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I suggest all dogs in Texas be given heartworm preventative. My dad was a practicing vet for 65 years. I worked with him off and on after I retired in 2006 and we rarely performed a test (Snap-test) on a dog taking no preventative that wasn't positive. The preventative is less expensive than the treatment by far. The treatment is rough on the animal as well. Heartworm preventatives also prevent intestinal parasites, depending on the brand even whip worms. I have heard of using DE to prevent parasites but it would have no effect on heartworms since they are in the blood stream not the GI tract. If I recall it takes about seven months for micro-filaria to become adults so by Jan-Feb dog would need heartworm disease treatment if infected now. There are less expensive alternatives to HeartGard. One is Tri-Heart Plus. In the early 1970's a friend moved to Oregon with his dog and his vet was excited at the prospect of treating his dog when he discovered it had had heartworms. They didn't see many cases. If you look at heartworm map you'll discover that's not the case any longer.

RPBrown wrote:We do not use the Heart Guard but use Diotamatous Earth (DE but not the swimming pool type) on their food at each feeding. This is a natural product that keeps them free from all types of parasites. We have been using this for many years and have never had a dog with heartworms or any other type of worms.

I just have a problem giving my dogs a poison, which is what heart guard is. We don't even use the one spot flea control or flea collars as we are all natural at our house as well as my wife's groom shop.

Where can you get the food safe DE ? I heard it makes a good flea and bug control when broadcast on your lawn.
Tbe restaurant supply house I went to hasnt heard of it.

FL450 wrote:

RPBrown wrote:We do not use the Heart Guard but use Diotamatous Earth (DE but not the swimming pool type) on their food at each feeding. This is a natural product that keeps them free from all types of parasites. We have been using this for many years and have never had a dog with heartworms or any other type of worms.

I just have a problem giving my dogs a poison, which is what heart guard is. We don't even use the one spot flea control or flea collars as we are all natural at our house as well as my wife's groom shop.

Where can you get the food safe DE ? I heard it makes a good flea and bug control when broadcast on your lawn.
Tbe restaurant supply house I went to hasnt heard of it.

Check with a good/large feed store. The one I go to in Grapevine carries it because so many farmers use it for their livestock. I've read where, if given to livestock in their water supply, that the flies will even leave their manure alone. Food grade DE is also known as Amorphous Silica. I bought a 50 pound bag for about $36.

My indoor dog was off of HeartGard for most of his life. I then came to the realization that it's cheap enough, so why risk it? Especially now that he's older. At ~$30 every 6 months, why not?

As noted, there are other, natural methods to control parasites as well.

C-dub wrote:

FL450 wrote:

RPBrown wrote:We do not use the Heart Guard but use Diotamatous Earth (DE but not the swimming pool type) on their food at each feeding. This is a natural product that keeps them free from all types of parasites. We have been using this for many years and have never had a dog with heartworms or any other type of worms.

I just have a problem giving my dogs a poison, which is what heart guard is. We don't even use the one spot flea control or flea collars as we are all natural at our house as well as my wife's groom shop.

Where can you get the food safe DE ? I heard it makes a good flea and bug control when broadcast on your lawn.
Tbe restaurant supply house I went to hasnt heard of it.

Check with a good/large feed store. The one I go to in Grapevine carries it because so many farmers use it for their livestock. I've read where, if given to livestock in their water supply, that the flies will even leave their manure alone. Food grade DE is also known as Amorphous Silica. I bought a 50 pound bag for about $36.

Thank You. I will try this out for natural flea control for the yard.

FL450 wrote:Thank You. I will try this out for natural flea control for the yard.

You can also put it directly on the animals. When I did this with my dogs about a month ago I got some all over my feet and legs. This was before I spread the yard with the stuff. When I took the dogs back down to their kennels I had a couple fleas jump on my ankle and after only a second or two jump right back off. They wanted no part of that stuff.

