The preventative heartworm measures are inclusive of the drugs Ivermectin, Milbemycin, and Selamectin, however in every case it would be most appropriate to use heart worm protection for dogs rather than waiting to cure it after the infestation has set in.
Heartworm medication treatments can be a lengthy process for existing infestations, and surgical intervention for your pet is also a possibility. It is better to be proactive and use heartworm prevention instead of chancing things, as this is better for the health of your dog and also your wallet.
Luckily there are many brands of heartworm protection on the market. Heartworm meds which prescribed for the treatment of heart worm are different to those used for prevention.
In the past, arsenic medications were used for heartworm control once the infection had arisen, but many cats and some dogs suffered from pulmonary issues several days after the treatment, so generally speaking, these arsenic compounds are not used in feline heartworm treatment.
Typically, canine heartworm treatment can take up to 18 months using a less aggressive compound, so it is really worth it to spend the time to prevent this tragic outcome.
For species that don't quite understand human interactions, heartworm medication, like any other medicine, can be hard to administer. Companies like Merial manufacture Heartgard chewable Heartgard Plus in beef flavor as to be more amenable to dogs' tastes.
Bad news for heartworm, Heartgard has been shown to be very effective in the fight against heart worm. This heartworm medicine, just like Interceptor heartworm prevention, also protects against roundworms.
The Revolution program flea control tackles heartworm disease and many other parasites, but if your goal is simply to get rid of fleas, you may find Advantage for dogs to be a better option. Advantage flea control does not protect against heartworm, while Revolution does.
Sentinel is an all-in-one medication that handles roundworms, fleas, and many other parasites. Sentinel and Revolution are the only ones that offer both heartworm and flea protection. Since you have to protect your pets against heartworm you might as well get flea protection at the same time.
Author Rebecca Foxton can help you give your pet better health with
Interceptor for dogs. Check out her nutrition tips for people with dogs and cats and read her
Fortiflora articles on Dog Buffs.
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