lung worm and heart worm

[camodog]

Hello 'Fellow Deerstalkers'. I was considering whether it is necessary/advisable to treat my dogs for lung-worm and heart-worm. Both my dogs spend much of their time out and about in the countryside game-shooting and stalking. I shoot mostly in the NW of England and in SW Scotland over mixed farmland and forestry. I regularly 'worm' my dogs for the usual parasitic worms, but never for these two. I have spoken about this topic with my vet and naturally they recommend treatment for both. I'm just wondering how many of you treat your dogs for these two parasites? Are the two widespread and endemic? Or is the risk very small and localised? Your thoughts on this would be appreciated, thank-you.

 

[Tim.243]

Hello 'Fellow Deerstalkers'. I was considering whether it is necessary/advisable to treat my dogs for lung-worm and heart-worm. Both my dogs spend much of their time out and about in the countryside game-shooting and stalking. I shoot mostly in the NW of England and in SW Scotland over mixed farmland and forestry. I regularly 'worm' my dogs for the usual parasitic worms, but never for these two. I have spoken about this topic with my vet and naturally they recommend treatment for both. I'm just wondering how many of you treat your dogs for these two parasites? Are the two widespread and endemic? Or is the risk very small and localised? Your thoughts on this would be appreciated, thank-you.

My Spaniel is my best mate, so the tenner it costs a month for the treatment is money well spent....

He wants to please 24/7 so my bit back in the pot is what ever I can do for him.

Tim.243

 

[gablegorst]

Personally I do my kennel of dogs usually around 10, labs, springers and Cockers with drontal plus and frontline twice a year and have found no problems, these dogs are working grouse moors before starting on pheasants, I have never done them for kennel cough or done boosters just the initial jabs as puppy's, . However that is what has worked for me for many years , it does not mean that's what anyone else should do. My advice is if it is concerning you then get it done as piece of mind is worth more than the cost. My dogs are fed mainly green tripe, rabbit, beef, all raw mixed with sneyds special.

 

[camodog]

Thank-you Tim.243 and gablegorst for taking the time to reply to my thread. My two dogs are my 'best mates' too. Like you 'gablegorst', I too treat my dogs twice yearly with the same brands you mention. This is what I've always done, and never any issues. As you suggest, it's something for me to decide. I'd just got to thinking about the lung/heart worm after reading an article in a magazine.

Thanks again,

'Camodog'.