Trifexis

[angela g]

We put my 4 year old, 60lbs boxer on Trifexis last month. Within the hour I noticed him behaving strangly but didn't put two and two togther for a bit. He became extremely lethargic and his eyes became very sensitive. He wouldn't let you go near his face without yelping. By the next day he was fine. When I spoke to my vet about it we decided it was possibly something else and moved on, but he asked that I let him know how my dog did the following month when I gave him the Trifexis. Well, I gave it to my boxer Tuesday evening. He went to bed early and once again I didn't think anything of it, I just figured he was tired from a day at play. By Wednesday morning he had thrown up, wouldn't eat, (this dog does not skip a meal) wouldn't open his eyes in the sun they were so sensitive, and he was so lethargic it looked like he was on some kind of downer. It took me a second to realize that this is exactly what happened the last time I gave him Trifexis except even worse. At that point I called my vet and took my dog in. Immediately the vet could see my dog wasn't well. He couldn't keep his eyes open and was falling asleep standing up. We couldn't get near his face without him wincing and yelping his eyes were so sensitive. The vet thinks it's the drug in the flea and tick portion of Trifexis causing this problem. By 4:00 that afternoon he finally ate something but was still lethargic and couldn't stay awake and his eyes were very sensitive. I took him back to the vet at my vets request and he prescribed my dog Prednisone. Today is Thursday and my dog is almost back to himself. My biggest concern was his eyesight. They seem to be ok and the sensitivity is fading. We will not be giving him Trifexis or any combo heartworm/flea and tick again. This was the first instance my vet has seen a reaction to Trifexis but after reading other articles online I know this isn't the first time it's happened. I know the drug has worked well on some friends dogs and they are happy with the drug but I urge you to use caution and look out for those warning signs if you do give this to you pet.

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

I'm glad that your dog is going to be alright, and kudos to you for having the presence of mind to take your dog to the Vet immediately!!!

Your warning is a good one, and I hope many people read it and heed it.

Thank you for posting.

[virgilsmama]

Thank you for this additional post on Trifexis and your boxer's reaction. I hope he is fit as a fiddle now. I keep reading these posts and observing my three dogs each month, so far so good. Buddy has been on it for one year now, no fleas and today his heartworm test was negative. Levon has been on it for I think 3 months as well as Daisy. I will continue to be vigilant. I really appreciate this thread. Thanks everybody!!

Liz , Daisy, Buddy and Levon

[ouiz]

I have moved two of my three over to Trifexis with trepidation after reading the beginning posts of this forum. My vet convinced me to try it based on his experience with his patients and his own dogs. We have had no bad experiences at this time.

The pups got it cautiously, I would only give them the first dose to one dog a day to be sure that I could monitor the effects of the medicine, only on days when the vet was open and on days when I knew I would be home all day (just a typical Daily Puppy puppy mama).

Cole will get his first dose in January.I will be saying my Novena to St Francis as I give it to him.

I will add that I sure wish I could get their Sentinel again, and call monthly to see if it is back in stock.

Louise

[virgilsmama]

Good to hear from you on this subject, Louise. I am happy to hear about this product from a caring DP mama!

I have to admit that I have not thought about doing new things only when the vet is in, I guess new meds were always given during office hours. But I had never thought ... . It is a good thing to keep in mind!

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

Well informed is well armed. Obviously this drug is safe for some, but for others, not so much, just like many "human" medications.

It is wise to be informed and know what symptoms may present themselves. Louise, I have to concur with Liz about selecting the time to deliver any new medication. That is wise indeed!

Medication is never "one size fits all" as I've learned through the years with Oliver and his issues. I'm grateful for everyone who has contributed, and it is helpful to all of us DP Mums (and Dads! We don't discriminate)!

