Help! Heartguard for a pup. Breeder v. Vet

[ctruett]

I am having the worse time. I have a 13 week old that needs heartguard or interceptor. I was told by the breeder to call in and pick up these to give to him. However, the vet will not do it without looking at him first. Breeder said that the dog should not go to the vet until it is at least 6 months old.

Breeder is screaming that the vets are stupid and lack experience. Vets are screaming that the breeder is crazy.

What do I do? I have found spots on the net where I can buy heartguard without a prescription but now I am a bit worried about the weight factor. Vet scared me a little. Does anybody else have this problem? My breeder has been selling rotts for over 25 years, so I am sure somebody here has bought from them. What did you do? I have to make a decision in the morning on if I am going to take him in or not.

[Carina43]

What part of the country do you live in, that your pup needs Heartgard this time of year? I am not sure when puppies get started - Cooper did go on Heartgard when he was six months old, but that was May, the same month in Colorado that all dogs go on it.

Why don't you call a few vets and ask what the protocal is for where you are. It seems a little odd that your breeder is being so insistent that your puppy not go to the vet - has he had all his shots? There are people who don't believe in vaccines, most veterinary treatment, and have a general mistrust of allopathic medicine. I guess that's their right, but unless you have something spelled out in your contract about your puppy's medication protocols, I don't see how your breeder can dictate this.

Then again there are some vets who will quite aggressively promote and sell medications and vaccinations & various treatments, whether they are really necessary or not. Sounds like YOU need to educate yourself as to what the standard protocol for HW prevention is...a dog should NOT be given Heartgard without a vet check.

If you're reading this early am, go on the internet and read up on Heartgard/ivermectin - go to their website, they should have all the medication info there. Call some vets about what the procedure is in your state - it is extremely unlikely your puppy actually has heartworms at his age, and I don't think there is a huge rush to do this right now this minute...
Post back what you find out, I'm curious! My dogs are on Heartgard 8 months out of the year (except for the geriatric dog who has not had vacs or HW preventative for three years.) Sounds like you need to get the lowdown on this and make your own educated decision without having people yelling at you!

[ctruett]

I am on the East Coast. I'm going to give it to him every month for the rest of his life, per instructions.

Nothing in the contract. I'm not forced to do it this way. But I don't understand how I could be the only person that has hit this brickwall. I have spoke to 5 vets and they all say the pup needs to be looked at and weighed. He has had some of his shots and I am to give the rest. He hasn't had rabies yet, which the vet is also yelling about.

According to breeder, I am late in giving heartguard already. I have a feeling there will be several things that they are going to try to talk me into giving him. Which I'm set to say no already. I think I will take him and just get the prescription. I can buy the heartguard elsewhere with that. I like one of the DVM's there but could care less about being yelled out when I ask a question.

[ctruett]

And I guess another answer I am looking for is....... are rottweilers really so different from other puppies? Is all of this caution of not taking him in before 6 mos needed? Does anybody have any bad experiences from a vet visit?

[Carina43]

I most certainly have encountered vets I would not take a houseplant to - vets are not all created equal! I am picky about vets, I have one I trust very much now.

I don't understand why you are being told not to take him in until he's 6 months old. That's ridiculous. I used to take mine in just to get him weighed and to schmooze with the vet techs so he would understand vet offices are happy places. :) I guess some people will not take a puppy into a vet's office or any other public place until the pup has had all their shots...is that the reason your breeder is cautioning this? Sometimes people will have vets come out to the car or do home visits for puppy care.

Rabies at 6 months old...I only give rabies every 3 years & am conservative with other vacs...my vet spaced out the puppy shots and I may look into titering for future annual shots.

I do have one dog I took in a few months ago who was HW+, symptomatic, and was treated - he will be on HW meds for the next year.

[ctruett]

Yes, correct, not just vets, but anywhere another animal could have been.

I have read on here as well of the pups picking things up just by biting a stick. So I don't know how easy it is for them to catch things. I feel like I have a dog that needs a plastic bubble.

[GenHannibal]

First, any puppy I buy, I take to the vet to get a full examination to make sure that the puppy is healthy. Have you taken the puppy in when you first brough it home? If this is you first time in going to a vet, I would definitely ask around for references. As Carina has stated, there are some vets to avoid. Next I would question the breeder why I can't take my puppy in to a vet. Ask for specifics, calmly. She may be concerned that the puppy has low immunity and pick up parvo or some other disease from the vets office. I've brought many rottie pups to the vet with no problem. I also agree with Carina in that it may be too early for a young pup to be on heartworm. As we are going into the winter months, pending on the temperature, I generally do not keep my dogs on heartworm med all year round. Unless, of course your puppy is outside ALL of the time, then the protcol may change. You got my curiosity up, could you pm me the breeder. Since I'm from the east coast area I may know the breeder.

