Heartworm Medicine

There is no doubt that heartworm prevention is more important than ever, heartworm problems are more widespread than ever before. Today I would like to take a look at some common misconceptions about heartworms and how our pets get them and then run through some of the best ways to prevent heartworms in Dogs and heartworm prevention for Cats too.

How It Happens

The mosquito is how our pets get infected. A bite form an infected mosquito can lead to the minuscule larvae being passed in to our pets that will eventually turn in to heartworms over many months. This sounds problematic but in fact at the beginning stage there is nothing to worry about. They cannot harm our pets for may months to come.

Can We Stop The Mosquitoes

Although there are medications on the market to drastically lower the risk of mosquitoes biting our Dogs and Cats none of them guarantee it. They can lower the risk of infection but cannot stop it. This is why a dedicated heartworm medicine is what is needed.

It is only by giving a heartworm medicine on a monthly basis that we can truly be sure that our pets stay heartworm free. And luckily we have a number of choices, all available for surprisingly low prices.

Generics

For many a generic is the first port of call. Especially for those on a strict budget or with a number of animals to treat. You can find all our options at the top of this page and on the sides too. The most popular generic is Nuheart for Dogs although generic Heartgard Plus is now available and will soon take over as the number 1 generic option thanks to the added protection against intestinal worms and the ease of medicating.

There are no generics for Cats but luckily there are plenty of options that are more than affordable.

Dedicated Heartworm Prevention Meds

By far the best selling option for both Dogs and Cats for heartworm prevention is Heartgard Plus chewables. We can buy Heartgard chewables and be certain that our pets are safe and protected and all for a low cost, and with no prescription needed.

These chewables are by far the most popular option as they are the easiest to give to our pets. A chewable takes away the exasperating trouble of trying to get our pets to swallow a pill. They often simply refuse or we spend so much time trying to conceal it, and often to no avail, that there is often a concern that they may not really have taken all of the pill. This is why we believe that for many Heartgard chewables are the best option.

But there is another option that has seen a sharp rise in popularity too.

Combination Heartworm/Flea Treatments

Many people currently use a flea medication for a part of the year. For close to the same price we can get added heartworm protection if we switch to either Revolution or Advantage Multi. And a lot of people have been doing this of late.

It simply saves money as a separate heartworm prevention is then not needed, we get all the protection from one medication. Applied externally like Frontline these options are very effective and can be used when fleas are a problem. At other times of the year then we can change to one of the other medications listed above.

But whatever you choose please ensure that you remember to give the heartworm prevention every month to keep your pets safe and protected.