No heartworm meds?

[Anonymous]

Do you not give your dogs heartworm medication? Do any of you just do flea and tick how big of a problem or heartworm if your dogs do not go to dog parks or kennels?

[Anonymous]

Heartworm prevention is for dogs who ever go outside.

I adopted a dog who was recovering from heartworm treatment. No one with an ounce of humanity would ever want to put a dog through that when there's an easy way to prevent it.

[Anonymous]

100 percent. You cannot be a responsible dog owner and not give heartworm preventatives.

Heartworm is transmitted via mosquito bites, not via contact with other dogs at dog parks or kennels.

Mosquitoes can be active nearly year-round here where we no longer have that many hard freezes or cold spells in winter; and, of course, they can get into a house.

[Anonymous]

Then why do they require a prescription for heartworm medication? Our vet wants us to come in once a month to get our dog weighed, even though he is at the low end of the current dosage.

Is this common or do we need to switch vets? It’s a pretty big time, commitment, and scheduling nightmare to squeeze in a visit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Then why do they require a prescription for heartworm medication? Our vet wants us to come in once a month to get our dog weighed, even though he is at the low end of the current dosage.

Is this common or do we need to switch vets? It’s a pretty big time, commitment, and scheduling nightmare to squeeze in a visit.

I’ve never had to come in once a month to get my dog weighed. We get a year’s supply at her yearly vet appointment. We give her one pill once a month that covers flea, tick and heartworm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Then why do they require a prescription for heartworm medication? Our vet wants us to come in once a month to get our dog weighed, even though he is at the low end of the current dosage.

Is this common or do we need to switch vets? It’s a pretty big time, commitment, and scheduling nightmare to squeeze in a visit.

The prescription is to make sure you're not giving the meds to a dog who might already be heartworm-positive. But a monthly-weighin isn't required for straight heartworm preventative.

You need to ask your vet what they're checking for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Then why do they require a prescription for heartworm medication? Our vet wants us to come in once a month to get our dog weighed, even though he is at the low end of the current dosage.

Is this common or do we need to switch vets? It’s a pretty big time, commitment, and scheduling nightmare to squeeze in a visit.

I’ve never had to come in once a month to get my dog weighed. We get a year’s supply at her yearly vet appointment. We give her one pill once a month that covers flea, tick and heartworm.

This. You must give heartworm medication, but monthly visits are not normal. My dogs go twice a year, could probably get away with once a year.
Giving heartworm meds to a dog with heartworm will kill the dog, that's why the Rx.

[Anonymous]

Do you have a large breed puppy? I could see the weight thing being relevant for them, they grow SO fast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Then why do they require a prescription for heartworm medication? Our vet wants us to come in once a month to get our dog weighed, even though he is at the low end of the current dosage.

Is this common or do we need to switch vets? It’s a pretty big time, commitment, and scheduling nightmare to squeeze in a visit.

The prescription is to make sure you're not giving the meds to a dog who might already be heartworm-positive. But a monthly-weighin isn't required for straight heartworm preventative.

You need to ask your vet what they're checking for.

Thanks for the replies. My vet said they are checking for weight. My dog is 30 pounds and he has been 30 pounds for the past six-10 months. I was the op asking about the price of Simparica Trio because that’s what he takes. He is well within the 22 to 44 pound range.

That’s the only thing the vet is checking for and it’s time consuming to take them every month. I think I will need to change that since this does not seem to be standard. We don’t even see the vet we see the techs. They weigh him and we buy that month heartworm pill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Then why do they require a prescription for heartworm medication? Our vet wants us to come in once a month to get our dog weighed, even though he is at the low end of the current dosage.

Is this common or do we need to switch vets? It’s a pretty big time, commitment, and scheduling nightmare to squeeze in a visit.

The prescription is to make sure you're not giving the meds to a dog who might already be heartworm-positive. But a monthly-weighin isn't required for straight heartworm preventative.

You need to ask your vet what they're checking for.

