From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2007-07-25 18:44:44 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Safe Heart worms meds??
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Well, there are always those who will insist that this or that isn't
safe (or vice versa),
but they are not always right, so verify, verify, verify with
reputable expert sources.
This is an excellent example of when what people have heard just is NOT
automatically right:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/SG9792
Some resources for you:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL353
by Dr. Jerry Murray, DVM talks about a number of parasites and
treatments including:
BEGIN QUOTE
> HEARTWORMS: there are several options for heartworm prevention too.
> Yes, ferrets can and do get heartworms, and heartworms are usually
> fatal in ferrets.
> 1) Heartgard for cats, Heartgard Plus for small dogs, and liquid
> ivermectin
> are all safe for heartworm prevention. One chewable tablet once a
> month
> or liquid ivermectin orally once a month.
> 2) Interceptor (Milbemycin oxime) for small dogs (2-10 lbs). One
> tablet
> once a month. These tablets are small enough to crush up and mix into
> ferretone or baby food. They are beef flavored and some ferrets
> will eat
> them. Interceptor should also deworm them each month and should
> control ear mites too.
> 3) Revolution for cats (5-15 lbs). One tube per ferret once a month.
> Revolution will prevent heartworms, kill fleas, ticks, ear mites, and
> deworm each month.
> 4) Advantage Multi is the newest heartworm product. Advantage Multi
> contains 2 ingredients: imidacloprid for fleas and moxidectin for
> heartworm
> prevention. Advantage Multi will also kill ear mites and deworm
> each month.
> One tube of the kitten size (2-5lbs) once a month is the
> recommended dose.
> Advantage Multi is called Advantage Advocate in Europe.
END QUOTE
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YPG1478
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YPG1477
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YPG1468
also from Dr. Murray says:
BEGIN QUOTE
> Hi everybody,
> Since there has been a lot of heart related questions recently,
> I wanted to remind everybody that ferrets can and do get
> heartworms. I went to a CE meeting last night on feline heartworms.
> The speaker (Ray Dillon, DVM from Auburn) did talk about
> ferret heartworms also. Plus I talked to him afterwards for a
> few more minutes on ferret heartworms.
> The big point: ferrets are just as susceptible as dogs to get
> heartworms, and heartworm disease is usually fatal in ferrets!
> Now as spring is coming (it is already here in Texas), it is time
> to start your ferrets on a heartworm preventative (Heartgard,
> Interceptor, Revolution, or liquid ivermectin).
> Remember it is better to prevent a fatal disease (heartworms,
> distemper, rabies, etc) than have a ferret die from a disease that
> should have been prevented.
> Jerry Murray, DVM
END QUOTE
and there are many more great and easy to find past posts in the FHL
Archives.
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
This is also a truly excellent veterinary write up:
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/heartworm.htm
and can also be linked to from some past posts on heartworm and ferrets.
The American Heartworm Society has a map of areas with heartworm in
the Downloadable
Graphics in Media Resources.
http://www.heartwormsociety.org/download/incidencemap.jpg
Definitely a MUST SEE!
Take a look, too, at the life cycle graphic to see how it is spread
and know that ferrets as
well as cats and dogs get it, but that because ferret hearts are so
much smaller they have a
worse time of it faster with fewer worms.
http://www.heartwormsociety.org/download/HeartwormLifeCycle.pdf
Notice in other materials that heartworms have occurred in all 50
states, but the rates
differ greatly.
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
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