many more dog owners choose to give their dogs heartworm treatment. Whether this is because of the rise in mosquito numbers or a more widespread concern over the effects of adult heartworms on dogs, more people are choosing to treat against this problem.
Generic heartworm pills for dogs
Although there are a number of different heartworm pills available, the prices vary quite drastically.
Heartgard plus is by far the most popular option, but it is not the cheapest.
Buying cheap heartworm pills could mean buying a brand you are not aware of yet, but the cheaper option may mean the difference between using a treatment or not.
This is especially true for people who have multiple dogs to look after. Pet meds can be expensive when trying to care for more than one animal.
By using a generic instead of a well-known brand, we can make some significant savings.
The best selling generic treatment available is Valuheart. At under $20 for a six-months supply, it means that our dogs can be treated for a low price and kept completely safe. As far as low-cost heartworm pills go, this is a very good and safe option.
Valuheart contains the exact same active ingredient as Heartgard, which is Ivermectin. The dosage is exactly the same and we will get exactly the same benefits as using the more well-known Heartgard.
We may not be getting the same fancy packaging and the advertising budget is certainly a lot lower, but the medication is half the price.
Treating heartworm all year
People are now treating their dogs every month of the year rather than only for the time of the year when mosquitoes are most likely to be present.
Of course, this depends on where you live. If you are in a part of the country that has snow and cold weather for a significant part of the year, then you do not need a year round treatment.
For milder climates though, people are deciding to treat each month because of the savings and peace of mind.
To ensure a dog’s safety, the dog must be cleared by a vet before her owner can give her a heartworm prevention treatment if she has not had a dose in the last 3 months or more.
Considering it will only cost ten dollars or so to give low-cost pills for that period, the price of continuing treatment all year is much lower than the check out to the vets that would otherwise be required.
Of course, all this depends on your views about giving medications to your pets, but it is something to consider.
And if you do not need to buy a heartworm treatment that combines the treatment of heartworms with other common problems such as intestinal worms or flea control, then using a generic such as Valuheart, Proheart or Nuheart is a very good alternative.
As a side note, anyone who has difficulty getting their dog to take a tablet, however well disguised in a tasty treat it is, then you will be pleased to know tha Nuheart is totally soluble and can simply be mixed with a little water and added to the dog’s regular meal.
For more info, see the post Is heartworm prevention necessary year round?
