Replying to a message of Cindy Haglund to Richard Webb:

 CH> 0n (28 Mar 08) Richard Webb wrote to Carol Shenkenberger...

 RW>> Hi Carol,

 RW>> Carol Shenkenberger wrote in a message to Richard Webb:

 >> SOunds like you're on the right track with him and the vets.  They can
 >> do so amazing things to help dogs get over that, but prevention is
 >> still so much easier, and so cost effective.  Makes me angry with
 >> people who won't do it.

 CS>> Yes, my neighbors dont.  They cant afford it they say.

 RW>> IF you can't afford it you can't afford to have the dog imho. IF you
 RW>> have mosquitoes you're gonna have heartworm, and mosquitoes are

 CH> You know how many dogs there are and have been that get on perfectly
 CH> without all this drug stuff. :( ?

You may live in areas where heartworm isn't a problem.  It is a problem here.
Years ago a dog I had developed it (it's passed by mosquitos), he spent a week
in the animal hospital while the docs fed him enough poison to kill the heartworm
but not enough to kill him.  $450.  The vet had two hearts (one dog and one cat) in
jars of formalin on his secretary's counter, said hearts opened up to show
the heartworms
inside.

My dogs get monthly heartworm prevention treatments, fortunately the vet has given me
some stuff that's a LOT cheaper than the monthly pills - it costs about $60
per bottle
but one bottle will treat 9 dogs for over a year.  The vinegar in the
drinking water trick
seems to keep fleas and ticks off.

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