[MRGD]

I am in the process of switching vets. The one I am leaving has had my dogs on Interceptor for heartwormer and general worm prevention. I was getting a couple more months supply yesterday when his vet tech, myself, and some other folks got into a discussion. The other couple said they drove 80 miles to come to him. They said one of the reasons was because of his stance on interceptor. He not only uses it for preventative, but uses it for a treatment as well. He said that the other arsenic based preventatives damage the dogs, but Interceptor does not, and that even severe cases will be completely better with in two years.

Anyone heard this?

Thoughts?

tt

 

[MRGD]

Any of our friendly online vets, I would love your opinions as well.

 

[MRGD]

I'll bump this back up now that the turmoil has died down, maybe someone will answer.
:lol:
tt

 

[George C. Tull]

My local vet has two different kinds also & he highly recommended the Interseptor over the other too, can't remember what the other was though. :? Takes care of a few different types of worms & the guarantee it supports was a big issue with him.

 

[MRGD]

Thanks George.

 

[NateB]

Interceptor does NOT treat adult heartworms. What he is doing is putting the dogs on preventative and not allowing them to get any MORE worms, and eventually the adult worms will die. This would be only for dogs with no symptoms, however as a person who used to practice in a severe heartworm enviroment I would treat all of them. They may not be coughing but the lung changes on Xray are very evident. So is acute death, rarely.

The arsenic treatment, for positive dogs, is not used much any more. I do not have to treat them any more so I am not very familar with the newer treatment (not so new has been around for several years), but it is supposed to be much better.

The other preventatives are just as safe, there is no arsenic in any preventatives.

 

[MRGD]

Thank you Nate, for the thorough answer.

tt

 

[okvet]

Nate is correct--Interceptor does not kill adult heartworms. There are some thoughts that putting heartworm positive dogs on interceptor or heartgard may shorten the life expectancy of adult heartworms. I've never seen any official study to back this up though. You must remember though even on interceptor it will take around 2 years for the worms to die of old age--that is two years the heart has to work harder to counter act the effects the worms are having.

I know of no one in my area that is still using carposolate (arsenic based compound)--we are all using Immiticide with great success and very little side-effects.

I do like Interceptor for a HW prevention and to also control whipworms--which can be a big problem here in Oklahoma.