Why is year round monthly heartworm preventative highly recommended?
Abigold recommends year round administration of monthly heartworm preventatives such as Interceptor, Heartgard, or Sentinel. These medications not only protect your dog against heartworms, but they also protect your dog against some other parasites. When taken on a monthly basis, Interceptor (milbemycin oxime) is effective in preventing heartworms, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. We caution that Shelties and Collies have adverse reactions to Ivermectin, the main ingredient in Heartgard, and this product should probably not be administered to these breeds. Also, note that Heartgard is effective in preventing heartworms, roundworms, and hookworms, but may not fully control whipworms. Sentinel (milbemycin oxime and lufenuron) is effective in preventing heartworms, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and fleas. Even if your dog takes heartworm preventative on a monthly basis year round, we require annual fecal testing. The reason for this requirement is not all intestinal parasites are
