when do you put them on...
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You should ask the vet. They usually sell you a 6 month or 12 month supply for your dog's specific weight range (under 25 lbs. probably in this case). It's supposed to be taken once a month once you start. The Heartgard website says its approved for dogs as young as 6 weeks, but I didn't start Oggie until his first vet visit with me (not the breeder) which was just after 12 weeks so I would ask the vet. It's not like the vet to miss an opportunity to sell you something though 
Good point. I've never known a place that doesn't have mosquitoes but I'm sure there has to be some! Hmm the mosquitoes are mostly all dead here now too. But ya know what, every once in a while it'll be the dead of winter and I'll find one flying around inside my house. I'm just going to give him the stuff year-round and not take the chance.
That's a good idea and I guess Mass. gets as cold or colder than the Rocky Mountains lol. I'm just going by what my vet suggests however. I haven't seen one mosquito all summer - but that doesn't mean they aren't there. I just don't like giving meds when I don't need them and I know there aren't any here in the winter. :wink:
Usually you stop in the winter, depending on the area of course and start back up in the spring after he has had his heartworm test. My mom breeds poms and we were talking about this the other day. You should have the heartworm test done every year. They say the reason you should give them a pill every month is so you can combat other worms besides heartworm. Depending on how early it starts to warm up next year is how early you will start the heartgard. I personally like the intercepter but that is because my lab mix is allergic to the heartgard and throws it up. But before you start again in the spring you should have him tested again. Its like you dogs yearly exam.
At least this is what my mom told me. I hope it helps.
At least this is what my mom told me. I hope it helps.
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Ditto what everyone else has said. I had a map, have to see if I can find it and it shows all the states and when it's recomended to start and stop Heartguard treatments. Here in Bama, stop in Dec & start again in May, but I usually start in April...If your vet gave you samples, he should have suggested when you should start using it. Not sure where you are in KY & what the temps are like, so you may want to ask your vet about that...If I remember correctly, for mosquitos to breed, they must have continous weather over 65 degrees for a couple weeks, but don't quote me on that one. Age wise, you can start using the heartguard now, but if your temps are already dropping, it may not be necessary...
You will find this varies with where you live and your vet. Here we start our pups on heartworm preventative at about 13-14 weeks or about the time they get their last shots of the puppy series. They are asked to stay on it year round because we have no winter here (well maybe a month or so of cold weather).Brandi\";p=\"46250 said:
It is true that some dogs can not take heartgard and have been found to be "allergic" to the beef in the chewable. They do make it in a pill form for these dogs. In addition it worms monthly for roundworms and hookworms. There is another product out that is basically the same as Heartgard except that it also worms for tapeworms (Iverheart Max/but can not be given to preg or nursing females)....
It is a good idea to have your dog tested every year and especially if you are in an area that you do not give all year round. It is like birth control pills and all those other things the package never says it is 100% effective!!!! There is always a 1-2 % chance that something fails....
where i am at the temps have dropped already but they go up and down.. one day its 75 the next its 50.. but the mosquitos can been seen year round where i live.. i have lots of wooded area's around me and somehow they find their way in my house even in the dead of winter.
i asked the vet he said for me to give it to him year round??
i asked the vet he said for me to give it to him year round??
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Jaxon was started on Interceptor at I believe his first appointment with our vet which was the day after we brought him home. That would have put him at just under 8 weeks. I did not have my 9 year old Sheltie on heartworm meds until this summer when she tested positive for hookworm. Any animal that comes in contact with the property where our dogs are can pass on hookworm. Even just going for a walk, they can come home with a parasite. I live in Pennsylvania where our winters can be very very cold but our vet recommends year round treatment.
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Our vet recommends year round treatment also. In the past two years, here in East TN I bet we haven't had more than 3" or snow total. Winters are pretty mild and bugs/mosquitos tend to hang around for longer amounts of time.
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