back 'atcha!

questions we need to be asking: (I mean about our four-legged unconditional loves but of course, inevitably, how we create these problems for them)

why the exponential growth (huge jack-and-the-beanstalk jump up) in all major canine medical conditions in last half of this century?
-cancer
-diabetes
-immune disorders
-orthopedic malformations
-dermatological problems
-cardiac diseases
-gastrointestinal
-obesity (seriously, we're feeding them!)


why are dogs having shorter lifespans (when modern veterinary medicine is so advanced)?


why do puppy mills not only exist but thrive?


why are neutering and spaying becoming mandated law when severe health risks are involved?


how can we not know how many millions of shelter animals are euthanized yearly in America?

heartworm...

so I work retail and standing on cement floors for hours a day can leave my legs feeling achey at times...think I should take an Advil every morning so I won't get achey if I'm not initially?
Probably not.
Long term exposure or extended use to an anti-inflammitory can cause, among other things, stomach ulcers. Use them only when you need to, right?

Okay, now, dewormers, such as Heartguard and Interceptor, are basically relying on this concept of "prevention."
If you give this product monthly it will keep them from getting heartworms.
Well, no actually, it will kill the worms if present (yeah, as in HAS) in the body (hopefully).
Plus, like any good parasiticide, little fast producing creatures (with high fecundity) like worms become resistant to it.  Using them frequently (read too often), just like antibiotics, makes them less viable as killers.

So...
why pay for a treatment, that has known detrimental side effects, if it's not really even preventing?
Seriously, that's like giving your kid, or yourself for that matter, antibiotics monthly to prevent infection.