# Easy Answer on Heartworms/Fleas/Ticks?



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Sorry if this is really lazy of me :curtain:

I searched the forum and feel kind of overwhelmed with different people's experiences... but it's been a few years since I've owned dogs and the market has changed - Sammy is going to the vet Thursday and I need to get him started on HW preventative (assuming he tests negative) and also get something for fleas and ticks. HW are rampant here. Well, so are fleas and ticks. 

Is there any kind of consensus about which products are best - effective, safe, reasonable (relatively)? 

I think we used Heartguard chewable tablets plus Frontline topical on our previous dogs... but I can't remember - I think maybe we tried something else too? It's been too long, and I see there are new products now too...


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## Cari (Sep 19, 2012)

I use Trifexis. It does heartworm, fleas and intestinal worms all in one pill!


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

There is no easy answer to this question! 

But I have been using heartguard and frontline for the time being as we need something against ticks up here.


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## Wafer1141 (Mar 12, 2013)

We started out on revolution and had too many ticks. So we switched to k9 advantix and I haven't seen anything on him since we started it. Iverhart for HW. Plus I felt better about an oral HW preventative. Seems like too much could get missed with a topical HW.


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Wafer1141 said:


> We started out on revolution and had too many ticks. So we switched to k9 advantix and I haven't seen anything on him since we started it. Iverhart for HW. Plus I felt better about an oral HW preventative. Seems like too much could get missed with a topical HW.


How wrong is it that I want to use K9 Advantix just because their commercials are so cute?! :


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Well, I had just about decided I would just stick with Heartguard and Frontline, since they have been on the market long enough to feel safe to me compared to some of the scary things I am reading about new products... but then my friend tonight told me that they are finding some dogs getting heartworms even while on Heartguard now?  Has anyone heard that??

Of course I'll discuss it with the vet tomorrow. He is WONDERFUL and I really trust him, but I always do get a little leary when it comes to products like this - because I know even the best doctors/vets are influenced by pharmaceutical companies.


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## MomMom (Mar 29, 2013)

We use Trifexis and had no bad effects. Nothing else works for fleas in our area of Florida unfortunatley. We put on Frontline when we are camping. Otherwise we have no problem with ticks in our area.


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## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

We use K9 Advantix II. It kills fleas, ticks, mosquitos, chiggars, et al. It's worked well for us. We've also kept Capstar pills on hand and used them when Andy picked up fleas at the lake 3 weeks after applying Advantix II and it's nearing time for a new dose. Capstar kills leas and ticks pronto, and prevented them from spreading to the other dogs and infesting the house. He was a chemo patient, so we had to be extra vigilant because he was kind of allergic to them.

I've been told the old Frontline is less effective for fleas because they've built up a tolerance over the years it's been on the market.

I'm sure your vet will have some recommendations.


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Thanks! We're headed to the woods next weekend - we all end up with ticks when we're up there, so I'm glad it will be right after he has a treatment and I'll check him over at night too. He had three ticks when we got him. I wish there was an Advantix for kids - we have to de-tick everyone at night in the bathtub!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

My two are on Trifexis, fleas are horrendous here but I don't have a problem with ticks and am not using anything to protect against them currently. 

Member *IowaGold* who is a Vet, did a comparison sheet of HW/flea/tick meds, here is the link for it. 

http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...t-comparing-heartworm-flea-tick-products.html


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> My two are on Trifexis, fleas are horrendous here but I don't have a problem with ticks and am not using anything to protect against them currently.
> 
> Member *IowaGold* who is a Vet, did a comparison sheet of HW/flea/tick meds, here is the link for it.
> 
> http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...t-comparing-heartworm-flea-tick-products.html


WOW! Awesome - that is exactly what I was looking for! :smooch:


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Well, the vet and I talked about it for a long time... she said she HAS seen dogs come in HW+ on Heartguard the last couple of years, not a ton, but enough that she switched her dogs off of it. We really needed enough tick coverage for our trip to the woods next week, so we ended up doing the Proheart injection for HW (actually they will do it later while he's sedated and after his HW test comes back), and then she was going to give me a topical for fleas and ticks... Parastar Plus? I hadn't heard of it, but now that I am home and looking at reviews online - and it looks like it's not very effective  So I guess I need a new plan for fleas and ticks before I go back tomorrow to pick him up!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I didn't know the Proheart injection was back on the market after being pulled a few years ago.


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> I didn't know the Proheart injection was back on the market after being pulled a few years ago.


:uhoh: Oh oh!


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Well, crap. This is so hard! Honestly, I have a microbiology degree and a law degree, I worked in pharmaceutical research for years... and I am having a really hard time discerning what the right choice for us is!!

I did a search on this forum and have read reviews and stories about both Proheart and Parastar, which don't make me feel great. The problem is, one (or even a few) anecdote that is particularly awful and compelling isn't actually a good way to make a decision. On the other hand, I know how warped the pharmaceutical industry is and even the very best vets/doctors are influenced by them. It's just so hard to know really whether something is safe or effective - most especially since no one knows how one individual dog will react vs. another dog. 

*sigh*

I'm not sure what to do now... I think I will call up there and talk to them about my concerns re Proheart, and see what they say. I really do trust my vet, and she uses Proheart on her dogs. I am willing to give Parastar a chance - the woods and fields in the country next weekend will be the ultimate test!


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

The Proheart injection is back on the market. My hairdresser switched her Chihuahua to it after her dog became lethargic and barely conscious from Trifexis, even though he was on Trifexis for a year. 
Parastar Plus is almost the same as Frontline Tritak. I use Frontline Tritak on my boys this year and I have had good results so far, and I am in Tennessee - tick country.
I have not heard anything about Heartguard not working, I will have to ask my vet about it. I was planning on switching my dachshund to Heartquard Plus.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Let me know your experience with Parastar. We started using it in February....not sure how effective yet. I just ordered seresto collars and capstar to take with us on a doggie vacation in late summer or early fall because we will be in tick territory. We cannot use comfortis or trifexis on toby for flea control.

Ask your vet about sentinel for hw and fleas. It is back on the market.

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

What she said about Heartguard is that it is the most commonly used and the one of the longest on the market... that means maybe she sees more failure on it only because more dogs are on it. OR because it's been around so long, maybe they are seeing some resistance. She doesn't know, but she switched her dogs off it just to be safe.

I should mention that we are in a VERY high heartworm area. It is almost a guarantee that your dog will get HW if you are not adequately covered. That is one reason Proheart is attractive to me - I have heard of people's dogs getting HW just because they missed a dose of preventative by a couple of weeks around here. It is scary.

On the other hand, reading about Proheart makes me queasy - their website actually straight up tells vets to use it "for practice development" because it makes clients come back twice a year instead of just once a year. Grrr.


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Dallas Gold said:


> Let me know your experience with Parastar. We started using it in February....not sure how effective yet. I just ordered seresto collars and capstar to take with us on a doggie vacation in late summer or early fall because we will be in tick territory. We cannot use comfortis or trifexis on toby for flea control.
> 
> Ask your vet about sentinel for hw and fleas. It is back on the market.
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I'll let you know about Parastar - like I said, next weekend will be the ultimate test! Fleas and ticks are RAMPANT up there!

I searched GRF and noticed several people started Parastar last winter, but no one has reported back effectiveness. On Amazon and 1800PetMeds there are a lot of reviewers that still experienced fleas with it.


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## Chaya (Aug 18, 2012)

I'm going to skip the Frontline Plus this year because I don't see ticks where I live in downtown Chicago, so we really only need protection when we travel. And Frontline totally didn't work last year....we went hiking in Wisconsin and Chaya ended up with a million latched on ticks. Why poison them with something that's completely ineffective?

I'm taking my girls to the Michigan woods next weekend, and here is our game plan: spray them all over with Natural Lemon Ecalypus Insect Repellent (repeat after swims) and then make them http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001ANQVZE/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1each wear a bandana treated with Sawyer Premium Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent when they're outside. Bandana gets removed once indoors. 

I'll let you all know how it works!


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

caroline162 said:


> I'll let you know about Parastar - like I said, next weekend will be the ultimate test! Fleas and ticks are RAMPANT up there!
> 
> I searched GRF and noticed several people started Parastar last winter, but no one has reported back effectiveness. On Amazon and 1800PetMeds there are a lot of reviewers that still experienced fleas with it.


None of these topicals are water proof, but only resistant, which bothers me for dogs that swim or get a lot of baths like mine do in the summer. I think some of the Heartguard failures may be due to noncompliance, either the owner bought counterfeit unwittingly online, did not dose timely or the dog vomited and didn't absorb. In one case, the dog spit them out and hid behind sofa cushions! My vet relayed those stories to me when I asked!

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

One more thing. I bought some insect repellant bandannas from petedge.com. We have not used them yet, but I plan to use as additional protection.

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

Does anybody know why Novartis decided to not produce Interceptor anymore and only go with Sentinel? 
I personally don't like Sentinel, years ago, when it first came out, I used it on my then golden and he was always a bit depressed for two days afterwards and I switched to Interceptor. 
I also don't like the fact that Sentinel does not kill fleas, only sterilizes them.


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

One of the reasons I don't love the idea of collars, etc. is the kids - I don't really want anything that is just out there like that for the kids to touch (vs. a topical that I can put on at night and it's absorbed by the time the kids are handling the dog). My vet said Revolution (I think it was?) is actually absorbed into the bloodstream, so I bet it is waterproof.


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

Revolution does almost nothing for ticks though and you don't want to use two topicals. 
I don't trust Revolution to prevent heartworm disease, most clinics don't even carry it around here anymore and if they do, it is mostly for the cats.


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

cgriffin said:


> Revolution does almost nothing for ticks though and you don't want to use two topicals.
> I don't trust Revolution to prevent heartworm disease, most clinics don't even carry it around here anymore and if they do, it is mostly for the cats.


Yeah that's why I didn't pick that one. I was just saying for kid safety I would rather use a topical than something like a bandana or collar that the kids will keep handling. 

I think the up-shot is... there's no perfect product!!  I'm going to stick with Proheart and Parastar. Sammy will be staying at the vet's for 24 hours after his injection of the Proheart, so that makes me feel better too - they will be keeping a close eye on him for any reaction. Then if Parastar works on ticks next weekend we'll know we've found what works well for him. If he has a reaction or we get fleas/ticks, it's back to the drawing board!


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

I use Heartguard Plus and Comfortis, but I don't use Comfortis every month.


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## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

The suggestion of using a topical citrus spray seems like a good one to keep mosquitoes from landing in the first place. An old school method was to rub the skin with half an orange. Might be something to it ...


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

dborgers said:


> The suggestion of using a topical citrus spray seems like a good one to keep mosquitoes from landing in the first place. An old school method was to rub the skin with half an orange. Might be something to it ...


It's worth trying! Not alone though - fleas, ticks, and HW are so very prevalent here  We are pretty anti-chemicals at our house (I have cloth diapered kids and shop at a local food co-op for most of our food) but insect-borne diseases and parasites are too scary for me living in this awful place. I love Arkansas... but I grew up in the Alps, I am not made for summers here - every year when the temps hit 100 I start planning my escape!!


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

dborgers said:


> The suggestion of using a topical citrus spray seems like a good one to keep mosquitoes from landing in the first place. An old school method was to rub the skin with half an orange. Might be something to it ...


Speaking as a human guinea pig- did nothing for me last summer during our horrible west nile epidemic. I also carried mosquito citronella, sage, basil, lemongrass and mint leaves in my pocket after I rubbed my skin- didn't work. I tried a bunch of "organic" "holistic" topicals- nope. I finally ended up going with the horrible DEET to protect me from the West Nile Virus, until the county decided to poison from the air. I figured if the more natural things didn't work for me it probably won't work for dogs.

Some of the people who do hunt and field are using Vectra 3D but I really know little about it.

ETA: I've heard some of the newer flea collars are much less toxic and can handle children touching them, but not sure I'd want to risk it.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

My guys are on the Trifexis, which is Heartgard Plus and Comfortis, they've both been on it for two years now. Their HW tests have always come back negative and their stool test negative also.

A lot of people like using Organic Apple Cider-you can mix up some with water, put it in a spray bottle to keep insects off your dog too. This is not a HW preventative though, only to keep gnats, flies, mosquitoes, etc. off your dogs.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Not sure if this has been decided yet, but WOW!!!

June 2011: Scientist fired by Merial alleges Heartgard Plus coverup - VIN

http://www.vin.com/apputil/image/handler.ashx?docid=4919211

Anyone know the current status?


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## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> My guys are on the Trifexis, which is Heartgard Plus and Comfortis, they've both been on it for two years now. Their HW tests have always come back negative and their stool test negative also.
> 
> A lot of people like using Organic Apple Cider-you can mix up some with water, put it in a spray bottle to keep insects off your dog too. This is not a HW preventative though, only to keep gnats, flies, mosquitoes, etc. off your dogs.


Keeping mosquitoes off in the first place is a good front line of defense against heartworms. I used to spray Andy with a mixture of water/citrus juice if we were going to an area with a lot of mosquitoes. Hadn't heard of apple cider, but I'll have to try that sometime


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Correct me someone in the know- but the apple cider vinegar must be the raw unfiltered kind like you can buy at Whole Foods, not the type many grocery stores carry.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

dborgers said:


> Keeping mosquitoes off in the first place is a good front line of defense against heartworms. I used to spray Andy with a mixture of water/citrus juice if we were going to an area with a lot of mosquitoes. Hadn't heard of apple cider, but I'll have to try that sometime


Danny, if you do a search here on the GRF for Apple Cider Vinegar or Organic ACV, several threads will come up.



Dallas Gold said:


> Correct me someone in the know- but the apple cider vinegar must be the raw unfiltered kind like you can buy at Whole Foods, not the type many grocery stores carry.


Yes, it has to be the Organic which is non filtered.

I bought a bottle from GNC, most Health food stores carry it. If your Grocery has a large Organic Section, you might be able to find it there.

You can get it online very easy too-just remember it must be Organic.


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Dallas Gold said:


> Speaking as a human guinea pig- did nothing for me last summer during our horrible west nile epidemic. I also carried mosquito citronella, sage, basil, lemongrass and mint leaves in my pocket after I rubbed my skin- didn't work. I tried a bunch of "organic" "holistic" topicals- nope. I finally ended up going with the horrible DEET to protect me from the West Nile Virus, until the county decided to poison from the air. I figured if the more natural things didn't work for me it probably won't work for dogs.
> 
> Some of the people who do hunt and field are using Vectra 3D but I really know little about it.
> 
> ETA: I've heard some of the newer flea collars are much less toxic and can handle children touching them, but not sure I'd want to risk it.


Vecra sounds good but it's REALLY expensive!!


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

We have organic apple cider vinegar in our pantry - we wouldn't be proper foodie granola people without it  

Sammy got his Proheart injection and so far is doing fine - glad he is at the vet for them to observe him for 24 hours. She said that she has given it to hundreds of dogs, and has only seen one reaction in a weimaraner, who had a mild swelling type reaction. She said she feels safe giving it to her healthy young dogs, but would choose something else for a very old dog or a dog that was otherwise sick. 

I will be curious to see how Prostar does next week and will report back. He will get dosed today or tomorrow... then Thursday we'll be going swimming in the river, and later that day he'll be running around in the pastures/woods that are full of ticks and fleas. So seriously - ultimate test!


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## Michele4 (Oct 28, 2012)

I've been using the new Seresto collars since May, I like them, they sit close to the neck and are dry to the touch you can't even tell they are wearing collars with their long hair, Also use Inverheart Max for Heart worm protection. Seresto collars are around $40 with a $20 dollar rebate, can't beat that for eight months of protection, I also live in an area with alot of ticks, especially dear ticks, haven't seen one on them yet. My cats I have but I don't like to keep collars on them since they go outside sometimes. I use Frontline on them monthly but still see ticks on them.


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## Michele4 (Oct 28, 2012)

I also want to add I do use a ACV water mixture when I brush them daily, I put a tsp with water in a spray bottle.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Member Sally's Mom, who is a Vet said in one of her posts she is using the Vectra.

I use to give my guys the Proheart Injections until they were pulled off the market, this was many years ago. They never had any problems with it. 

I wasn't aware that is was back on the market until you said your Vet was giving Sammy one.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> Member Sally's Mom, who is a Vet said in one of her posts she is using the Vectra.
> 
> I use to give my guys the Proheart Injections until they were pulled off the market, this was many years ago. They never had any problems with it.
> 
> I wasn't aware that is was back on the market until you said your Vet was giving Sammy one.


I think one of our long term members from South Texas had a dog that died from a Proheart injection (or was it a Promeris injection??).


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

It's back on the market. She said the guidelines are stricter about who can receive it - she said basically the dogs who had bad reactions were mostly very old or sick dogs. Since they are allergic reactions, I imagine your dog is either allergic or not - if Sammy has no reaction today, I will continue to use it as long as he is healthy. 

If Prostar doesn't work for fleas/ticks then Vectra is probably what I will ask about next. Our vet doesn't sell it, so I will have to buy elsewhere.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Michele4 said:


> I've been using the new Seresto collars since May, I like them, they sit close to the neck and are dry to the touch you can't even tell they are wearing collars with their long hair, Also use Inverheart Max for Heart worm protection. Seresto collars are around $40 with a $20 dollar rebate, can't beat that for eight months of protection, I also live in an area with alot of ticks, especially dear ticks, haven't seen one on them yet. My cats I have but I don't like to keep collars on them since they go outside sometimes. I use Frontline on them monthly but still see ticks on them.


Thanks for the info on those collars- I read yesterday that if your dog swims in the collar or it gets wet, the 8 month protection is reduced to only 5 months- didn't know if you were aware of this.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Dallas Gold said:


> I think one of our long term members from South Texas had a dog that died from a Proheart injection (or was it a Promeris injection??).


Yes, 3goldens lost her dog from the Proheart injection. 

Must have been before it was pulled off the market.


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Dallas Gold said:


> I think one of our long term members from South Texas had a dog that died from a Proheart injection (or was it a Promeris injection??).


I did a search of the forum and there was a very sad thread about deaths linked to Proheart  Like I said earlier in this thread, it's scary to read something like that - but with all allergic reactions, you can't really make safety decisions based on anecdotal experiences like that (heartbreaking though they may be!) I ended up reading the safety data that was out there and talking to my vet, and decided to give it a try. If Sammy isn't allergic to it today, we'll keep using it. 

As someone anaphylactically allergic to a medication (penicillin), it is scary to give anything that has that kind of history! But I also know penicillin is safe in anyone who is NOT allergic to it, and is very effective.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I found 3Goldens original thread about it, it was posted in 2005. 

