Heartworm-Preventive Shortage?!

[BlindMag]

Has anyone heard of a shortage of heartworm preventive products?  I haven't yet stocked up on my annual supply; I get a box or two in spring and use those until they run out and then get more, and sometime mid-season I finally catch up on my winter electric bills and get the rest all at once (roughly the other half of the year's worth). I just wondered if I should be in a bigger hurry to stock up this year maybe since I heard there might be a shortage.

[Spectrum]

I have not heard of a shortage of prevention, but there is a shortage of treatment.

Immiticide is on indefinite backorder because Merial screwed up. Merial is rationing the remaining Immiticide to clinics that are actively treating a heartworm-positive dog. We used to keep a couple boxes on stock a heartworm is pretty common around here, but we are no longer allowed to order "just in case" stock. Even then, there's no guarantee we can get immiticide if we need it.

But, as for prevention, I have not heard of any shortage. With all the different types and brands, I highly doubt there will ever be a shortage of prevention. If all else fails there's always straight Ivermectin to use (for most dogs, anyway).

[BlindMag]

Oh!  So let me make sure I have this correct:  Interceptor, Sentinel, Heartguard, those are preventive rather than the immiticide treatment for a dog who has already tested positive, and its the treatment that has a shortage?

Rather alarming there are so many cases of heartworm! What is everyone's favorite preventive?  I use Sentinel (the ivermectin / Heartguard/HG+ have been less effective the past few years in my area, people were giving those and getting dogs testing positive for HW-!).

[k1maplewd]

Yes you have it right.  The treatment is in shortage, not the preventative.

I use Interceptor or Heartguard and haven't had issues with either.  I prefer interceptor as it gets a few more intestinal parasites than the heartguard does.

[Kirsten]

I guess the moral of this story is:  keep up to date on your preventive (which is available) so your dog won't need the treatment (which is in short supply).

[Spectrum]

I use heartgard because I get it for free from the reps. Before that I used Interceptor.

[latopla]

Interceptor.  My vet sells that brand and it's offered cheaper than any other brand in town. 

[Spirit]

I use ivermectin to prevent HWs and I use Ivermectin/doxycycline combo to treat them in positive rescue dogs

[Spectrum]

I use Ivermectin/doxycycline combo to treat them in positive rescue dogs

Yeah, that's the "slow kill" method, and it's what a lot of people are having to do right now regardless of what they want to do. Heartgard will actually treat a heartworm infection over the course of a couple years. As long as the dog can afford the damage the worms do in the meantime, it's a safe way to treat. Sometimes dogs are so loaded with worm's that's the only safe way to treat, at least until most of the worms are gone.  When we do treat with immiticide, we give ivermectin for the first couple treatments, put them on doxy and pred, and then start the immiticide a few weeks later.