[peppysfireball]

My dogs have been on Comfortis for 2 years, which is what Trifexis is, plus Interceptor, which is my heartworm medication. Since it is not available at this time, my vet suggested to just use the Trifexis which is just those two medications put together. It's cheaper than buying both pills anyway. Frontline has never worked on my dogs here . I live deep in the woods and fleas are a tough problem. Anyone who knows Comfortis, knows it does nothing to control ticks. My dog tested positive for Lyme disease and Anaplasmosis today, but thankfully has no symptoms so doesn't have to be treated. He has only had 2 at the most ticks on him as he is an inside dog. I use COmfortis on all 4 of my dogs with no problems, but I know it has always had a problem with vomitting and in a few cases, death. So be careful.

[Nileska]

Does anyone think it is logical to poison fleas by first poisoning the dog ? ...Pretty risky...Try a bit of garlic as a repellent.

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

Richard, I've often thought that, but fortunately I don't live in a climate that has fleas and ticks all year around. I still have never used those Flea medications. Living where I do, unless there is another outbreak, the chances of my dogs contracting fleas is slim.

[ilovemypups]

Nileska- Garlic is toxic to dogs. I wouldn't use that. :/

In regards to Trifexis.. I just gave my puppy a tablet. The vet gave it to me when I took him in to get his shots & stuff @ 6 weeks old. Well, his assistant gave it to me. lol She chased me out the door with a free sample, because I'd asked about heart worm preventative.

Anyway, I read the pamphlet that came with the Trifexis & then read the back & saw that it could cause vomiting & stuff.. And that it was for dogs & puppies 8 weeks or older. Xander will be 8 weeks old tomorrow, so I just went ahead and gave it to him. He's sleeping. He was tired when I gave it to him, though, but I'm keeping an eye on him now that I've read this thread. I'm going to go back to the vet in about 2 weeks, when he turns 10 weeks old for his second set of shots & talk to the vet about this medication & see if it's okay for my little guy to use or not, since it is so strong. I just gave the pill to him like 20 minutes ago, though, so I haven't really observed him for very long, yet.

*sigh*

Now I'm all worried & paranoid.

Just to clear things up, my vet is a good vet. His clinic was voted the best in my city & he's got 4 & 5 star reviews out the ying yang on all the sites you can check reviews for. He's a very nice guy, too.. Surely he wouldn't have given me or my doggy anything if he thought it'd hurt him. I'm just worried now. lol I'm glad I read the thread, though.

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

To "ilovemypups", please note that Nileska, aka Richard, has been involved with dogs for more than 60 years, breeding, showing, all things dog! Garlic is only toxic in high amounts. Before you admonish a long standing fellow member, please be sure you know the facts.

You have given an 8 week old puppy a very toxic substance, which I can't imagine would be recommended at such a young age. Why would you have this pup at 6 weeks of age anyway? You also mentioned that it was not the Vet who gave you this medication, but an assistant. I certainly would not have administered such a drug to such a young pup. Heartworm is caused by mosquitoes and unless you live in a heavily infested area, which is uncommon at this time of year, then I can't imagine why you would give it at all, until the pup was at least four months old, or the weather dictated!

Please be respectful of our members as we will be with you. I hope your puppy manages this dose and that there are no lasting ill affects. I am rather surprised that you gave such a young pup this medication even after reading the pamphlet that specifically said not to be administered to a pup under 8 weeks of age. That is a minimum guideline for times when Mosquitoes are rampant. Unless you live in a rain forest, or an extremely tropical climate, this is not the time of year for that. Lastly, this medication is intended for FLEA prevention....not Heartworm. Perhaps it covers both, but in all my years of dog ownership, it has never made sense to me to poison a dog from the inside out with such toxic chemicals.




I just viewed your profile and noticed that you have a "flea collar" on your young pup. Those things don't work AT ALL!!! I also checked your IP to see in which area you live. I hardly think fleas and/or mosquitoes are a concern at this time of year, especially with this winter.

[ilovemypups]

To "ilovemypups", please note that Nileska, aka Richard, has been involved with dogs for more than 60 years, breeding, showing, all things dog! Garlic is only toxic in high amounts. Before you admonish a long standing fellow member, please be sure you know the facts.

