Do I need a prescription to get more heartworm medicine for my dog?

You will need to go to a vet as it requires a negative heartworm test before it can be prescribed. This is a simple, fast blood-test that will let the vet know it is safe to start preventive medication. Why this is required is if your pet already has heartworms and is given the medication, it can kill the worms too quickly which can cause blockages of the blood vessels leading to potential stroke or death. Making sure your pet is negative first will ensure it is safe to administer.

I do recommend monthly heartworm prevention starting at 8 weeks of age. It is a prescription so a veterinarian does not have to personally give the pill but you need to either buy it from a vet or get a prescription from a vet. The only medication that needed to be at a veterinarian's office is Pro-heart. This is an injectable heartworm prevention that lasts for 6 months. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. You need a script because the medication is prescription only. Even if you tried to buy the heartworm medication online, it still requires a script. Should you find heartworm medications that do not require a script, they are counterfeit. I hope this helps!

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The heartworm preventatives typically do require a prescription from your veterinarian which may require an exam initially if this is Annie's first time visiting her veterinarian. There are some over the counter flea preventatives such as Advantix and Advantage or Frontline. However, these may not work as well as prescription flea preventatives from a veterinarian. There are no over the counter heartworm preventatives- this does require a prescription with Annie's veterinarian. I hope this helps!

Tri-Heart is generic Heartgard and is just as effective. I am not sure why your vet won't prescribe it for you. You cannot buy any heartworm prevention over the counter so you will need a prescription. I suggest you bring your dog to one of the VETCO vaccine clinics at your local Petco stores (see schedule below). Bring proof of his last negative heartworm test and they can give you a prescription for the Tri-Heart. There is no charge for the exam. Just the cost of the medication. Hope this helps! ( https://www.vetcoclinics.com/services-and-clinics/clinic-locations-and-schedules/?zip=77469 ) ( https://www.petco.com/shop/SearchDisplay?categoryId=&storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&showResultsPage=true&searchSource=Q&pageView=&beginIndex=0&pageSize=48&fromPageValue=search&searchTerm=triheart )

Hi there. Unfortunately, there are no heartworm preventatives that are available over-the-counter - by definition, these are prescription products. But, you can certainly choose to order them through an online pharmacy like 1-800-PetMeds or Chewy.com if you like, as these may be less expensive than purchasing through your vet's office. Your veterinarian should be able to give you a prescription to have filled at any pharmacy you choose, as long as your pet has had an exam within the past year. :)

Heartgard plus is a prescription only medication, so you need to get a script from Akita's vet in order to get it. You can call and ask them to write a script for it if she's been seen by the vet within in the last year. Otherwise, you will have to make an appointment.