Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - What do you do about heartworm prevention?

I posted about Matilda - my 11 year old mini dach who was recently diagnosed with AHIA - After everything I have learned since then, I am just appalled at what I never knew - or questioned - before. Now I am scared to give my dogs anything without researching it. My big concern now is what to do about heart worm prevention. We live in an area where mosquitoes are really a problem, and even though they are mostly inside dogs, they do go outside some, and mosquitoes do get in the house. What does everyone do about heartworm prevention? What is the safest method available? thanks for any input jeanne

Jeanne Texas

Hi Jeanne, We use dimmitrol. We order it from Canadavet. It is a daily heartworm pill, used to be available in the states before the once a month treatment. It used to be sold as filaribits or filabits - something like that.It has been used since at least the 1960s, and is for us the best solution. It has to be given daily, your dog MUST have a heartworm test first, and it is very inexpensive. One bottle was about 20 dollars, and lasts 6 months. It was recommended for Kent, our 10.5 year old mini-schnauzer, by Dr. Dodds.

Christine Florida

Christine, THANK YOU! I just ordered dimmitrol from Canadavet - I feel so much better now. My vet just sort of rolls his eyes when I tell him of my fears about Advantage Multi and Heartguard, etc. I have printed out a list of websites & stories for him to read, and will also talk to him about the dimmitrol. Of all the vets in our local area, he is the best. I just think he is so indoctrinated to the "normal DVM" view of things, but I'm hoping to open his eyes a bit - he has been so great through all of this and really is one of the reasons that Matilda has survived so far, so I'm hoping. The more I read, the more I just kick myself for not questioning long before now, but it is also putting me on a mission to get the world to look at this. It is just shocking how we have been poisoning our pets - and ourselves. jeanne

Jeanne Texas

Jeanne, Your welcome, and i look forward to hearing what others are using as well. Jeanne, you MUST have a heartworm test before giving the dimmitrol. MUST. Also, the dimmitrol has to be given daily to be effective - if you miss even one day, it leaves them vulnerable to heartworm. My vet, when i mentioned it, also was hesitant. It was because I called it 'dimmitrol' instead of filaribits so he didnt know what i was talking about and thought i was asking for a prescription for some foreign experimental drug. When i called it 'dec' or whatever is the shorthand version, he laughed and said it was fine, no problem. Alot of vets do not know what 'dimmitrol' is but know what DEC is. Good luck with it, Christine and Kent

Christine FL

I just thought I would mention that the name of the drug Christine is referring to is Diethylcarbamazine Citrate. I use a compounded form of this drug as heartworm prevention for my Maddie, a non AIHA dog. However Maddie does have other health issues. I have this drug compounded at the Foster & Smith Veterinary Pharmacy after my vet calls in the script. The compounded version is more expensive then the dimmitrol Christine has mentioned. I pay $45.00 for a 90 day supply. I previously used Filiabits for Maddie until they were no longer made. Then I started using this compounded version of Diethylcarbamazine Citrate. I like the compounded version because you can get the actual dosage of the drug you need. Dimmitrol appeara to only be available in 50, 200 and 400 mg sizes. I use 150mg. I suppose I could give 3 - 50 mg tabs but I have chosen to go with the compounded form. It is made fresh for Maddie when I call to order it. If you would like more info on this product you can call the Foster and Smith pharmacy and speak with a pharmacist or pharmacy tech. The toll free number is (800) 447-3021. As Christine said, a negative heartworm test is a must before you start using this drug and it MUST be given every day during misquote season. In MN, I give it from May 1st through October 31. My vet recommends April 15th though December 15 but we compromise on the schedule. With my AIHA dog, Meisha, I gave her PLAIN heartgard and she did well on that. Most vets only sell the heartgard PLUS which has other ingredients in for other worms. I did not want the PLUS so my vet wrote me a script for the plain heartgard and I purchased that from the Foster and smith catalogue: www.drsfostersmith.com

Joanne MN

I am going to my vet tomorrow to discuss some of these concerns. We have given our dogs Heartguard for 8 years with no problems...or so we thought. When we lost Roxanne a couple of weeks ago to AIHA...we are now questioning some of these products. I currently give my dog Interceptor...not sure if anyone has had any experience with that product or not. I will post after talking to the vet tomorrow. Thanks for the info on the other products. Chandra

