Replying to a message of Fred Burgess to Bob Ackley:   
      
    FB> On Oct 08, 2010 05:29pm, FRED BURGESS wrote to BOB ACKLEY:   
      
      
    FB>> On Aug 24, 2010 06:11am, BOB ACKLEY wrote to RICHARD WEBB:   
      
    BA>>> Replying to a message of Richard Webb to all:   
      
    RW>>>> DRug companies are finding that with *all* heartworm   
    RW>>>> preventatives there seems to be a 2-4% failure rate.  drug   
    RW>>>> companies are paying to treat dogs who contract heartworm   
    RW>>>> while on their preventative anyway, but this is with *all*   
    RW>>>> preventatives, this two to four percent failure rate.   
      
    RW>>>> I was told by somebody else, and started using when my heart guard   
    RW>>>> ran out a product acquired from the local farm store. Can't think   
    RW>>>> of the name off top of my head Bob A. but will get it if   
    RW>>>> interested. DOc told me only disadvantage of using this stuff is   
    RW>>>> that if my Schotzi contracts heartworm the drug company won't back   
    RW>>>> me on it.   
      
    BA>>> Several years ago I was paying for Iverheart tablets but the things   
    BA>>> are just too expensive if one has several dogs.  I explained that   
    BA>>> to my vet (who has since retired for medical reasons) and he made   
    BA>>> up a solution of preventive for me, I squirt 1/2 cc of the stuff   
    BA>>> into each dog's mouth once a month.  The bottle lasts about two   
    BA>>> years (with 10-12 dogs) and costs about $65.   
      
    BA>>> So I don't have to lay out $120/month for Frontline or about the   
    BA>>> same amount for heartworm preventive - and the dogs don't have   
    BA>>> fleas, ticks or heartworm.   
      
    BA>>> I do have to find a cure for ear mites, though.   
      
    FB>  A little ointment may help there.  Not sure, as my dogs haven't had    
    FB> mites since I got them (whew!)   
      
    FB>  Now for your preventive that you use for heartworm/flea sounds like   
    FB> it  would work wonders for my beasties ... the beagle is allergic to   
    FB> just  about everything I give her (it seems that way), and frontline,    
    FB> Advantic, Hartz, etc all make her break out.   
      
   Frontline and Iverhart make my wallet break out; note that I've been   
   unemployed for    
   25 months now and am on a fixed income.  Was talking with the vet a   
   while back and he said Frontline is up to about $15/dose.  I have twelve dogs,   
   that's $180 ... a month, which is $30 more than I'm spending on dog food, plus   
   another   
   $120/month for Iverhart (were I using it).  I prefer a teaspoon of vinegar per   
   quart of   
   water in the dogs' drinking water.  Been using vinegar now for about five   
   years and no   
   fleas or ticks, and I live on a rural acreage.  Note that it works for cats,   
   too.   
      
   As I said above, for heartworm the vet makes me up a clear solution that I   
   squirt 1/2 cc   
   of into each dog's mouth with a syringe once a month.  He charges me $65 for   
   the bottle.   
      
   Insofar as the rashes and scratching are concerned, talk to your vet and see   
   if something   
   like Benadryl (or generic equivalent) will work for it - more importantly, not   
   hurt the dog.   
      
   --- FleetStreet 1.19+   
    * Origin: Bob's Boneyard, Emerson, Iowa (1:300/3)