I had used it before it was pulled without any problems, but my Vet clinic hasn't brought it back, no idea why, but I haven't asked either.


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## Michele4 (Oct 28, 2012)

The Seresto collars are easy to remove, I haven't them to swim yet but yes I would remove them to bath or swim.


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

So, I am a little confused and read the article about Heartguard Plus. Is it working or not? I just bought Heartguard Plus for my dachshund and I am unsure now about it. He is on Trifexis, but Trifexis is starting to scare me now. 

I bought more Frontline Tritak and my vet actually asked me how it was working for my boys. I told him no complaints here. He said, he had a lot of the product returned earlier this year, with complaints that it did not work for fleas. He then kept contacting the company that makes the product and he kept complaining about the efficacy. Well, come to find out that they made a mistake with packaging before and actually the doses of the product were too low. Now they are supposed to have remedied the problem and it is also said now that it will start killing fleas and ticks within five minutes, instead of the stated one hour. 
Anyway, like I said, I have had only positive results with the Frontline Tritak so far.

I am still baffled about the Heartguard Plus. Any feed back?


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

Oh, just to clarify and not trying to add to the confusion: Trifexis is not Heartguard and Comfortis combined. Trifexis is Interceptor and Comfortis combined.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

cgriffin said:


> So, I am a little confused and read the article about Heartguard Plus. Is it working or not? I just bought Heartguard Plus for my dachshund and I am unsure now about it. He is on Trifexis, but Trifexis is starting to scare me now.
> 
> I bought more Frontline Tritak and my vet actually asked me how it was working for my boys. I told him no complaints here. He said, he had a lot of the product returned earlier this year, with complaints that it did not work for fleas. He then kept contacting the company that makes the product and he kept complaining about the efficacy. Well, come to find out that they made a mistake with packaging before and actually the doses of the product were too low. Now they are supposed to have remedied the problem and it is also said now that it will start killing fleas and ticks within five minutes, instead of the stated one hour.
> Anyway, like I said, I have had only positive results with the Frontline Tritak so far.
> ...


No, I haven't heard about the disposition of the Heartguard whistleblower case, but I plan to ask Toby's acupuncture vet on Tuesday about it. She pushes Trifexis so I may get a biased response- but she also knows Toby cannot handle Trifexis or Comfortis. I do know that our regular veterinary clinic has only had one HG+ failure and it turned out a certain nationally known veterinarian who does a lot of lab testing on dogs and communicates directly with owners, and not necessarily the regular veterinarian, told the owner to stop giving her dog heartworm preventive (or at least that's what the owner heard and understood) and that dog was diagnosed with Heartworm disease after a couple of months. :doh: That lack of communication between the two professionals and the owner/ regular veterinarian was very costly IMO. The regular vet had no idea the owner had communicated with this other professional because the owner didn't mention it until it was too late. Moral- your dog's regular vet needs to know if you decide to get testing/advice from an independent source before you change a protocol that could impair/impact your dog's health and well being. 

BTW, the manufacturer of HG+ will pay for HW treatment should there be a failure that isn't attributed to owner negligence or the dog hiding the pills. I'd rather not be faced with that though. 

I sure wish Interceptor was back on the market in the US....makes me wonder why they decided to pull it off after the plant came back online post recall.


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

Thanks Anne.

Yes, I also wish for Interceptor to come back. It just does not make sense to me that Novartis will put Sentinel back on the market but not Interceptor. 
I don't want to go the Sentinel route. One of my Goldens was always depressed for a couple of days after giving Sentinel, which was always a concern to me. I decided to switch to just Interceptor and use Frontline Plus and he never had a problem again.

Oh, decisions decisions and confusion running rampant over here........

I just left a message with my vet to call me in regards to Heartguard Plus.


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

My vet called me back and he said that he has not seen any failure in Heartguard Plus so far, but they just recently started using more again with no Interceptor on the market anymore. He said he did hear already a couple of years ago, that Louisiana had a small resistance problem developing with Heartguard Plus. 
My vet had a fresh vet school graduate with him when he called and asked that vet about hearing anything in vet school about it and he said, No, no mentioning of problems with Heartguard Plus. 
My vet did tell me that he will try to stay on top of this and he also said he wished Interceptor was still available. He mentioned that Advantage Multi had the best ratings when it comes to Heartworm prevention but that was a study from the company that makes Advantage Multi, so we have to think bias again. 
Anyway, my vet mentioned Sentinel again, but I am not sure if I want to go that route again. 
I really don't know which route to go now, keep Dachsi on Trifexis, switch him to Heartguard Plus nevertheless or try Sentinel.


