Heartworm and Piroplasmose Risks

[I1]

Before leaving the UK I checked with my vet to see if there were and diseases I should get my pet vaccinated against or be aware in France - and was told there were none !!!

One thing I have found in France is that whilst I am very happy with my vet, they do not volunteer advice. This might be language difficulties maybe not.

Anyway, does anybody know if there is heartworm risk in the Sarthe (72)/Indre et Loire (37) areas.

Also, if people are concerned I did find information and a map of Piroplasmose risk/incidence at http://fr.merial.com/pdfs/prevention/Leaflet_PIRODOG_tryp_ok_2_quest.pdf.

[Maddie]

I do not know if there is a specific risk in your region but I would strongly advise that you use a product like Frontline (flea and tick treatment) on a monthly basis and check your dogs for ticks every time they come in (especially long haired dogs) as a matter of course.  Whilst the Frontline will not actually stop the ticks attaching it will kill them if they do between 24-48 of biting, which, in theory, is before they pass on any diseases.  No matter how much I check there are sometimes those that do get to bite and attach.  If I come across one that has, I use one of those tick removal gadgets to get it off pdq as I am paranoid!  My vet here told me that even the vaccination against Pirplasmosis is not 100% effective.

I regularly used a worm treatment in the UK that my vet here in France has, called Milbemax, which kills heartworm so I shall just carry on using it once every 3-4 months whether there is a risk or not. 

Nicola

 

[I1]

I do use Frontline monthly.

I did think of vaccinating against Piroplasmose and Lyme and whilst money is not too much of an issue with regards to dogs health and safety, I did find out that the vaccinations are not particularly effective (i.e. quite far from immunity – just a degree of protection), so I figured that being more thorough with the tick killer gave adequate protection.

If people disagree and think the vaccinations are worthwhile then please do say.

[Judyc]

Although still I use Frontline every month, it is not a certain preventative against piroplasmosis.  My golden retriever still managed to get the disease despite regular use. 

Luckily, we thought he seemed a bit off colour and his ears were twitching which in him is a sign of a temperature so we took him to the vet.  It took two injections and finally a course of Larium tablets to get rid of the disease.  Even the vet was astonished that he needed such a lot of treatment.

I am considering trying an alternative to Frontline for a while.  After five years continuous use, I have noticed it no longer even prevents fleas.  I still find fleas on them (a present from the neighbouring farmer's dogs!) even a week after application.  Perhaps they have become immune to it! 

Does anybody recommend any of the other products?

Judy

47 Lot-et-Garonne

[Maddie]

[quote]Although still I use Frontline every month, it is not a certain preventative against piroplasmosis. My golden retriever still managed to get the disease despite regular use. Luckily, we thought he...[/quote]

Judy

I'm glad you got your dog sorted out in time - well spotted!  I must admit, I would hate to have to groom and spot ticks on a long haired dog - it's bad enough on short haired ones like my two.  Though the lab cross definitely picks up more than the lab. Maybe becasue the lab has a double coat?  Who knows? I have to be vigilant too as my lab is allergic to flea saliva and gets a horrendous reaction when bitten although she'd never had fleas not did we regularly use Frontline until we got here.  Piro is rife here in 31 so I am particulary vigilant.

Just a thought (and I have not tried it), have you tried the new Frontline Combi?

Nicola

 

[PaysBasque]

My dog is vaccinated against heartworm, but I live very far south.

On the Frontline, I've been using it on my dog for a few years and I find that it has stopped working. He still gets fleas and I will now change to a product called Advantix, I think. It's been recommended by a friend who is a vet and she says that she's heard of a few cases where Frontline is not working anymore.

[I1]

I always use the Frontline spray because when I got one of my dogs the breeder told me that a sibling of his had a fit when one of the droppers was used. A vet told me that this would almost certainly have been a reaction to the “carrier liquid” rather than the “active component” and that there were 3 different types of “carrier liquid” used by different companies.

I understand that with the spray, it can lose effectiveness if the dog gets wet (washes the stuff out of the fur ?), whereas a dropper does not – don’t know is this is true. I have also checked with the breeder again who said that the fit was not life threatening – so I’m beginning to consider the drops.

