Vet Question - is this the norm?

[aidensmom73]

We have an annual visit at the vet tonight (2nd visit with this new vet) abbual check up, lyme vaccination and distemper shot. My dog has been on Heartguard (year round since we got her at 8 weeks old). When making apt, I mentioned that I wanted a new RX for the Heartguard and wsa told that they need to do a blood test first.

What is the purpose if the dog has been on preventative meds for over 8 years? is this the norm? Its like a human getting a pregnancy test before re-newing birth control.

 

[WVMomof3]

My dog is 3 and this is the first year they said I could skip the heartworm test, as long as I signed a form saying it was OK and that I had her on medicine year round. I think they said I would have to test her again next year and could only skip every other year.

 

[G's mommy]

My vet tests my dogs every year even though they are on Heartguard year round.

 

[ali2000]

It may be that now your dog is considered an "elderly" dog. I am not sure at what age that starts, but my dog is almost 10 (this year) and when I went a couple of weeks ago, they told me that new bloodwork is done at a certain age...

 

[LastminuteLouLou]

Our vet uses the blood test every *other* year.

 

[snoopy two]

I work in a veterinary office and here is why an annual blood test is recommended. There are times when the heartworm pill may not be ingested or absorbed, thus causing the pet to be unprotected. For example, vomitting or blasting diarrhea. And some dogs are really good a spitting the pill out, unbeknownst to the owner. The drug companies who make the heartworm preventive even recommend an annual test, as giving it to a heartworm positive dog can cause an adverse reaction; which sometimes is even life threatening.

Hope this helps.

 

[stsomewhere]

My vet tests my dogs every year even though they are on Heartguard year round.

same here

 

[Order66]

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what that person said. And, while Heartgard has been shown to be 100% effective against the heartworm larva up to 30 days gestation......owner compliance can reduce the effectiveness. Everyone forgets now and then. I've been late with my own dogs. Each lapse in dosage can make the dog more suseptible to heartworm disease. So there is a very small chance that even dogs on heartworm preventative year round can become infected due to unforseen circumstances.

It also depends on what part of the country you live in. Southern/warmer climates have more problems with this disease than Northern/cold winters or Western/desert low misquito population areas. I live in the NE and we recommend testing every other year for dogs that take preventatives year round. Yearly for those who forgo the pills during the winter. In higher infected areas, yearly tests are usually recommended.

Ivermectin is only effective against the larva, not adult heartworms. But unlike the old pills of the past, there isn't much adverse reactions in giving it to a hearworm positive dog. In fact we have a few dogs that are not good candidates for treatment with Immiticide, so we place them on Heartgard for the rest of their lives. The adult heartworms only live ~2 years and if they can't reproduce they eventually die off. Problem with not testing is that you don't know your dog is positive and had adult worms damaging the heart.

And finally, the distributor of Heartgard, Merial, WILL pay for the Immiticide treatment for your dog if you can show it was under a vet's protocol of Heartgard monthly. That insurance alone is usually enough reason to spring for the bloodtest each year/bi yearly as recommended by your veterinarian.

regards

 

[sydneysmom]

it's normal for us...we've got 3 dogs that are on heartworm year round and our vet won't renew a prescription for any of them without doing a blood test first. It's really for your dog's own protection.

My mom and dad adopted a dog that was abused and abandoned... when they got her, she had heartworm. I can tell you that you don't ever want to have your dog go through that. the treatment is VERY extensive takes about 6 months. thankfully, she's totally all better with no side effects. And she's a complete love of a girl.

But really, you want the blood test just to be on the safe side and to KNOW that your sweetie doesn't have anything wrong.

 

[clh2]

Our vet will test every other year if we are on yearround preventative.

If we choose to do heartwrom preventative only 6-months of the year, he will test every year.

 

[ceecee]

Our vet checks every other year, I just got it done on one of our dogs and it cost $32.00.

 

[ceecee]

Our vet checks every other year, I just got it done on one of our dogs and it cost $32.00. It's a good idea because I forget to give it to them on time even with the little stickers that come in the pack. I've got to get better at that.

 

[RMAMom]

Giving Heartgard to a dog with heartworms will kill him. Most vets test to be safe and not sorry.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

My sister has a new vet too and he insisted on a heartworm test as well. She has always had her dog on Heartguard. And guess what?

Her lab had heartworms! She figures she may have missed a dose somewhere along the line. He made it thru treatment and is doing well.

Thank goodness the vet insisted on the blood test.

 

[cdrn1]

Haven't read all replies so apologies if redundant...if a dog has heartworms, the prophylaxis can be dangerous. Hence, blood test prior to starting.

 

[RachaelA]

We heartworm test every year even though we give Heartguard year round. To me its worth the $30 to be safe.

 

[Newfie2000]

Our vet checks every other year, I just got it done on one of our dogs and it cost $32.00. It's a good idea because I forget to give it to them on time even with the little stickers that come in the pack. I've got to get better at that.

I had this same problem and found a simple solution that really works for me. I take all the little stickers and cut them in half - I then put the half sticker on the calendar - I do the whole year at a time. I put the remaining halves back into the box with the meds. Then I see the half sticker on the calendar every month and it serves me as a reminder. The day that the sticker is on I give the meds and then palce the other half of the sticker on the calendar. It worls well becasue I never have to wonder I always have a visual reminder and everyone in the family knows the sytem - if both halves are on the calendar the pill has been given! I just thought it might be worth mentioning it in case you would like to try

 

[Tiggs14]

Our vet likes to test every year as well but will test every other year if we sign a waiver.

 

[seashell724]

I work in a veterinary office and here is why an annual blood test is recommended. There are times when the heartworm pill may not be ingested or absorbed, thus causing the pet to be unprotected. For example, vomitting or blasting diarrhea. And some dogs are really good a spitting the pill out, unbeknownst to the owner. The drug companies who make the heartworm preventive even recommend an annual test, as giving it to a heartworm positive dog can cause an adverse reaction; which sometimes is even life threatening.

Hope this helps.

I also work in a vet office and would like to second this comment. Some vets do not test every year but if it is good be be tested at least every other year. Why spend the money on the meds if they wouldn't be helping? Also, it is not good to give dogs preventative meds for heartworm if they already have it.

 

[shellyfive]

This also has to do with the fact that this medicine does not stay in their system the entire month----it is designed to kill off what the could have accumulated the day they take it.....all of the companies that make heartworm prevention recommend yearly testing. For various other diseases, the same heartworm prevention that you give once a month is used daily or twice daily over weeks period of time for treatment.
It can also cause serious issues (again dependent on the type used) if your dog has adult heartworms already, and you don't know about it. Most tests that are run every yr. are antigen tests for the adults..so that you know the dog is safe to take the prevention. Most places will make you sign a waiver, so that in the event that a dog is actually positive , gets the prevention, and gets sick or dies (yes, have seem them die from this!!) the vet is not held accountable.

I think you should have it done every year, don't believe in waivers----if you know this is in the dog's best interest, it should just be done, or the Rx will not be given. It is a highly preventable disease, but very$$$ and sometimes deadly to treat.