I just found this article on line, I don't know how reputable this website is, I am not familiar with it but it makes for an interesting read:
http://dogaware.com/articles/newshwresistance0711.html


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Just wanted to follow up, it's been a little over 24 hours since Sammy's Proheart injection and despite also getting a bunch of vaccinations and being neutered at the same time, he is acting 110% like his normal health self  So, I think the safety/convenience of a once every six months shot is the way to go _for us_. 

We'll see how Parastar works on the other bugs next week, so see if we stick with it - I just bought three months' worth today in case we don't like it. It does say that it's waterPROOF on the box... so I guess it's one that is absorbed into the bloodstream?


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

I don't think it gets into the bloodstream, it stays in the skin as far as I know.


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Just looked up and it says that it has low water solubility and that is why they consider it water proof... it's not like Sammy goes swimming every day, so I bet it will hold up. But we'll see!


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

Yeah, I don't think you will find a true waterproof topical. I would not worry about it unless like you said, he is in water all the time.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Our green living concept hardware store just started carrying this line of products:
Products :: Pet & Home :: Natural Chemistry
I picked up some shampoo and some spray to use in addition to our monthly flea and tick topical. Some of the "natural ingredients" include cinammon oil, cedar wood oil, clove oil, and vanilla. It smells heavenly- the label states it is guaranteed to kill fleas and ticks by contact for up to 7 days and is effective on black flies and mosquitoes. I'm willing to try it out. 

I dosed the boys with the old Frontline Plus this morning instead of Parastar. Not sure why, just decided to finish off the old product that was still within the best by date.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

I'm horrified that proheart is back on the market. It was responsible for deaths and pulled from the market. The fact it is back is unconscionable to me. I'd suggest research for anyone considering its use.

Also, multiple vaccinations/ anesthesia is a great assault on the immune system. Much better to separate them so they have time to process.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Caroline, I am shocked that your vet would give Sammy proheart 6 at the time of other vax and neuter. Here is a quote from the fda site and then the link to the entire article.


> Fort Dodge Animal Health has revised the product’s label. The label warns not to use the drug within a month of the time a dog receives vaccinations and not to use it in dogs with pre-existing allergic disease, including food allergies, skin allergies, and flea allergy dermatitis. In addition, the label states that veterinarians should not administer the drug to dogs that are sick, debilitated, underweight, or have a history of weight loss.


FDA Announces ProHeart® 6 Return to Market


Ever since all the deaths associated with it a few years ago, I've boycotted Ft Dodge products and my vet knows better than to approach us with anything from them.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

*Did a Quick Google Search*



Penny & Maggie's Mom said:


> Caroline, I am shocked that your vet would give Sammy proheart 6 at the time of other vax and neuter. Here is a quote from the fda site and then the link to the entire article.
> 
> 
> FDA Announces ProHeart® 6 Return to Market
> ...


I went on drugs.com and looked at the adverse reactions reported for Proheart- WOW, that's a LOT of adverse reactions:



> Adverse Reactions
> 
> In field studies, the following adverse reactions were observed in dogs treated with ProHeart 6: anaphylaxis, vomiting, diarrhea (with and without blood), listlessness, weight loss, seizures, injection site pruritus, and elevated body temperature. Dogs with clinically significant weight loss (>10%) were more likely to experience a severe adverse reaction.
> 
> ...


source for quote:


> ProHeart 6 Veterinary Information from Drugs.com


By contrast, for Heartgard Plus, same website:


> Heartgard Plus Side Effects - for the Professional
> 
> Heartgard Plus
> 
> ...


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Penny & Maggie's Mom said:


> Caroline, I am shocked that your vet would give Sammy proheart 6 at the time of other vax and neuter. Here is a quote from the fda site and then the link to the entire article.
> 
> 
> FDA Announces ProHeart® 6 Return to Market
> ...


OMGoodness, that is very scary. Caroline, I'd contact your vet immediately-he/she should have known about this. I hope Sammy is going to be OK. I'd specifically ask how long you need to worry that he may experience an adverse reaction.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Anne, Sandra (from the coast) lost her dog to AIHA directly related to proheart. I met her here and on the AIHA forum. Really sad that they brought it back. And the fact that they state vets who use it are specially trained to follow their protocol.... well that's not happening...as evidenced here.


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

My hairdresser went back to Proheart injections, after her Chihuahua got sick from Trifexis. 
She had the injection done before along with annual vaccinations and the dog was very sore and tired for days. This time, when she switched, she decided to not give vaccines at the same time and leave the dog at the vet's office for the day. 

I had told her about the problems with Proheart years ago, but she won't listen.

I would never use Proheart.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

dborgers said:


> We use K9 Advantix II. It kills fleas, ticks, mosquitos, chiggars, et al. It's worked well for us. We've also kept Capstar pills on hand and used them when Andy picked up fleas at the lake 3 weeks after applying Advantix II and it's nearing time for a new dose. Capstar kills leas and ticks pronto, and prevented them from spreading to the other dogs and infesting the house. He was a chemo patient, so we had to be extra vigilant because he was kind of allergic to them.
> 
> I've been told the old Frontline is less effective for fleas because they've built up a tolerance over the years it's been on the market.
> 
> I'm sure your vet will have some recommendations.


