Top 3 Vet Recommended Heartworm Preventive Treatments
Top 3 Vet Recommended Heartworm Preventive Treatments
Heartworm infection is extremely dangerous and potentially fatal for dogs. Heartworm disease is caused by a worm called Dirofilaria immitis. Commonly, referred to as “heartworms” because they live in the heart, lungs, and associated blood vessels of an infected animal. From the moment your dog gets infected with heartworms, your dog’s overall health will start deteriorating.
The treatment of heartworm is highly complex and expensive, which makes prevention the best option. The best way to protect your dog from such a deadly disease is by using heartworm preventive treatments. Here are the top 3 Vet recommended heartworm preventive treatments. Before we list the treatments, let’s understand what a heartworm infection is.
What is a heartworm infection?
A dog can get infected with mosquito bite through which the parasites get in the dog’s body. These heartworms spread into the lungs, heart, and bloodstream of the pet. It only takes about 5 to 6 months for the heartworm to develop into the adult stage. Adult heartworms release microfilariae into the bloodstream of the pet lodging into the blood vessels, lungs and the heart of the dog.
Thanks to medical research and advancement, there are now plenty of heartworm preventive treatments available. Administering heartworm preventive treatments to the dog, you are protecting him from this life-threatening disease. Below are the top 3 vet recommended heartworm preventives for dogs. You can buy these preventives from an online store such as Vetsupply.
1. Heartgard Plus
Heartgard Plus is a potent heartworm preventive treatment for dogs. It comes in a beef flavoured chewable form, which is easy to administer and readily accepted by pets. The treatment has antiparasitic and anthelmintic properties. Effective also, in eliminating intestinal worms such as roundworms and hookworms. These tablets are developed with two active ingredients – Ivermectin and pyrantel. The combined effect of the two ingredients helps in the prevention of heartworm infection and the treatment of roundworms and hookworms.
Benefits of Heartgard Plus
- Tasty beef flavoured chewable
- Prevents heartworm infection in dogs
- Eliminates roundworms and hookworms
- Can be given to puppies and dogs of 8 weeks of age and older
- Year-round treatment provides complete protection from heartworms
- Prevents and controls diseases caused by intestinal worms
2. Sentinel Spectrum
Sentinel Spectrum is an all-rounder worming treatment for dogs. This tablet prevents heartworm infection by halting the growth of immature worms. Moreover, the oral treatment also controls adult hookworms, eliminates and prevents roundworms and hookworms. It prevents the development of flea eggs and larvae, thus providing protection from flea infestation and Flea Allergy Dermatitis.
Sentinel Spectrum consists of three active ingredients – Milbemycin Oxime, Lufenuron, and Praziquantel. These ingredients work synergistically and protect dogs from heartworm infection. It also kills and controls roundworms and hookworms.
Benefits of Sentinel Spectrum
- Powerful heartworm preventive
- Helps control and prevent flea infestation
- Effective against gastrointestinal worms such as roundworms and hookworms
- Protects the dog from Flea Allergy Dermatitis
- Easy to administer
- Highly palatable beef flavoured chews
Note – Sentinel Spectrum does not kill existing adult fleas.
3. Interceptor Spectrum
Interceptor Spectrum is a highly effective heartworm preventive. The monthly treatment prevents as well as controls heartworm infection in dogs. Moreover, these chicken flavoured chewable control various types of intestinal worms such as hookworm, whipworm, and adult tapeworms. In addition, it protects dogs from hydatid tapeworm infection. This treatment is safe to be used on dogs and puppies over 2 weeks of age.
Benefits of Interceptor Spectrum
- Effectively prevents heartworm infection
- Controls intestinal worms such as hookworm, whipworm, and adult tapeworms
- Excellent treatment for controlling worms in dogs
- Easy to administer
- Provides protection from hydatid tapeworm infection
- Tasty chicken flavoured chewable
Veterinarians always recommend using heartworm preventives on dogs so they don’t have to suffer through the grievous phase of heartworm disease. The treatment for heartworm disease is available. It’s however, a very complicated procedure and costly too. Besides, the treatment doesn’t guarantee a full recovery, so it’s better to buy heartworm preventives for complete protection from heartworms.
Featured photo by Alvan Nee on Unsplash