Chandra OH

Vets here now espouse a 12 month schedule (year around) on heartworm preventative. I told the tech I don't do that either...and that 45 days between doses is just fine...to which she rolled her eyes. Tillie is on Interceptor....Stormie was on Sentinel (but she had so much hair and was such a shaggy girl that it was almost impossible to put anything on her skin). I only wish I had know then what I know now. Stormie did have other issues..but I believe it was the annual vaccinations that took her from me. PS......they said drug companies will ONLY pay for treatment if your dog becomes infected with heartworm if your dog has been on the drug for 12 months (all year long). I won't do it. Mrs. Gates I'm now thinking I should investigate this CanadaVet thing. My Mom said all the years she grew up they had dogs and they were never vaccinated or were given pills and they were healthy. I think we are killing our pets and the drug companies and vets are laughing all the way to the bank!

Mrs. Gates Michigan

Until the vets 'brand' many of these toxic products as unacceptable and refuse to administer, I'm afraid we will be witnessing the same roller coaster ride of immune and neuro disorders in our beloved animal companions.

jan phily

My Lucy is taking Sentinel (comb/heartworm & flea treatment). she has been a stable AIHA & diabetic dog since 10/06. i believe the annual vax brought her disease on. the diabetes was brought on by the prednizone unfortunately. but today she is doing well and happy. hope to get her on the survival page soon. Susan

Susan OK

Cranky was diagnosed 3 days after Interceptor. 6 months after vaccines. Teresa

Teresa Kentucky

Just gave Tillie her Interceptor on Wednesday....and have been dragging my feet to do it. It's real warm here and the bugs are out. She has been on this for 5 of her 6 years. Can't go without it and don't want to use it....it's a real problem. I do NOT like even giving it to her...never ever thought about any problems until I lost Stormie to AIHA.

Mrs. Gates Michigan

Boy do I understand just where you all are coming from. It was the heartworm preventative, ProHeart6 that killed my Hunter--caused liver damage and AIHA. I had never heard of this horrible disease until Hunter was diangosed on Oct. 9, 2003---and died Oct. 16, 2003. Ever since then I am terrfied at giving my remianing golden retrievers anything. My vet had stopped giving my oldest golden any vax other than law required rabies. I lost him to heart attack a year ago next onth at age 12 years, 3 months. M<y remaining full golden has an enlarged heart and mal forum kidney and she also had a sevbere reaction to her 2ed set of annuals vax at age 2 1/2. This was 6 years ago and at my vet's decision, she only gets law required rabies. Our adopted golden had heartowmrs when we adopted her, and she was right at 1 year old. But heartowmrs are a constant threat here on the Texas coast, and you can't afford not to use montly protection. I wish I could tell what you what is safe, what is't. I just feel all the vax, heartworm stuff, flea stuff is causing so many problems with her dogs, everything from AIHA to cancer...and so does my vet. I wish everyoe luck with their decision.

Sandra Slayton Texas

You know, I wondered whatever happened to the Filaribits (sp)! I'm glad to see it's still out there. I live in Colorado, and bugs/mosquitos are not a big problem here. Vets are pretty well split down the middle on whether you should give dogs heartworm preventative or not. Of course you visit a vet's office and see the gruesome heartworm statistics posted for the entire U.S. My dogs are on nothing now. Because of my experience with ProHeart 6 and my dogs' deaths, there's no way I'll expose my survivor dog to any kind of chemicals except what he has to have to keep his immune system strong. When I lived in Georgia, I had my dogs on the Heartgard chews. My dogs loved them so much, heck, it was so tempting to give them a second one. Of course I wouldn't! No problems whatsoever with Heartgard. Heartgard, from what I understand, has been on the market way longer than all the others. It's been a good 20 years, I believe, it's been on the market and seems to have a good track record. That being said, I came across adverse reports of it -- as well as the others -- when I did my research. I don't know of a drug for pets or humans that is 100 percent safe. And from what I understand, going 45 days, instead of the 30 days, seems to be okay. I REALLY encourage people to research whatever product your vet prescribes BEFORE your pet has it. Remember, your vet makes a good percentage of his income by the products he sells. And also remember that NO ONE knows your pet better than you do, not even the so-called "expert" vets.

Jean B. Colorado

This thread was discussed between 06/04/2008 and 20/04/2008

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