If the drops put a chemical inside the dog, does no company do the same thing in pills ?

[I1]

The Advantix you mention sounds interesting as it prevents mosquitoes (vector for heartworm ?) as well as ticks and fleas. Also it claims to kill them quicker than Frontline. However, the detailed info does not mention Piroplasmose and they identify 4 types of tick prevented (together with the disease each carries) and Piroplasmose (Babesia) is not mentioned. Do you know if it includes the type of tick that carries Piroplasmose (‘cos to me a tick is a tick !!).

You may be interested in an offer Bayer are running (to give a free tube): http://www.petparents.com/Free-Tube-Offer.asp

Is it a spot on treatment or how do you apply it ? As it seems a modern product I’m guessing that it is less likely to cause a bad reaction in my older dog.

Reading Bayer’s web site was interesting as I had always thought ticks were less of a risk over winter but it says that ticks love cold frosty weather.

[Bernice]

[quote]I always use the Frontline spray because when I got one of my dogs the breeder told me that a sibling of his had a fit when one of the droppers was used. A vet told me that this would almost certainl...[/quote]

"I understand that with the spray, it can lose effectiveness if the dog gets wet (washes the stuff out of the fur ?), whereas a dropper does not – don’t know is this is true"

This is from the Frontline website and applies to both the spray and spot-on -

"the active ingredient, fipronil, dissolves into the natural oils of your dog's or cat's skin and coat. From there, it spreads over your pet's entire body to provide long-lasting flea and tick protection that keeps working for an entire month or more -- even after repeated shampooing"

It's OK for the dog to get wet but preferably not before 24 hours has elapsed after the application.

Bernice

[Maddie]

[quote]Before leaving the UK I checked with my vet to see if there were and diseases I should get my pet vaccinated against or be aware in France - and was told there were none !!!One thing I have found in F...[/quote]

"Heart worm is a problem for dogs living in sub tropical environments. It is transmitted by the mosquito and it can be found in the more southern parts of Europe. This parasite can cause severe damage to the heart as well as affecting the kidneys. Preventative tablets are the best option."  I've been giving mine Milbemax, an oral wormer that also kills heartworms, that my vet recommended to us when we were in the UK and before he knew we were coming to France.  He switched us to Milbemax from Drontal.  My Vet here in France keeps it too so I shall carry on with it as the dogs are used to it.

As for ticks, there's no substitute for awareness and regular grooming.  As Judy says, her dog got Piro even though she was using Frontline.  I am paranoid about it as I live in an area where Piro and ticks are rife so I use Frontline monthly, I have a tick remover handy and groom (sometimes 2-3 times a day) every time they come in from running in the long grass.

[pjm]

We live in Northern France Mayenne 53, and sadly I had a dog die a few years ago, due to a tic bite (piroplasmose).  Our land boarders the river, and I have since been told this increases the risk!  The dog became very listless and would not eat (even fresh ham) so took him to the vet, who diagnosed poisoning and said nothing could be done, just wait and see.  Obviously the dog was suffering greatly, so I went to a 2nd vet, who upon seeing white gums and eyes, diagnosed the piroplasmose straight away.  They performed a blood transfusion with their own dog, and after a few days our dog (an irish setter) started to get better, then sadly he died as there was not enough oxygen in his blood and he had a heart attack.  The 2nd vet was highly critical of the 1st, saying he should have performed a blood test to diagnose poisoning, and in any case was wrong in his dignosis.  We now have 4 dogs and all are vaccinated for piroplasmose, although I now know the symptons, I don't want to put my animals at risk.

 

[Pucette<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Pucette<FONT><P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">"Qui ne connaît pas la campagne lhiver, ne connaît pas la campagne et ne connaît pas]

Vaccination against piro is not 100% effective; your dogs should still be checked for ticks to make sure none are attached for more than 48 hours. The most obvious sign is dark urine afaik.

My vet recommends switching worming products occasionally to avoid resistance which seems logical to me.