My Shih Tzu can't tolerate heartworm prevention. What are options?

Heartworm disease is completely preventable dogs. There are now multiple options for heartworm preventative is available to pet owners. Most often these preventatives are given orally once a month or sometimes applied topically once a month. There are options now also for injections that last about six months. It just depends on what your veterinarian has available. It is usually recommended to give heartworm preventative year-round but this may vary depending on where in the country you live. Any dog who has not been on heartworm preventative, should be tested for heartworms prior to starting prevention. And then heartworm testing is recommended every one to two years while on heartworm preventative.

The dog should be heartworm tested and then started on a prevention, if negative. Heartgard, Interceptor, and Sentinel are all oral medications that work well with preventing heartworms. You should also treat him with a flea/tick prevention. I like oral NexGard, Bravecto, or Credellio instead of the topical spot on solutions.

This is a good question! Many dogs refuse to take 'chewable' medications. You can try mashing it up with a little canned food (I have a dog that I have to do this for sometimes). You can also talk to your vet about a different type of heartworm preventative. There are a number of chewable forms which may be more palatable to your dog, there is also an injection form that some vets use.

Fortunately, there are a number of heartworm preventatives similar to Heartgard, including TriHeart Plus and Iverhart. Other options for heartworm prevention have different active ingredients and include Trifexis, Interceptor, Sentinel, Revolution, and Advantage Multi. Simba's vet will be able to prescribe another option and make sure that Simba has had a recent heartworm test.

You can submit a stool sample and deworm Miso every 3 months, or you can simply deworm him on the same schedule without submitting a stool sample. Discuss OTC and prescription dewormers with your veterinarian. Miso should still be on a flea and tick preventive as well.

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.

ProHeart 6 (Moxidectin) is the only FDA-approved heartworm shot, and it lasts six months. It is safe and effective. As for flea and tick medications, I recommend Revolution or Advantage. I hope this helps!