Heartworm recommendations for dogs with autoimmune diseases

[BrookeR]

Pepper is due for her vaccinations & yearly heartworm injection. Since Pepper was diagnosed with IMPA in December 2014 I have researched a lot and decided against getting her vaccinated anymore. However, she is now also due for her yearly heartworm injection.

My vet has voiced concern today about not giving her any heartworm prevention at all. She thinks that if we are going to risk giving her any medication, that heartworm prevention should be it. She is wanting to give Pepper a monthly tablet for heartworm.

I had read an article by Dr Jean Dodds a while back which came to mind, that I have mentioned and just emailed to my vet
http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/46289883129/dodds-heartworm-preventives#.VZn_fExRYLU.email

The article discusses recommendations for heartworm prevention in dogs affected with autoimmune disease. Dr Dodds says that a daily dose of Dimmitrol is best to use if in an area where heartworm is prevalent and if not she recommends to use nothing.


What is everyone else's opinions & experience on the use of heartworm prevention? I mentioned to my vet that Dr Dodds had recommended a daily preventative rather than monthly. She seemed to think that the monthly should be okay, but is going to research further. She has given me a few days to think about it, but said that we need to make a decision soon. As otherwise Pepper will be outside of her current protection & will have to have testing done before we can continue with preventative treatment.

[polly]

I have always given my  whippet who has IMHA a monthly dose of over-the counter heartworm prevention with no side effects so far.  When he was first diagnosed  (and too ill to eat) my vet said not to worry if the heart-worm tablet  was up to 10 days late, even though it was summer, lots of mozzies around, and I live in  a heartworm prone area..

After reading  the article  you sent I will now give them every 40 days - though  it would be easy to forget exactly when they were due. I up until now I  have  given  them on the first day of the month.

Daily  tablets used to be available in supermarkets about 30 years ago when I had my first dog but I haven't  been able to buy them locally in recent years and haven't asked the vet about their availability. I don't give Jasper any flea prevention medication. He is a whippet with sparse fur coverage. Fleas have nowhere to hide on him so there has never been a problem.

I no longer vaccinate Jasper.

[BrookeR]

Thanks for your response Polly.
Yes my vet had said that she was unsure if we would be able to source the daily tablets anymore. As their popularity has wained due to people preferring to give their dogs longer lasting prevention. So that they are not required to give them as often.

Pepper is a staffy and has only short hair too. I have never bothered giving her flea preventions as she has never gotten fleas. Its as if they don't like the taste of her or something? Because even after spending a week at the vets when she was sick at Christmas she came back with only 2 fleas on her and once I killed them I never saw anymore.

I have been reading up on heartworm preventatives overnight and I haven't checked into the credibility of the sources yet. But found a claim that

'According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, 65% of adverse drug reactions and 48% of all reported deaths resulting from drug reactions are caused by heartworm preventatives.'

Can anyone verify this?

I read an article at http://www.thewholedog.org/heartworm.html which puts up some interesting points swaying towards not using preventative heartworm medications. Again I am not certain about the credibility, but thought it was good to read two sides of the story.


My parents and both sets of grandparents have always lived on farms. Throughout their lives they have always had dogs and never have given them any heartworm prevention. They have never had any problems with heartworm. I know Pepper having an autoimmune disorder means her immune system is not as strong as other dogs may be & could mean she may be more susceptable.
But she is also an indoor dog who would not be exposed to the amount of mosquitos that wild dogs or even other domestic dogs like my grandparents' etc who have lived outside all their lives would be.

The thought of giving her another drug that puts extra stress on her liver, which has already taken a toll from the immune suppressent doses of pred and cyclosporine also worries me.

Now I am in two minds about giving her the heartworm preventative again. Anyone else's thoughts or experience would be greatly appreciated.

[Penel CIMDA moderator]

What a dilemma.  I don't feel able to comment as we don't have heart worm in the UK.  I know though of many rescued Setters who have it and it's very serious and difficult to treat.

[Juliejones737]

Have you tried Heartgard Plus? Its a chewable and my dog loves them.  I have no idea why but they have some sort of magical powers for her.  She comes to life, playing and happy & healthy for the a 2-3 days after her monthly dose.  I wish I could give them to her everyday.  oh well!

[BrookeR]

I have given her these at some point when she was younger (prior to impa), but not since.
Since last writing on this post I have decided that I am not going to treat her for heartworm & we have seased prevention. The thought of causing her to have impa (or some other immune disorder) return from giving her heartworm prevention and suffering slowly ( I don't think her body could take that drug beating again and also don't think we could afford it) is too heavy a burdon. If I do not give it to her and on the chance that she gets heartworm I will be upset she gets it & feel unlucky. But I do not feel the guilt of my decision to be as bad as if I were to cause her to get impa again. I am taking as many other (non drug) precautionary measures as I can to reduce the chances of her getting heartworm. There is treatment for heartworm (though it isn't nice) but she is also 8 years old now and dogs can live with heartworm for sometime before it is a death sentence.
After much thought/discussion & reading all that I can and finding out exactly what is involved and over what period of time to get properly infected with heartworm. As well as hearing the statistics of the nasties in heartworm prevention, I have decided against it. I don't want to put anymore drugs/chemicals in her system.
We have just dropped down 50mg of cyclosporine for the last 2 weeks and so far so good. So we are slowly getting closer to a drug free & hopefully a healthier Pepper. She is looking great!
It is so good to see her so well and feel that all the hardwork and research looks to be paying off. It's been a long hard slog for the last 9+ months and I don't want to ruin things by throwing an 'unknown' (possible relapse trigger) into the mix.

[Jo CIMDA]

Hi

Great to hear that Pepper is doing well and the drugs are being reduced.

I would keep her as chemical free as you can.  At least this is a conscious decision and you will be on the look out for things like heartworm and the diseases dog owners vaccinate against.

Jo