HAS ANYONE USED THE HEARTWORM "SHOT" ON YOUR CHI'S

2117 Views 17 Replies 13 Participants Last post by sullysmum, Apr 28, 2005

ShyzMommy

Discussion Starter · Apr 17, 2005

Hello everyone.
I need some advice...I am wondering if anyone here has got the heartworm "shot" V.S the monthly tablets for their Chihuahuas? It is getting that time of the year, and we live near a lake, so I need to get my chihuahua on some kind of preventative. I have heard lots of people say that the shot is deadly!? I dont know If these people are talking about the treatment shot, or the preventative? I am so confused!!!!! :roll: My friend has got the shot for 4 of her chi's, and they are fine So, let please let me know!

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Sharon

· #2 · Apr 17, 2005

Hi,

I changed my Chi from tablets to shots three years ago. No problems whatsoever. But you are worried about it being fatal - try and find out the source of this comment. It may be true or may not - some people are dead against innoculations for whatever reasons.
Good luck.

Rachael Polachek

· #3 · Apr 17, 2005

I had Lily on those shots for almost 2 years and everything was fine. Then last June, literally the night before our appointment to get her annual round of shots, I heard one of those news teasers that said something about 400 or 500 dog deaths had been blamed on the heartworm shots. I never heard the details so I wasn't sure if it was a credible report or not. But when we went to the vet's the next day I mentioned it. Our vet shook his head and made a face as if to say he didn't put much stock in that report. I said, "It's probably okay but if anything happened to Lily, how would I ever forgive myself?" There was no way he could argue with that so we ended up with the tablets. Lily hates them so I have to pulverize them and hide them in her food, but at least I know I'm giving her a safe product.

I still have no idea if the shots are harmful but I wasn't willing to take the chance.

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KB

· #4 · Apr 17, 2005

PROHEART6 was indeed responsible for many deaths.......it was yanked I believe.........I wont do it either...

as far as getting your chi's to eat that tiny pill (at least Inteceptor is) just put it in liverwurst dont even have to crush and they will gobble it all down!!

beckyhalfpint06

· #5 · Apr 17, 2005

Thanks everyone!! I will probly stick with the tablets!
(they are cheaper anyways)

I also agree that I would NEVER be able to forgive myself if anything were to go wrong, ~I mean, how could you?

sjc

· #6 · Apr 17, 2005

I just give my three the "Interceptor" tablets once a month. I put them in a little piece of cheese and they just gobble them up! They never even know they are in there. I just dont want to take the chance with the shot either.

sandra

Gadget's Mom

· #7 · Apr 17, 2005

I've never heard of the heartwarm shot. Gadgt gets the Intreceptor pill and all I do is put it in his mouth and he swallows it... I got lucky with that....

luv4mygirls

· #8 · Apr 17, 2005

chiwi refused her heartgard and is still to little for interceptor :? she ate it last month but not this month. next month if she doesn't hit 2 pounds by then so i can give her interceptor i am going to switch to revolution so she is protected against it all.

chimom

· #9 · Apr 17, 2005

I have also heard some scary stories about the shots. Don't know how accurate the stories are, but I just won't take any chances either. jasmine gets the Interceptor - I roll it up in a little bit of cheese and have no problem getting her to take it.

Gadget's Mom

· #10 · Apr 17, 2005

luvmypuppet, pour some bacon grease over the top of it and I bet she'll eat it... Gadget wouldn't eat it either and that is what I did and he chowed and wanted more.. hehehe and it doesn't take too much...

Rachael Polachek

· #11 · Apr 17, 2005

Interceptor? Tiny pill? The stuff I give Lily is a big (like an inch by half an inch?) beefy looking, semi soft tablet, way too big for her to swallow. I didn't even know they had little pills!! That would be a cinch to disguise in a piece of cheese (Lily would eat mud if it was wrapped in cheese :lol: ). I will definitely ask our vet for Interceptor when we go again in June.

Yippee, no more pulverizing!!! :wave:

luv4mygirls

· #12 · Apr 17, 2005

i tried everything with the heartgard! chopped it up and put it in ad (which she loooves!) bacon grease, she sneezed at it! this girl is sooo picky with food, i'm lucky she eats her dog food especially with how she used to be with her eating!

BeamerFritzyKosmo

· #13 · Apr 18, 2005

If anyone is interested there is some very sad stories about how Proheart 6 has caused many deaths, usually after the 2nd or 3rd shot. Here is a link to some of this information if anyone is interested in reading it.

http://www.i-dog.com/board/messages/46/27619.html

my3angels

· #14 · Apr 19, 2005

The heartguard shot has been proven to be unsafe and I am suprised that vets are still carring it. All the vets in my area pulled it shortly after it came out. I was very wery of this shot because it just seemed like a lot of heartguard in my tiny puppy. I am very glad I decided against it, especially after seeing how quick the vets in the area pulled it.
For those who use it I would suggest not using it. Its just too risky.
For those whose dogs wont eat the regular heartguard they do sell Heartguard in a pill form. They also sell Interceptor which is also a tiny pill. Either way I would rather give a pill to my dogs once a month then risk their health.
We just had a representative for Heartguard come to our work and she never once mentioned the 6month shot. That also showed me its no good since they are not promoting it anymore.

The way I remember is that the first of the month my dogs get heartguard with their breakfast. They also get their frontline.

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Big&Small

· #15 · Apr 19, 2005

I dont think they can legally carry it.... it was totally recalled about this time last year, I believe.. maybe a little more into summer. I read an ad from CNN the night before my Jack was supposed to go get his.. the next day, I asked his vet & he said they recalled it b/c of deaths in dogs.. he said he had never had a dog die from it, but it was totally pulled...

my3angels

· #16 · Apr 19, 2005

It was totally pulled. Thanks for confirming that. I thought it was pulled from Heartguard, especially after the meeting we had at work but I wasnt 100% sure. So for those of you still getting it I would stop asap!
For the really picky eaters out there I would get the heartguard pill and put it in some peanutbutter or soft dog food/treat. They are very tiny and would be easy to hide.
It is extremely important to protect your pup against heartworm. Even if they dont go outside mosquitoes still get into the house and it only takes one.
We already have a heartworm case in the hospital. He will be okay though because we caught it early. He still needs to stay in the hospital for a while and the costs will be high, but he is a very large dog and very healthy besides the heartworm. I wouldnt be so sure if it was a chihuahua instead.

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Sharon

· #17 · Apr 28, 2005

I asked my local vet in Australia to look into Proheart 6.

He did and found out that it has been banned for awhile in the United States because the CARRIER fluid for the active drug caused the problems.
We have a different carrier in our country and there have never been any problems here.

I feel very sorry for anyone having lost a dog under these circumstances.

sullysmum

· #18 · Apr 28, 2005

We dont use anything in Uk, i dont think?

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