Question:
As a regular reader of your column, I often see your advice that yearly vaccinations of our pets into old age is ill-advised. It is advice I sincerely appreciate. However, as long as I have been reading your column I have yet to see mention of that other medication vets routinely prescribe for dogs -- monthly heartworm preventative.Some of these are geared strictly toward parasites such as hookworm, roundworm and whipworm. The newest, which my vet is now recommending, targets these parasites as well as fleas, ear mites and deer ticks.I am truly at a loss since I do not want to put my two small dogs (now 5 and 6) at risk; but neither do I want to ply them with unnecessary drugs. What is your recommendation on monthly heartworm medications? If it matters, I am in an area with many mosquitoes, and my dogs are out with me for walks and play for perhaps an hour a day.
B.R., College Park, Md Dec 26, 2004
Answer:
These newer, "broad spectrum" anti-parasite medications are costly, and I do not see the need for them for most dogs. The majority of dogs primarily require only the tried-and-true monthly heartworm preventive medicine that should only be given after a blood test confirms that they do not have heartworm infestation.I am concerned about the frequent reports of adverse reactions to some of these broad-spectrum pesticides and parasiticides in companion animals, and about the little-reported but highly probable adverse environmental consequences of these chemicals, which are passed out in their excrement. All feces from dogs and other animals being given these kinds of drugs should be handled as hazardous waste, and should be carefully collected and disposed of rather than left on sidewalks, in yards or at local parks.I err on the side of caution with any new medicines that offer no more than convenience over older, established ones. The Food and Drug Administration, for example, recently required one drug compa
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