Frontline & Heartgard....How many months a year?

[GYPSY JAZMINE]

Both of my boys are on monthly Frontline & Heartgard...I live in Eastern IA so it will be getting cold here soon...Both of my dogs are indoor dogs with yard privleges...Sh ould I Frontline & Heartgard all year long or can I stop for the winter months?

[BabsT]

I stop in about Nov or if it gets cold earl and then start back up in the spring for both...I live in Mass

[VdogLover]

I would not use HW preventive year round if theres no need for it. Remember Heartguard works 30 days backwards. With this in mind I take a mental note of the last warm spell and give my last pill that following month. We are having an Indian summer right now but once that break it will be in the low 60's as a high so this months pill I give on the 26th will be the last.

I use the same system with the first pill...a lot of vets will say start it on the first of April..that would mean there needed to be mosquito's in March..in Michigan..in the snow...lmao.
As far a flea preventive...f leas can live in your home year round so if you have seen then you may want to continue using it.


As always these are JMO~

[GYPSY JAZMINE]

Thanks!!...Pippin had his Frontline & Heartgard this morning & Samson will get his on the 15th...I think we'll be until spring then.

[Willow]

I have read that in order for mosquito's to produce the heartworm, the temperature has to be above 55 or 57 degrees for two weeks straight, so I watch the temperature.  This summer I only had to apply Interceptor once, because I live in Northern Wisconsin and the temperature often dipped below 55 at night.  And of course, I take my dogs to the Vet in about March to be tested before the next summer.

[Kiahpyr]

I start in March or April depending on the weather and end in November. I give Kiah her last Frontline and heartguard on the 8th for this year.

[Carolyn]

I use Interceptor instead of Heartguard & I stop in November. They have to be tested in the spring before we start meds again. As far as flea stuff it depends but I normally stop in the winter into the spring.
Multi animal house so I need to save where i can.
Carolyn

[Leah-n-boy-os]

Our weather's pretty wonky up here (yes, that's a technical term! ) but I usually stop in October/November, and start again in April/May. It's not unheard of for us to have a *White* Halloween, and have snow still on the ground for Mother's Day.

Besides, all the rain keeps the bloodsucker population down!

**We all have duck-feet up here, it's why my dog has webbed feet as well!*snicker**

[Kermit]

In the south we keep them on heartworm prevention year-round (I used to live in GA, now I'm in TN). You never know around here! Days are still in the 80's now, I was just outside being full-on attacked by mosquitoes! And we get some creepy warm days in November, and sometimes even January and February. The weird thing is that even though the dogs are on HWP all year long a test is still required once a year in order to have the prescription refilled.
I don't use flea control unless I see fleas, because Zoot has a reaction to Frontline and Advantage and he gets really itchy. I just gave Nigel his last Frontline for the year, and I'll start back up again in the spring but not until I see one. I use flea meds sparingly because I don't know what's in that stuff!!! But I sure hate fleas!!! We have been really lucky this year, they have picked up a few here and there but none in our house thank goodness!!

[DixieSugarBear]

Year-round for us in Alabama.

[cincbcat]

Does anyone use Sentinel?  That's both heartworm and fleas in one pill.  I never even thought to stop giving Sadie the pill, even in the colder months, but I know we have fleas indoors so I don't want to stop giving it to her.  It won't hurt her to give it to her year round will it?

[Kermit]

I think the flea control that's in Sentinel is the one that has the flea "birth control" in it... (on it's own it's called "Program"). If it's what I am thinking of it doesn't actually kill the fleas, it just keeps them from breeding if they bite your dog. There is a substance in the medicine that inhibits the growth of chitin, which is what forms the exoskeleton of the flea. When chitin can't develop, fleas are too weak to live.
The vet I used to work for always recommended giving that year-round. Back then they didn't have the combination, he recommended Interceptor and Program together all year-round. I am almost positive that's exactly what Sentinel is- Interceptor and Program combined. (If I'm wrong, someone please tell me so I don't look like an idiot too much longer!)

[cincbcat]

Ok, so you're telling me that Sentinel is good???  I'm just not too happy with it because Sadie scratches herself silly all the time.  She never seems comfortable, her poor hind legs are almost raw because she's constantly biting herself.  I just wondered if the ingredient in Sentinel was actually doing her any good with the fleas cause it doesn't seem like it is.  I find them on her all the time.  Thanks!
Rachel

[Kermit]

Well, Rachel, Sentinel is good for keeping fleas from breeding but it won't kill fleas that your dog picks up. If you are seeing fleas on her you might want to get some Frontline or Advantage to use topically, it's really easy, just put it on their shoulders and then it will kill fleas for a month.
I don't blame you for not being happy with Sentinel, since it doesn't keep your dog from picking up fleas she's exposed to. Sounds like she needs a break from itching! Poor baby!!!

[dufus]

Hi there,

i really recommend Frontline.  We live in Florida, and touch wood we have never found a flea on Day-z.

Good Luck