Capstar does not kill ticks, it is for fleas only.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

caroline162 said:


> Well, the vet and I talked about it for a long time... she said she HAS seen dogs come in HW+ on Heartguard the last couple of years, not a ton, but enough that she switched her dogs off of it. We really needed enough tick coverage for our trip to the woods next week, so we ended up doing the Proheart injection for HW (actually they will do it later while he's sedated and after his HW test comes back), and then she was going to give me a topical for fleas and ticks... Parastar Plus? I hadn't heard of it, but now that I am home and looking at reviews online - and it looks like it's not very effective  So I guess I need a new plan for fleas and ticks before I go back tomorrow to pick him up!


Please, please please do not let them give him the Pro Heart injection.

"By 2004, the drug was pulled off the market due to a high rate of adverse reactions to the drug. According to an informed veterinarian, “Proheart caused more deaths in one year than all of the oral heartworm preventives combined did in ten years.”

Dog Owners Beware! Pro Heart 6 Injections Can Be Deadly « Whole Dog News Whole Dog News


ProHeart 6, a new drug recommended by vets is killing dogs nationwide. Read and crosspost!

Danny's Death - The Truth About Proheart 6

Beware of Proheart 6

Heartworm Vaccination Caution: Proheart 6


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Melissa, he's already had it, along with his vaccinations and neuter.


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## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

mylissyk said:


> Capstar does not kill ticks, it is for fleas only.


My bad. Don't know why I typed ticks. :doh: I kept Capstar in case Andy picked up fleas at the lake to nip the problem in the bud, so to speak.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

caroline162 said:


> Just wanted to follow up, it's been a little over 24 hours since Sammy's Proheart injection and despite also getting a bunch of vaccinations and being neutered at the same time, he is acting 110% like his normal health self  So, I think the safety/convenience of a once every six months shot is the way to go _for us_.
> 
> We'll see how Parastar works on the other bugs next week, so see if we stick with it - I just bought three months' worth today in case we don't like it. It does say that it's waterPROOF on the box... so I guess it's one that is absorbed into the bloodstream?


In a lot of cases the adverse reactions to Proheart don't show up for months after the injection, or even not until the next injection is given 6 months later. 

If you do a web search you will find actual proven cases of dogs dying from Proheart6. The drug was pulled from the market because of it, these are not just anecdotal stories, they are actual proven fact.

I sincerely hope Sammie has zero problems with it.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

The fda link earlier gives lots of info on both the old proheart and the new. It infuriates me that it's back. Of course we hope Sammy has no issues..... my disdain is directed at the manufacturer and the industry that can allow it back.


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Penny & Maggie's Mom said:


> Caroline, I am shocked that your vet would give Sammy proheart 6 at the time of other vax and neuter. Here is a quote from the fda site and then the link to the entire article.
> 
> 
> FDA Announces ProHeart® 6 Return to Market
> ...


Yes I read the studies and the current guidelines. They no longer recommend this - it is ok to give at the same time as vaccinations though there are other guidelines about health issues especially in older dogs that would not make them a good candidate. 

Boycotting and company or drug because some animals (or people) died on it doesn't really make sense. Like I mentioned before, without treatment I would die if you gave me penicillin. That doesn't mean it's not a fantastic antibiotic for some other people. Nor would I ever suggest people who are not allergic to it stop using it.


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Penny & Maggie's Mom said:


> Anne, Sandra (from the coast) lost her dog to AIHA directly related to proheart. I met her here and on the AIHA forum. Really sad that they brought it back. And the fact that they state vets who use it are specially trained to follow their protocol.... well that's not happening...as evidenced here.


I actually reviewed the training material myself and it specifically addresses the issue of going Proheart with vaccines. And I trust my vet and her training more than out of date materials that people on an Internet forum found by Googling. 

I'm sorry but it is just a huge pet peeve of mine when people use anecdotes and partially true information to try to scare people.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

The adverse reactions I listed are from *AFTER* the reintroduction of Proheart, which, IMO, are too many for my comfort. Our vet clinic is not recommending Proheart for their clients at all. I realize you can do as you wish with your dog, but I would be very concerned given that very long list of adverse reactions.


