HEARTWORM PREVENTION UPDATE
Heartworm season is in full swing and
veterinarians urge dog owners to “protect your pet” but many fail to explain the
risks of heartworm prevention medication.
May 2016
Delilah Penn, Staff Reporter
That’s right. Heartworm prevention can be worse than
heartworm infestation. In 2015 we discovered an astounding number of dog deaths
attributed to a pet medication called Trifexis. That was after 2014 FDA
data revealed “since Trifexis hit the market, every 36 hours, a pet owner
reported that Trifexis killed their dog.”
According
to FDA records, “pet owners have reported 700 dog
deaths. That's 120 more than the deaths linked to Chinese chicken jerky treats.
Like the treats, Trifexis is suspected, but not the proven cause.”
Trifexis, an Elanco Animal Health product, is a chewable tablet that “kills
fleas and prevents infestations, protects against heartworms, and treats and
controls adult hookworm, roundworm, and whipworm infections.”
WSBTV in Atlanta reported that
Trifexis TV commercials list side effects like vomiting and lethargy, but not
death. Reporter Jim Strickland learned through FOIA (the Freedom of
Information Act) that "the FDA lists 965 complaints of
dog deaths blamed on Trifexis."
Chat groups and facebook
comments on heartworm prevention would support those statistics and yet
veterinarians continue to sell this product. Do they consider it to be the
lesser evil compared to heartworm infestation? I think I would rather
treat my live dog for a health problem than lose him to a "treatment" claimed to
prevent a problem he may never have.
Chewable Trifexis claims to “work
within 30 minutes to kill fleas and has been proven to kill 100% of all biting
fleas within 4 hours.” That is scary stuff! Not just for fleas, but
for the host (your dog or cat) whose body is quickly and irrevocably infused
with such a deadly pesticide.
Whether chewable (what does it
do to the stomach?) or injected, Trifexis joins the ranks of other prescription
heartworm prevention treatments which can result in side effects ranging from
vomiting and skin irritation to self mutilation and death.
Scratching and Itching Medication Malpractice does more than scratch the
surface of allergic reactions caused by veterinary medications. For it to be
effective, is has to be what many people consider “whole body poison” because it
is designed to permeate the dog’s whole body. That includes epidermis (skin),
bloodstream, internal organs (stomach, heart, liver, etc) in order to kill
internal and external parasites that feed upon the host. This particular article
in TheDogPlace.org is an actual case. It makes clear that veterinarians who
dispense steroids to treat an “allergy” caused by the heartworm prevention
medication they dispensed, are incompetent or dishonest.
The Canine Immune System is sorely compromised by heartworm prevention
medication and over-vaccination. This vet student's letter proves how little
veterinarians are taught about the potential to destroy a pet's immune system by
pushing profitable but high-risk prescriptions. My cats are very sensitive to
prescription medications (most cats are) and so is my pocketbook.
Heartworm Prevention History cover the release of ProHeart®6 heartworm
prevention medication in 2001 to subsequent FDA rulings, recalls, buy-outs,
name/label changes, and 2014 risks vs. benefit analysis. That is what the page’s
description promises to deliver and it does an eye-opening job!
As we are learning on the news
today, just about every bureaucratic government agency is ruled by how much
money it can generate, either from Treasury or corporate donations. The latter
source is where things get interesting. Ft. Dodge (one of the largest and most
trusted veterinary medicines providers) was bought out by Pfizer Animal Health
and from there, the intrigue deepens. I became completely caught up in the
obvious and potential “takeover” of our pet’s medical care and product
availability.
So I decided to put this
together for TheDogPress.com because I know that publication is pretty brave
about questioning questionable stuff. I learned as a child to question
convention even though my ancestors were derided for “superstitious” traditions
because we believed in nature and natural health remedies. That’s why we were
virtually immune to the Black Plague.
The point is that heartworm is
not new and it makes sense that domestic dogs once had immunity just like
wolves, foxes, and other wild animals do today. Only when an animal is otherwise
stricken, by age, injury, or disease do parasites take over. So I wanted to pass
on what is obvious to me. We can learn from our pets when it comes to health
care.
We are all grateful for the
advances in medical science but sometimes less really is more. More healthy.
See WSBTV news video on
Trifexis heartworm prevention DEATHS
Among the best phone numbers to
call in an emergency is 1-800-222-1222
the National Poison Control Center which will automatically connect to their
free service in your state. Depending on who answers, you may get quick, basic
information for animal poisoning and it is free, 24-7.
147156165
SSI
Become An Insider Today!
Your $29 INSIDER Subscription
gives you access to AKC business, insider information on canine health
(hereditary and acquired) plus legislative news that informs and enables you to
protect your rights from ongoing "Animal Rights" legislation. Click to become an Insider
|
~
SSI
Brought to you by NetPlaces Network:
TheDogPlace.org, world’s 1st public website,
1st online dog news, TheDogPress.com, and
TheJudgesPlace.com, 1st AKC judges site
Advertising ~ Mission Statement ~ Privacy Policy
ii NetPlaces Network ~ Disclaimer