h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I wish to thank you for including a small section regarding heartworm disease. As a veterinary technician, it is my job to educate pet owners about the dangers of mosquitoes and heartworms, since both canines and felines can contract heartworms (though, there is no treatment available for heartworm disease in cats).
I would like to reccomend three products that work well in controlling both parasites:

#1- Heartgard: this once-a-month chewable not only kills the heartworm microfilaria, but also kills hookworm and roundworm eggs. Both roundworms and hookworms are intestinal parasites and can be passed on to humans via contaminated soil and ingestion of infected feces. Hookworms can cause severe intestinal bleeding, while roundworms can cause blindness in children.

#2- Interceptor: also a once-a-month pill, it stops the same parasites as Heargard, but also kills whipworms. Whipworms can cause diarrhea and appetite and weight loss.

#3- Advantix: this product is actually a fairly new external parasite controller. Advantix is for canines only and will kill fleas and ticks. It will also repel and kill mosquitoes. However, it is not an alternative for heartworm prevention.

I hope this helps some pet owners choose a good method for keeping their pets safe. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've suddenly become very VERY itchy!
-Dale

thanks, that's a lot of helpful information, dale! i *think* my dogs are on heartgard (i can't remember 'cos the last time i went home was like four months ago) - whatever it is, it's a pain getting them to eat 'em. my dogs are a lot more picky than i am...

Oh, my doggies like Heartgard! I think the trick is giving it to them like treats and when they are together. I don't know if they actually like the taste of them, but when the both dogs are there, neither will spit it out for fear the other will take it.

Dale, I've been curious about Advantix since it came out, but I haven't spoke with anyone who has enough experience with it. Now that it's been out for a little while, do you think it's pretty good stuff? I was using Advantage to control the fleas (and it worked wonderfully, because I have a fence and my dogs are thus isolated from others, I rarely have to reapply the Advantage anymore), but the idea of protecting them from mosquitoes at the same time really appeals to me. (I never even considered taking them off Heartgard, I think it's darn near criminal to NOT use a heartworm regimen with dogs, especially in my region).


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