Dog Heartworm Medicine

Preventative dog heartworm medicine is available in three methods of administration; injection, oral and spot on or topical treatment. Each method has its fans and critics, but all when used correctly guarantee your dog is no longer at risk from heartworm disease.

Dog Heartworm Injection

Heartworm injections are widely used overseas, but health scares have made them the least favoured option in the United States. These heartworm preventatives must be given every year or every six months by a qualified veterinarian. If you are considering such a method of heartworm prevention speak to your vet.

Dog Heartworm Pills

Most often used to prevent heartworm for dogs are oral dog heartworm medicines. Available as ordinary (and relatively cheap) tablets, or as tasty chewables (which are more expensive), heartworm pills used to be given daily, but are now more usually used every thirty days.

Monthly oral heartworm medicines for dogs are widely available in generic versions. Their less glamourous packaging does nothing to diminish the effectiveness of the product, and can provide savings of up to 50% on the more expensive branded heartworm meds.

Canine heartworm pills work by destroying any larval heartworms which have been picked up from an infected mosquito bite. They do not prevent the parasites infecting your pet, but rather work backwards ensuring those parasites never mature to the point where they can cause any health concerns for the dog.

Some dogs are notoriously difficult to give tablets too. If your pet is one such animal, you can simply break up and hide the heartworm pill in its food. But, keep an eye on it to ensure the whole tablet has been eaten. Alternatively, chewable heartworm medicines are available. Only suitable for dogs which are okay with beef, these treats make medication time much more acceptable to your pet. They are designed to be eaten slowly though, so if your dog is one who likes to swallow things whole, give it only a part of the chewable heartworm medication at a time.

Topical Canine Heartworm Medicine

Topical or spot on treatments have grown in popularity as pet owners regularly use such products for the prevention of fleas. There is no issue of wondering whether your dog has swallowed the medication, which puts the pet owner in more control.

Topical dog heartworm medicines also incorporate the control of other parasites. Roundworms, hookworms and other intestinal worms are controlled with most topical products. In addition using a product such as Advantage Multi or Revolution heartworm medicine for dogs can offer thorough flea control too.

Using Dog Heartworm Medicine

Whichever type of heartworm medicine for dogs you choose, there are a few points to remember.

• Prior to starting a preventative heartworm treatment, your dog should receive a heartworm test from your vet. It is advisable to repeat this test each spring to ensure your dog does not need any veterinary treatment.

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• Monthly heartworm medicine for dogs really should be given every 30 days. The active ingredients are completely efficient at destroying all juvenile heartworm larvae that have been in the dogs system for 30 days or less. As time elapses, some medications are better than others at eliminating more mature heartworms. For the forgetful pet owner, ivermectin based products such as Heartgard heartworm pills are the most efficient at still destroying all heartworms. If you miss a dose, use your dog heartworm medicine as soon as possible, and continue to use every 30 days from this new date. If more than two months has elapsed since the last dose, speak to your vet about the need for an additional heartworm test.

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• When changing from one type or brand to another, make sure the new monthly heartworm medicine is given 30 days after the last treatment.

Saving Money on Your Dog's Heartworm Medicine

Heartworm medicine for dogs is fast becoming a standard, regular pet medication used by most pet owners. Ideally it should be given year round, but some pet owners make savings by using only in the warmer months when mosquitoes are most active. If you are considering seasonal use of heartworm preventatives speak to your vet about the risk of the disease in your area.

Perhaps a safer way to save money on heartworm medicines is to choose wisely. Chewables are more expensive than ordinary tablets. Generic tablets are cheaper still than brands. Buying from a Canadian online pet medicine outlet may avoid the need for a veterinary prescription and the costs associated with it.

Price check, as discount pet medicines vary hugely and often the largest retailers offer the smallest savings.

There is a huge range of dog heartworm medicine available. As long as you choose a product labelled as a preventative heartworm treatment for dogs, you are protecting your pet. Though each product is different, all must provide the same, safe protection from disease to be labelled as a heartworm preventative.

For more information about dog heartworm medicine, heartworm pills and to buy prescription free discount heartworm medicines have a look at my other articles.