Sunday, September 5, 2010

Heartworm Medicine For Dogs - Comparing The Options Available

By D. Thurmond, D.V.M.

Prescription pet medication can be expensive. This is especially true for owners of multiple pets or if your dog needs treatment for a long term problem. Discount pet medication websites offer an alternative for dog owners where the most commonly used pet meds are available at prices significantly less than found in your local veterinarian's office.

Shopping for dog medications for your older dog afflicted with arthritis can be easily accomplished. Pet owners are cautioned, however, to order only from veterinarian approved or veterinarian owned sites. Prescription pet meds are big business. Millions of dollars are spent every month on discount pet meds. This has led to fake cloned products and useless meds with names similar to the best selling and effective medicines for pets.

Buying a poor quality heartworm preventive medication can be dangerous for your dog. Preventing heartworm is a critical element of your pet's health care. The worms are transmitted by mosquitoes and a cheap or cloned formula may not protect your dog. Heartworm disease in dogs can be treated but the procedure is expensive for the owner and painful for the animal. Heartworm medicine for dogs may be spot on topical products or oral tablets or wavers. If your canine has allergies you can choose from one of several formulas of heartworm medicine for dogs to avoid allergic reactions.

Heartgard is perhaps the best known and most widely used heartworm medication for canines. The small, beef flavored wafer is a treat to most dogs who eagerly take it from your hand. Given once a month, Heartgard is effective at preventing heartworm disease at a low cost to the owner. A prescription is required to purchase Heartgard. This is mainly because your dog needs to be tested for the disease before beginning a preventive regimen. You can shop online for Heartgard as most discount pet med sites will call your vet for a prescription or the prescription can be faxed to the site administrator.

Sentinel Chewables protect your canine from heartworm but also from other parasites such as roundworms, hookworms and whipworms and also prevents the development of flea eggs. Available for dogs 4 weeks of age and older, Sentinel tabs are given once a month. Side effects of Heartgard and Sentinel are rare. Some dogs may display drowsiness, vomiting, itching or red skin, loss of appetite, diarrhea or seizures. Symptoms will usually appear rapidly when the medication is started and should be reported immediately to your veterinarian. Interceptor is a monthly oral heartworm preventative that also kills hookworms, roundworms and is particularly know for killing whipworms which are difficult to diagnose even by your veterinarian.

For a multi-functional liquid dog medicine that addresses several common pet problems, Revolustion for dogs is a good choice. This monthly treatment is easy to apply and cost effectve as it treats ticks, ear mites, fleas and mites that cause sarcoptic mange

An alternative dog medicine is Advantage Multi for dogs. This topical application prevents heartworm disease as well as hookworms, roundworms, whipworms and fleas.

Heartworm medications are considered safe product to use for canine. Choosing which preventative to use may be simply a matter of deciding which medication can be found at the best price or is easiest to apply to your pet.The additional benefits of flea control and prevention of other intestinal parasites may allow the pet owner to use one medication rather than applying multiple products to his dog each month. Your veterinarian may suggest a specific heartworm medication but will be happy to discuss other options to help you choose. In the end, your decision may be based on visiting discount pet medicine sites to find the best prices.

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