– I went to the vet’s office to purchase my dog’s monthly Trifexis on the 2nd, as usual. (He takes them on the 3rd.)
– They referred me to their new service through an online pet pharmacy, and I ordered that day.
– It’s taken 10 days, and the tracking says it’s finally supposed to get here today.
– I contacted said online pet pharmacy to ask if it was safe to give a dose that late, and they said to call my vet.
– I called the vet’s office and got a receptionist.
Me: “The Trifexis is coming today. Should I give it to him?”
Her: “It’s probably okay, but it’s your risk.”
Me: “Risk of what?”
Her: “Well, he could have gotten bitten by a mosquito…”
Me: “So, that means…?”
Her: “It’s probably okay. Maybe just come in and give him Heartgard.”
Me: “Would that be safe?”
Her: “I think so”
Me: “Could he go back to Trifexis next month?”
Her: “Heartgard is 30 days.”
Me: “It wouldn’t have any adverse effects?”
Me: “I wouldn’t think so.”
I feel like I’m getting the runaround, and my vet is unavailable, so I’d really appreciate some insight here. Thank you!
Thank you, PK! That makes me feel a lot better.
You are a godsend, PK. This information helps more than you know. He has an annual check-up each May, so we will be sure to stay on top of it. Thank you SO much! 🙂
Sorry you got the runaround! Of course it is safe to give your dog the Trifexis, even though it is 10 days late. Some people give their heartworm preventatives every 45 days. This is no longer recommended because the heartworm cure manufacturer is having difficulty keeping up with demand so it is safer to stick with the 30 day protocol now. But if you do your research on the lifecycle of the heartworm you will see for yourself that being 10 days late one time is not going to lead to a crisis.
Carrie, just to be clear the drugs can only easily kill the L3 and L4 stages of heartworm. Stage L5 occurs about 30 to 35 days after the infected mosquito bites the dog. So if your dog was bitten by an infected mosquito 36 days before you dose your dog this time – there is the possibility that an adult worm survives the pesticide and in 6 months to a year your dog will pop positive for heartworm (it takes that long for the adult worm to register in the tests). So, be sure to have your dog tested annually… Read more »