Hi. I was wondering besides flea medication, what other type of medication should be regularly given to my 10month puppy? At the moment, i am using advantage for flea control, and Interceptor for heartworm prevention since i got it as a package deal when he was getting his puppy vaccinations.I'm almost out of Interceptor and I was wondering is both necessary? And are there any other medications or vitamins or anything i should be giving him as well?
1st of all, I'd talk with a vet or many vets if possible and research it online as much as possible. It can be a bit of a personal decision as I know people who swear by not putting all those chemicals in their dogs bodies, but then my vet is a strong advocate for both. (could be just the money though). Personally, I still give the heartworm meds because that one scares me. I've stopped the flea/mosquito stuff for now, and try to spray my yard a couple times a year with a pet-friendly mosquito repellent.
It is a good idea, as Scully says, to talk to your vet about it, but my personal opinion would be to stick with both. Heartworm is a rising issue in the vet world and preventing it is important! It can turn nasty very quickly, emotionally, financially, and physically for your pup! Flea treatment is always a good idea, and its easy. That being said, I dont regularly treat my own dog because I've never seen fleas on him, but the minute I do I"ll start treating him, so if fleas are a common problem in your area, I'd keep treating it.
The other regular meds I know of are wormers - Drontal treats most worms that are a threat to dogs (tapeworm, hydatid cysts, roundworms) and its a once every three months treatment so its easy to keep up with, and its pretty cheap.
Other than this, some owners like to give their pups vitamins or things like fish oil, canola oil, or glucosamine pills to help with coat quality, joint health, etc. Talk to your vet as theyll be able to guide to which of these sorts of supplements might be best for your pup based on breed and size, etc.
Youre doing great taking care of your pup from the sounds of it! Hope this helps!!
