heartworm

Does anyone know if heartworm is a problem in the UK?

What's heartworm?

Heatworm as you are probably referring to it, is not the same concern here, but we do have our own EC  & UK parasites to deal with (insert inappropriate political comment here!) people will see more incidences as dogs travel abroad particulary from the mediterranean areas where mosquitos are more prevalent and I believe the south east diagnoses more cases (probably because of the people that live down here and travel frequently to their second homes across the channel so easily).

This is why dogs should never be allowed to eat snails, incidentally if anyone didnt know that!

I havent kept up with figures and research as I dont have a dog anymore, but I can certainly dig a bit more if you have little luck.

eeeeeewww!    sorry.. one more  reason to not like dogs...   

eeeeeewww!    sorry.. one more  reason to not like dogs...   

one more reason not to like humans

J/K

Icky, maybe. But it is a lot worse to watch your best friend die of them.
I was wondering because I am in the habit of treating for them every month in the summer here in Oregon. I get a wormer that is very cheap and awndered if I should bring a few tubes with me?

Does anyone have much to do with horses here?
I am wondering what sort of horse medicatations are available without a vet's prescription.
I can go into the farm shop here and get what I need without any trouble.

Hmn, difficult one with the heartwormers, I would be tempted to bring it- I am pretty sure veterinary supplies are subject to various restrictions.

I will try to find out from a colleague with endurance horses, but I think it would be a lot harder to get the kind of stuff here that you can get in your farm shop.

Another option here, for regular items, is to ask your vet for a private prescription (you may be charged for it, but it's minimal, last I knew it was about £3-5) and you can then go to an online pharmacy and save money that way.  *most* vets will not let you know you can do this, but if asked, there are new guidelines out that they shouldn't reasonably refuse
http://www.vet-medic.com/hierarchy.aspx?strGrp1Code=HORS

So, you are bringing your horses over from Oregon to the UK?  (it's weird, one of my far off dreams involves having horses again one day and living in Oregon ~ not that I have been, but it seems to be the kind of place I would be happy!

No horses, but the wormer I use for the dog is a very common horse wormer. I pay 12.00 dollars for a tube that will last us a year, and it is EXACTLY the same stuff yu pay 25.00 a month for at the vet. My sister is a well known Rottweiller Breeder on the East Coast and this is waht she uses. I just pick it up of the shelf at the farm store.
I'm speaking of Ivermectin (sp?)

one more reason not to like humans

J/K

I wish i could say i was 'just kidding' whenever i say the above...

I wish i could say i was 'just kidding' whenever i say the above...

I was being "forum polite", believe me, wasn't easy!

No horses, but the wormer I use for the dog is a very common horse wormer. I pay 12.00 dollars for a tube that will last us a year, and it is EXACTLY the same stuff yu pay 25.00 a month for at the vet. My sister is a well known Rottweiller Breeder on the East Coast and this is waht she uses. I just pick it up of the shelf at the farm store.
I'm speaking of Ivermectin (sp?)

Ivermectin has certainly had some bad reactions has been indicated in the death of many breeds- presumably you dont have border collie or x's or if so, they dont have the mutant gene (or whatever it is that doesn't allow them to tolerate IM).  Wormers scare me to death, a necessary evil I know, but I am certain the dosage is mostly overprescribed personally. I used to use either Panacur or Drontal and I always added extra nutritional support.

It's definitely available as a horse paste wormer here, only I would ensure that the formulation for the UK & US brands are *precisely* the same, before giving it.  I think I would probably bring my own if it lasts so long and hope for the best ...not very appropriate advice, but probably much safer for your dog (which is more important in my book

Just found this (part of the same family as Ivermectin):http://www.ah.novartis.com/products/en/cab/milbemax.shtml (this one is also not safe for collies) but as your dog does well with it, this might be your British alternative.