They also send out notices for shots or tests.

[mrsgrubby]

When our rescue brought up a few hundred hurricaine Katrina dogs, most of them were heartworm positive!!!! It was horrible.

I've always tested my dogs every year, but we found out through the Katrina ordeal that many vets in the south do not test on a regular basis, nor prescribe the meds for it!!!! I was shocked considering heart worms are from mosquites and there are more in teh south than in Michigan I would imagine!!!

i'd never dream of not testing my girls!!!

[linnie]

If you start a dog under the age of 6 months there is no need for testing.
I always start mine on meds at 4 months but my vet told me that I dont need to as we dont live in an area affected. She suggested I do it only when I am going to the coast or just after we get back as it takes some time for the worm to be able to form. I am still trying to digest this idea and so far am still doing it on a monthly basis

[ewarp]

Originally Posted by linnie

If you start a dog under the age of 6 months there is no need for testing.

Unfortunately, I don't think that's quite right. It takes 6 months for a dog that is infected to show it in a blood test. If your puppy was infected at the age of 3 months, a positive result won't show until 9 mos.

So there's no need to test under 6 months, but you should test a bit later anyway.

When we brought up dogs from Hurricane Katrina, there were three puppies that were 5 months when we got them. They tested positive at their 1-year check-up.

[rmci]

Now you have me wondering if my vet has tested annually.
He's never mentioned anything about heartworms so it makes me wonder.
I too get a reminder about shots, but nothing that I can recall about testing.

[Rivsky]

I also didn't know you had to still do tests if your dog was already being medicated.

I was of the belief that if heartworm meds are started as a pup there is no need for it as long as it is continued. If you've got an adult dog though a heartworm test is mandatory before starting them on meds because of the possibility of the dog having heartworm.

I think I'm going to check this out with my vet as River and I need to go in on the 11th anyway - I'd love to find out what the correct procedure is now.

[TinyAlbinoDancer]

I've heard that it is mandatory to do a heartworm test before putting the dog on a preventative, and then you have to do it again if you miss a dose. Those that don't do heartworm on a year-round basis would obviously have to have their dog(s) tested every time before starting the prev.

That's what I've picked up from a Greyhound forum where dogs off the track often do have heartworm. I don't have experience with any of it, personally.

[DogLover8]

Kenya gets Heartworm tests once a year. I give her heart preventive from spring to fall.

[Novel]

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body...m_disease.html

Says:"BECAUSE OF THE FIVE MONTH MINIMUM MIGRATION TIME
OF THE LARVAL HEARTWORM AFTER INFECTION,
IT IS OF NO USE TO HEARTWORM TEST DOGS YOUNGER
THAN FIVE MONTHS OF AGE. THESE PUPPIES ARE
TOO YOUNG TO BE INFECTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES."



There is also alot of other good info on the site.

I found this page also to be very informative on the treatment and Ivermectin.
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body...revention.html

[KennelMom]

Originally Posted by TinyAlbinoDancer

That's what I've picked up from a Greyhound forum where dogs off the track often do have heartworm. I don't have experience with any of it, personally.

That is actually NOT correct. Most dogs coming from the track do NOT have heartworms. I know of only one dog that came from a track compound that was heartworm positive and that dog had been under the care of the ADOPTION group for quite some time. I would say it is extremely rare for a dog to test HW postive from the track.

We test about every 18 months or so for heartworm...that's about how often our dogs go in for an "annual" exam. The exception would be for the seniors who go in either once every 12 months (10-12 years) or every 6 months for 13+ and the HW test is built into the senior blood work-up.

We use a liquid Ivermectin...actually, the same exact stuff they use in racing kennels.


Most vets include it as part of an annual visit or will require it before writing a prescription for HW meds. I always figured it was a requirement of the manufacturers, since they will pay for HW treatment if a dog becomes positive while they are on it...I'm sure they'd want the vet to make sure the dog had a negative test before starting the product.

Giving HW prevention to a HW positive dog depends on what chemical you are using and the stage of infestation. Ivermectin is fairly safe for "low grade" infections.

[Novel]

Just a note... the site and literature I posted goes into some depth about false negative test results if a dog is tested while it is on preventative since most tests are looking for larval stage worms that would be prevented with heartworm meds, even if adult worms are present. Again.. it's on the page I posted.
It says if you are going to test for HW, the dog should really not be wormed or medicated for at least 5 months prior to the test.

[D.Schäferhund]

ok I am kinda interested, too

I was preventing heartworm since they were little, and Kessy since we got to the states.
Now i had that hairanalysis done with aika, and my homepath said, I shouldn't be worming that much, especially when they are young, that is not veru constructive in helping the immunsystem build to full potential.
so i guess to the ones that do not do it that regular, why don't you do it, what are your reasons for it, what might be the benffits.
How likely is it that dogs get heartworm without medication, what benefits are there from not heartworming a dog.
i used to not really worm a dog regular, just preventiv only once a year.
Is a topical better than a tablet.
Please let me know what your reasons are for HW and if you don't why not!
Thanks