From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2005-01-25 17:46:36 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Revolution
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <3551857.1106675196530.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
> different effects on cats vs. dogs. (And why ProHeart, which has
> turned out to be so bad for dogs, seems to work wonders for ferrets.)
I've talked with one of the vets who has done research on the effects of this med and the rate of problems in dogs is very, very low, but the rate of noise made wqas very, very high. Most countries still use it.
The problem is that in ferrets who have heartworm already it is the single best medication for use. There pretty much was the choice of doing nothing, in which case all the ferrets with heartworm died, using some alternative meds (in whcih case about half the died if memory serves), or using Proheart which on testing saved all of the ferrets in the trial and had negative effects on none of them.
Hopefully, it will be released again in the U.S. because it's been a zoo trying to find any for vets who need it for this use. With the changes from the Homeland Security Act it is not as easy to ship needed medications back and forth between the U.S. and Canada while also following the laws according to vets in both nations.
If you would like to read up on how important this medication is for the treatment of existing heartworms in ferrets there is a write-up on treatment in
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc