Lungworm/Slug - confused over Milbemax & Advocate!

[cangrejo]

Worried tonight as have found a chewed up slug near Dexter's bed. I wormed him last Saturday with Milbemax from vet but don't think it covers lungworm?

I've got an appointment for him on Saturday for something else so am going to mention slug chewing

These pups are such a worry!

[Goggins]

  It so grim the eating of anything slimy!! Freya bought me a slug last night which I duly trod on 

Hopefully, your vet will give you Advocate which will act against Lungworm--which is the main worry...

[lindseyp]

TBH, if you see your dogs has played, chewed or been around slugs & snails, you have an advantage over those of us who don't -just their slippery trail of where they have been, can be enough to transmit lungworm but if you see the blighters you are alerted to the danger sooner. Due to Purdey having lungworm a few years ago I treat for it, as I know it is in our area but I never really see her (or the other 2)  bothering with them at all, so Lungworm can be quite a 'hidden' danger.
Good idea to mention it to your vet, as he will have info on whether it is a problem in your area yet & the correct preventative treatment (Advocate is the only licenced preventative treatment for lungworm but some vets are still advising Milbemax)

lindsey x

[cangrejo]

Thank you for your posts, I've been to the vets today but saw a one who is new, so she wasnt sure if it's a problem in our area but she prescribed some Advocate to be on the safe side. He will still have to take Milbemax as well until he's 6 months old but she recommends after that he stays on the Advocate and has Milbemax once every 6 months.

He got chipped today too, was good as gold, barely flinched bless him 

[ladylola]

Don't think you should use Advocate and Milbemax together.  Did she tell you spread them out ?

[cangrejo]

I asked her if he would be Ok on the Advocate because he took Milbemax last week and she said it would be fine.

[Neon]

I have never used Advocate (my vet doesn't stock it and always said Milbemax prevents lungworm).  However, yesterday, I went to the vet for Toby's Milbemax and they have a new version of it now - it's a chewable big thing like a treat and on the packet it says "licensed to lower the level of infestation re lungworm".  So, as far as I am concerned, Milbemax does not protect against lungworm.  I think only Advocate offers full protection so I need to get some.  Advocate doesn't prevent tapeworm but you can use Droncit for that.

[cangrejo]

That's the Milbemax my boys had last week, it was great as they chewed it up like a treat.

I haven't given the Advocate yet, thought as he'd been jabbed in the back for his chip it might be better to give that a day.  Still confused about it all though, is it OK to give one week after Milbemax?  The vet seemed to think so. I don't want to overdose the little chap, but would hate him to have lungworm 

[Sarah.H]

That's the Milbemax my boys had last week, it was great as they chewed it up like a treat.

I haven't given the Advocate yet, thought as he'd been jabbed in the back for his chip it might be better to give that a day.  Still confused about it all though, is it OK to give one week after Milbemax?  The vet seemed to think so. I don't want to overdose the little chap, but would hate him to have lungworm 

I use Advocate and Milbemax and try to spread it out a couple of weeks, buts that's just something I do rather than because anyone told me to do it. I would have thought a wormer would be out of his system by now  .

Just looking through post on another forum and many of the people seem to think Milbemax a good wormer for lungworm.

[Neon]

That's the Milbemax my boys had last week, it was great as they chewed it up like a treat.

I haven't given the Advocate yet, thought as he'd been jabbed in the back for his chip it might be better to give that a day.  Still confused about it all though, is it OK to give one week after Milbemax?  The vet seemed to think so. I don't want to overdose the little chap, but would hate him to have lungworm 

I use Advocate and Milbemax and try to spread it out a couple of weeks, buts that's just something I do rather than because anyone told me to do it. I would have thought a wormer would be out of his system by now  .

Just looking through post on another forum and many of the people seem to think Milbemax a good wormer for lungworm.

Yes, it was, but the new chewable tablet says on the packet that it is licensed to reduce the level of infestation, so it looks like they can still get lungworm if on Milbemax but the level of infestation is lower.  That's not good enough for me now so I shall put Toby on advocate (much as I really don't want to use these pesticides on him) and also use a wormer for tapeworm.  It really is a minefield trying to do the right thing by your pet.  If only there was one tablet that covered everything, including fleas and ticks and lungworm!