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## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Ugh I just need to stay away from this thread. As someone with a science background and experience in human pharmaceutical research, I feel totally okay with my decision to give Sammy Proheart. Of course everyone is welcome to make their own decisions. In climates where HW are not basically guaranteed without adequate treatment I would probably have taken a chance on Heartguard. Anyway, for everyone freaking out about Proheart, as an experiment you might try Googling "side effects" plus whatever the last medication was that you took. I bet you at least a dozen people will have posted online about how it caused chronic fatigue and brain fog and weight gain, and the list of official side effects listed on the package insert probably contains some scary stuff.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

You can always ask to close the thread because I have a feeling more people are going to chime in with opinions you won't like.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

When there are a number of other options which have proven effective and safe over decades, why would you choose and then go on the defensive for a drug that has this track record?

"By 2004, the drug was pulled off the market due to a high rate of adverse reactions to the drug. According to an informed veterinarian, “Proheart caused more deaths in one year than all of the oral heartworm preventives combined did in ten years.”

As I said, I sincerely hope Sammie has no problem with it, and I will add I hope you give it a lot more research in the next 6 months before he is due the next injection.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

The March, 2010 FDA guidelines do state that proheart 6 should NOT be given with other vaccinations. (page 5). I would urge anyone contemplating this medication, to read the FDA guidelines. http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Adviso...rinaryMedicineAdvisoryCommittee/UCM205053.pdf

If there are more current FDA guidelines that anyone has access to, please provide a link. I'd like to be know.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

The list of adverse reactions since reintroduction are listed on the FDA Adverse Reaction website on pages 412- 420 here (note this is a governmental website where practicing veterinarians file adverse reaction reports) http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ProductSafetyInformation/UCM055409.pdf
Anyone considering using this type of HW prevention reading this thread in the future should examine this first.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

I went to our acupuncture vet/regular vet today and asked a few questions about heartworm protection and flea/tick medications. 

First- has she seen or heard of any "legitimate" non-owner caused heartworm preventive failures with Heartgard Plus or any other- Answer *YES*- it didn't matter which chewable.. most of them were determined to fail because the dog didn't chew but swallowed whole and the medication passed through without getting absorbed in the bloodstream. She recommends breaking it into tiny pieces and that will help get it absorbed. 

Second- Proheat Injections- Answer- she will *not* do Proheart injections period. End of discussion! 

Third- Are Frontline and Parastar not working in the Dallas TX area- Answer- LOTS of clients reporting failures from these two topicals here in Dallas. If your dog cannot handle Trifexis or Comfortis (which Toby cannot and Yogi gets lethargic on), she is recommending Activyl. I bought some for the boys. We dosed both with Frontline a few days ago and both had fleas last night. She advised me to wash/rinse both boys twice with Dawn detergent, then a flea or regular shampoo and when completely dry apply as you do other topicals. A FB friend (and vet) reported they've seen some fur discoloration, so I'm hoping this doesn't happen to us too! 

If you live near a wooded area of one of the city lakes here- you need tick protection, even though we aren't considered "high risk" in comparison to other areas. There are more tick borne diseases being diagnosed here. 

If you have a cat- discuss Activyl with your vet- one of the dog versions can be fatal to cats- think it's the one with tick protection. 

In the meantime we've washed, disinfected and sanitized (laundry setting with extra hot water) all bedding for us and the dogs, vacuumed the carpet and rugs, underneath the sofa cushions, the sofa cushion cover (then it was put in the washer) and discarded the bag, washed and sanitized (see above) all dog toys, harnesses, collars and anything that might harbor flea eggs. All brushes and combs are disinfected and I've mixed up a 50/50 solution of raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar and water in a spray bottle. 

I hope this helps answer some questions in this thread, at least from our vet's perspective.


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

caroline162 said:


> Ugh I just need to stay away from this thread. As someone with a science background and experience in human pharmaceutical research, I feel totally okay with my decision to give Sammy Proheart. Of course everyone is welcome to make their own decisions. In climates where HW are not basically guaranteed without adequate treatment I would probably have taken a chance on Heartguard. Anyway, for everyone freaking out about Proheart, as an experiment you might try Googling "side effects" plus whatever the last medication was that you took. I bet you at least a dozen people will have posted online about how it caused chronic fatigue and brain fog and weight gain, and the list of official side effects listed on the package insert probably contains some scary stuff.


 This puts me at ease. Thank you. I will still be monitoring her for symptoms. I am a scientist too.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

In addition to the above FDA link which is the product insert, which states it should not be given with other immunizations, here is another FDA link which states the same.

Fort Dodge Animal Health has revised the product’s label. The label warns not to use the drug within a month of the time a dog receives vaccinations and not to use it in dogs with pre-existing allergic disease, including food allergies, skin allergies, and flea allergy dermatitis. In addition, the label states that veterinarians should not administer the drug to dogs that are sick, debilitated, underweight, or have a history of weight loss.....FDA Announces ProHeart® 6 Return to Market


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## Showell (Jun 16, 2013)

My puppy Ally has fleas.... Been on Frontline Plus which is not working,if they messed up and gave out defective dosages they should be re-calling that product


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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