Thanks for the replies. My vet said they are checking for weight. My dog is 30 pounds and he has been 30 pounds for the past six-10 months. I was the op asking about the price of Simparica Trio because that’s what he takes. He is well within the 22 to 44 pound range.

That’s the only thing the vet is checking for and it’s time consuming to take them every month. I think I will need to change that since this does not seem to be standard. We don’t even see the vet we see the techs. They weigh him and we buy that month heartworm pill.

OP, this is NOT standard operating procedure. Do they charge you for these visits? I've always bought 6 month or yearly supplies. A HW test is good for one year. So unless you have a rapidly growing puppy (which you don't seem to have), there is no reason to do this on a monthly basis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Then why do they require a prescription for heartworm medication? Our vet wants us to come in once a month to get our dog weighed, even though he is at the low end of the current dosage.

Is this common or do we need to switch vets? It’s a pretty big time, commitment, and scheduling nightmare to squeeze in a visit.

The prescription is to make sure you're not giving the meds to a dog who might already be heartworm-positive. But a monthly-weighin isn't required for straight heartworm preventative.

You need to ask your vet what they're checking for.

Thanks for the replies. My vet said they are checking for weight. My dog is 30 pounds and he has been 30 pounds for the past six-10 months. I was the op asking about the price of Simparica Trio because that’s what he takes. He is well within the 22 to 44 pound range.

That’s the only thing the vet is checking for and it’s time consuming to take them every month. I think I will need to change that since this does not seem to be standard. We don’t even see the vet we see the techs. They weigh him and we buy that month heartworm pill.

And they charge you for the office visit, right?

You need a new vet. A vet who isn't price gouging would accept your weighing your own dog at home, which you do by holding the dog, getting on the scale, then getting on the scale by yourself and subtracting the difference.

[Anonymous]

At my vet's office they have a scale in the lobby specifically for this purpose, set up so you can walk in and weigh your dog on your own time.

But weighing so often is only needed for a rapidly-changing puppy, as people have mentioned. Or in my case where my dog is just a couple of pounds under the cutoff. But even for her I only weigh her every 3 months, not every month.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Then why do they require a prescription for heartworm medication? Our vet wants us to come in once a month to get our dog weighed, even though he is at the low end of the current dosage.

Is this common or do we need to switch vets? It’s a pretty big time, commitment, and scheduling nightmare to squeeze in a visit.

The prescription is to make sure you're not giving the meds to a dog who might already be heartworm-positive. But a monthly-weighin isn't required for straight heartworm preventative.

You need to ask your vet what they're checking for.

Thanks for the replies. My vet said they are checking for weight. My dog is 30 pounds and he has been 30 pounds for the past six-10 months. I was the op asking about the price of Simparica Trio because that’s what he takes. He is well within the 22 to 44 pound range.

That’s the only thing the vet is checking for and it’s time consuming to take them every month. I think I will need to change that since this does not seem to be standard. We don’t even see the vet we see the techs. They weigh him and we buy that month heartworm pill.

OP, this is NOT standard operating procedure. Do they charge you for these visits? I've always bought 6 month or yearly supplies. A HW test is good for one year. So unless you have a rapidly growing puppy (which you don't seem to have), there is no reason to do this on a monthly basis.

Agreed. We get 6-12 months of heartworm preventative at a time, and we weigh our dog once or twice a year when he sees the vet (or, when we board him for curiosity sake).

Get a new veterinarian, this one is over the top.

[Anonymous]

Heartworm is a terrible problem, and your dog can get it pretty easily all year round in this area.

So yes, I absolutely do give my dogs a heartworm preventative. And one of my two dogs gets Simparica like your dog.

I don't get why your vet has you bringing your dog in to get weighed every month given how it's weight has been stable for almost a year. I assume they aren't charging you for this? I'd call and clarify why, if at all, you need to keep doing this. Then report back please, because it is weird.

[Anonymous]

Find a new vet. Heartworm is a terrible disease that can cause a painful and lingering death. It is cruel and irresponsible not to have your dog on it as a preventative.