[lblax]

rotts are very susceptable to parvo he needs to see the vet----- because of our changing weather(ive seen misquito's when there was snow on the ground) heartworm preventitive is a year round thing regardless what part of the country you live in. and if yiour breeder belives that a dog shouldnt go to a vet before they are six months old then he is NUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Judi W]

I do heartworm prevention year round.

I personally do not subscribe to the theory that young Rottweilers are particularly fragile. In fact, I worry about the ones who are overly sheltered at a time in life when they need to be learning about the world and developing confidence.

I would be very suspicious of a breeder that did not want a vet to see their puppies. Although on occasion I have given my own shots they are with vaccines from a vet who has already seen the pups. Transferring vaccines around can compromise their effectiveness which is why I am somewhat chary about mail order, livestock store purchases, etc. You never know if they've been left sitting in a truck someplace or a mail box. It might be a very false savings of money indeed. Where did she obtain the vaccines she gave you? Do you know they have been kept at the correct temperature? Did you transport them in a cooler?

No responsible vet is going to perscribe for an animal they have never seen. I can't remember at exactly what age the pups were started, the vet did that recommendation but it is the age at which even if exposed, the agent is still circulating for the preventative to be effective. Seems like it was about 4 months.

[lblax]

i forgot to add there are many problems that could arise with your pup that by the time he's 6 months old it could be too late---he needs his shots and a 1st check at the very least. find a vet you are comfortable with a vet is your dogs health care proffessional just like your doctor and they are not stupid(although dont let them push science diet to you). i just cant believe your breeder said this either he has something to hide or he is undenialably the stupidest person alive!!

[Rottlva]

A pup should be recieving his distemper/parvo series before his sixth month. I'd go to the vet, have him checked out heartworm tested and go from there.

I'm still not sure why the breeder would say you didn't need to go to the vet until six months??? Were there any reasons given?

[frontierrots]

My guess is the breeder either vaccinates late , only vax for Rabies or uses the stretched schedule (8 weeks, 12 weeks and then 6 months vaccs)

They probably are afraid of vets who won't consider vax schedules other than their own intimidating clients into using a different schedule

If your breeder wants you to avoid vets til 6 months of age then they can mail you the HW pills based upon the weight you tell them -weigh the pup yourself on your own scale (weigh yourself then hold the pup)

My vet just lets me come in and buy HW pills based upon the weight I tell him but most vets are like your

[MARYDVM]

Heartworm preventatives are prescription drugs. The online pharmacies are still required to have a prescription faxed to them by a vet - which no vet will do without a doctor-patient relationship. If your breeder has been breeding for 25 years he/she should know this. Most breeders encourage puppy buyers to take their pups to their vet for a check up shortly after purchase to be sure there are no hidden health problems and to schedule vaccination appointments.

In my experience, the people who feel the need to tell you about their "-- years" of experience with the breed are usually not the most reliable sources of information. I had a client come in with a Rottie puppy who began to tell me about the litter she had recently had. When I tried to mention things like puppies not being placed in their new homes at 6 weeks of age,socialization, and other concerns, I got "I've been breeding Rotts for 16 years and I know what I'm doing ... I had a female kill a 6 week old puppy because it pestered her so much.... I've been doing this for 16 years and I've never had any problem... etc. etc. I finally couldn't help myself and said "Well, I've been in Rottweilers for 18 years, and this is what I say". It didn't make the person any more receptive to what I had to say, but it made me feel better.

[Judy Chrusch]

before you issue any meds of any kind. First of all your pup should be taken to the vets within 24- 48 hours after purchasing him. Was that done and are you just referring to the heartworm as far as not taking him to the vets till he's 6 months? Sounds like your breeder has something to hide. That's rediculous to not take your pup to the vets till he's 6 months old. Most vets won't even give HW until they have done bloodwork to make sure they don't have heartworms, is this necessary or not? My dog had the necessary vaccines as a pup and they were spread out till he was about 4 months, my request, I asked to have them split up. Find a vet you're comfortable with and that will do some things that you suggest but I wouldn't give anything to this young pup w/o consulting a vet first. Their are good ones out their, apparently your breeder came across a bad one. Never the less, take your pup to the vets, you owe that to him, have him checked out properly then go from their.

Judy

[whitney greenway]

We got Dru on a Sunday. Monday, she went to the vets.

We had our check up to see that all was well, a few days later she got an upset stomach, back to the vets she went.

Just a nervous stomach situation, but better safe than sorry.

We are heading down to the last set of shots. She gets them right before Thanksgiving.

And she is on heartguard. We have a problem with mosquitoes , so we do an all year thing.

I have a wonderful vet. We have had a nice long relationship. I will not let anyone else see my animals. They shoot straight, no hidden agendas.