I also sprinkled some all around the foundation of the house outside. It keeps all sorts of buggies out. This is my first year using DE. We have battled fleas each of the last three years. I think I'm going to win this year.

My dog is inside too but my vet told me to make sure she is still protected. I'm horrible with remember to give her the heartguard chewables so she gets the shot that lasts 6months. I take her in every six months and I've never had a problem with it.

urnoodle wrote:I'm horrible with remember to give her the heartguard chewables

Heartguard now has an Iphone app as a reminder, as well as they (Meriel I think) sends out monthly email reminders if you sign up for it.

C-dub wrote:

FL450 wrote:Thank You. I will try this out for natural flea control for the yard.

You can also put it directly on the animals. When I did this with my dogs about a month ago I got some all over my feet and legs. This was before I spread the yard with the stuff. When I took the dogs back down to their kennels I had a couple fleas jump on my ankle and after only a second or two jump right back off. They wanted no part of that stuff.

I also sprinkled some all around the foundation of the house outside. It keeps all sorts of buggies out. This is my first year using DE. We have battled fleas each of the last three years. I think I'm going to win this year.

Don't put it directly on your dog as it will severly dry out their skin. Sprinkle around the dogs bed, around the house in the carpet. Also there is a natural spray called Bioganics, that we spray the yard with. We spray 2-3 times a summer. It keeps the fleas and mosquitos away. We will sprinkle DE around the foundation of the house and around the fence line and trees.

As stated before, my wife and daughter own a groom shop and the fleas have been horrible this year but we have not had more than 1 or 2 on any of our dogs all year.

Teamless wrote:Heartguard now has an Iphone app as a reminder, as well as they (Meriel I think) sends out monthly email reminders if you sign up for it.

I didn't know there was an app for that. That's pretty neat. I have to bring her in every 6 months for blood tests anyway so the shot works for me. I think it costs about the same, however, I've never actually looked. My dog is 12 years old now and the last vet visit, my vet mentioned they may stop giving her heartworm prevention altogether in the next year or so. Evidently the treatment has it's risks but when the pet is young its worth the risk. When they start getting up there in age, the risk that the prevention will cause organ failure is higher than the risk the dog will contract heartworms.

urnoodle wrote:

Teamless wrote:Heartguard now has an Iphone app as a reminder, as well as they (Meriel I think) sends out monthly email reminders if you sign up for it.

I didn't know there was an app for that. That's pretty neat. I have to bring her in every 6 months for blood tests anyway so the shot works for me. I think it costs about the same, however, I've never actually looked. My dog is 12 years old now and the last vet visit, my vet mentioned they may stop giving her heartworm prevention altogether in the next year or so. Evidently the treatment has it's risks but when the pet is young its worth the risk. When they start getting up there in age, the risk that the prevention will cause organ failure is higher than the risk the dog will contract heartworms.

Interesting. Haven't heard that yet. 10 1/2 years old now and on HG. Will have to ask the vet about that next time I go in. Poor pup is on liver and thyroid treatment since the beginning of this month as his labs were not normal.

This has been a super informative thread. I'm happy I asked you guys..

I will be checking out heartguard and triheart plus. Thanks a million for all the info guys, you rock!

I have always had my other dogs on hearguard, and this has been the only time the vet has suggested that it would be ok as long as I had him checked annually--That is the reason I posed the question. I hadn't heard it before, I figured y'all may have.

I use "Interceptor" and try to remember to give it to him the first of the month.....just remembered today (tonight).

I had two dogs that went thru the heartworm treatment and it's really hard on them....and expensive. Almost killed one of them.

Good lookin' dog you got there.

My outside dog tested positive for heartworms a three years back after I wasn’t faithful with his heartworm meds. I chose to put him back on the meds and forgo treatment due to his age and showing no outward signs. The last two annual checkups have shown him to be heartworm free. The heartworm preventative killed the worms over time.