[Sarah.H]

That's the Milbemax my boys had last week, it was great as they chewed it up like a treat.

I haven't given the Advocate yet, thought as he'd been jabbed in the back for his chip it might be better to give that a day.  Still confused about it all though, is it OK to give one week after Milbemax?  The vet seemed to think so. I don't want to overdose the little chap, but would hate him to have lungworm 

I use Advocate and Milbemax and try to spread it out a couple of weeks, buts that's just something I do rather than because anyone told me to do it. I would have thought a wormer would be out of his system by now  .

Just looking through post on another forum and many of the people seem to think Milbemax a good wormer for lungworm.

Yes, it was, but the new chewable tablet says on the packet that it is licensed to reduce the level of infestation, so it looks like they can still get lungworm if on Milbemax but the level of infestation is lower.  That's not good enough for me now so I shall put Toby on advocate (much as I really don't want to use these pesticides on him) and also use a wormer for tapeworm.  It really is a minefield trying to do the right thing by your pet.  If only there was one tablet that covered everything, including fleas and ticks and lungworm!

Would that not have been the case with the old style tablets as well? Seems weird that they would reduce it's efficiency just to make it chewable  .

I totally agree with you about the chemicals. I have used Advocate for a while as Millie has unavoidable contact with a dog that regularly seems to be suffering from ear mites  and that seems to be the only preventative treatment I can give her.

[dizzytrish]

not sure if it is true, but my vet told me the wormer is only good for the day it is used?

for example, if you wormed one day, then saw worms three days later, worm again. I haven't actually done this as I never see them and just use the wormers for a deterrent.

one warning with advocate though, my friend used it on her springer and then he slept on the leather couch, they now have a patch where his neck was and they can only put it down to the advocate making contact and having a reaction to the leather? I am wary of it now

[Karma]

Milbemax has only ever lowered the risk...

Milbemax and Advocate shouldn't be given within a week of each other.

I stick with Milbemax because Honey had an increasing reaction to Advocate when we tried it - while I know this does put her at an increased risk of contracting Lungworm, I don't see I have much option (the first dose of Advocate caused little problem, the second a small amount of itching, but the third she was really uncomfortable and itchy at the application site for 3 days - as the reaction was obviously intensifying I feel I would be irresponsible to continue to use it... though leaving her at risk from Lungworm doesn't make me feel great...  ).

[Neon]

That's the Milbemax my boys had last week, it was great as they chewed it up like a treat.

I haven't given the Advocate yet, thought as he'd been jabbed in the back for his chip it might be better to give that a day.  Still confused about it all though, is it OK to give one week after Milbemax?  The vet seemed to think so. I don't want to overdose the little chap, but would hate him to have lungworm 

I use Advocate and Milbemax and try to spread it out a couple of weeks, buts that's just something I do rather than because anyone told me to do it. I would have thought a wormer would be out of his system by now  .

Just looking through post on another forum and many of the people seem to think Milbemax a good wormer for lungworm.

Yes, it was, but the new chewable tablet says on the packet that it is licensed to reduce the level of infestation, so it looks like they can still get lungworm if on Milbemax but the level of infestation is lower.  That's not good enough for me now so I shall put Toby on advocate (much as I really don't want to use these pesticides on him) and also use a wormer for tapeworm.  It really is a minefield trying to do the right thing by your pet.  If only there was one tablet that covered everything, including fleas and ticks and lungworm!

Would that not have been the case with the old style tablets as well? Seems weird that they would reduce it's efficiency just to make it chewable  .

I totally agree with you about the chemicals. I have used Advocate for a while as Millie has unavoidable contact with a dog that regularly seems to be suffering from ear mites  and that seems to be the only preventative treatment I can give her.

Yes Sarah, I agree totally.  I grilled my vet 4 times regarding lungworm and Milbemax and he was insistent that it prevented lungworm (the old style round tablet).  The packet wording confirmed that but the word "licensed" was not mentioned.  The new chewable tablet does actually say "Licensed to reduce infestation".  Seems crazy that this is the case but I can't trust Milbemax now.