You have given an 8 week old puppy a very toxic substance, which I can't imagine would be recommended at such a young age. Why would you have this pup at 6 weeks of age anyway? You also mentioned that it was not the Vet who gave you this medication, but an assistant. I certainly would not have administered such a drug to such a young pup. Heartworm is caused by mosquitoes and unless you live in a heavily infested area, which is uncommon at this time of year, then I can't imagine why you would give it at all, until the pup was at least four months old, or the weather dictated!

Please be respectful of our members as we will be with you. I hope your puppy manages this dose and that there are no lasting ill affects. I am rather surprised that you gave such a young pup this medication even after reading the pamphlet that specifically said not to be administered to a pup under 8 weeks of age. That is a minimum guideline for times when Mosquitoes are rampant. Unless you live in a rain forest, or an extremely tropical climate, this is not the time of year for that. Lastly, this medication is intended for FLEA prevention....not Heartworm. Perhaps it covers both, but in all my years of dog ownership, it has never made sense to me to poison a dog from the inside out with such toxic chemicals.




I just viewed your profile and noticed that you have a "flea collar" on your young pup. Those things don't work AT ALL!!! I also checked your IP to see in which area you live. I hardly think fleas and/or mosquitoes are a concern at this time of year, especially with this winter.

Yeah, about that.. I wasn't admonishing Nileska. I was stating that I wouldn't give my dog garlic... You also said "Please be respectful of our members as we will be with you." I don't feel that you were being very respectful. I feel as though you were being EXTREMELY condescending and presumptuous, and I am highly offended. Not that you care, but just wanted you to know how your comments came off to me & that you were also "admonishing".. Your intent may have been good, but the way it read came off in a way that really just rubbed me the wrong way.

Anyway... In regards to your questions (which are really none of your business, by the way)..

1.) Why would you have this pup at 6 weeks of age anyway?

1a.) The lady that I got him from breeds Great Pyrenees in my area. This litter that my dog came from was not really expected. - Long story short: Their main male got shot by someone, so they got a new dog, but he has some issues with his sperm & hasn't produced any puppies. Anyway, they keep all of their dogs out in the pasture (of course it's fenced), and their main reason for getting the Great Pyrenees was to "take care of their coyote problem".. Their female was in heat & didn't get impregnated by their male, because of his sperm issues, but they found a loose Rottweiler out there with the female that was in heat & thus came my puppy.. I picked him out when he was 3 weeks old- You can see him at that age in some of the pictures I posted..

My mom was due to have back surgery the following week, so I asked the lady I got my puppy from when the earliest was that I could pick him up, because I would have to be the primary caretaker for my mother & didn't know when I could get out there after her surgery. They live about an hour away from where I do. She said the earliest that she could let the puppies go was at 6 weeks, so I got my puppy when he was 6 weeks old. He was weened & had spent a week away from his mom. When I went to pick him up, she was out in the pasture with their other Great Pyrenees', enjoying the sun.. Also, a lot of people get 6 week old puppies. The day after I got my little guy, I took him to go see the vet & he said Xander was perfectly healthy. I got to spend a week with him before my mom had back surgery & just enjoy getting to know him.


2.) You also mentioned that it was not the Vet who gave you this medication, but an assistant.

2a.) Yes, it was his assistant. She said that they don't typically start them on medication until they're 4-6 months old & I said "oh, okay." and that was that... Or so I thought.. But she came running out when I was loading Alexander & Romeo (my other dog) up in the car to go home & handed me the pamphlet & a sample pill of Trifexis. I took it & said "thank you." - It was the first I'd ever heard of the drug.


3.) I certainly would not have administered such a drug to such a young pup.

3a.) I read the pamphlet & they said the minimum age was 8 weeks old. They didn't say "8 weeks old and when Mosquitoes are rampant." In fact, the exact wording on the pamphlet/box thing (which is mentioned several times) was "For use in dogs and puppies 8 weeks of age and older, and 5 pounds of body weight or greater. FOR DOGS 10.1 - 20 LBS"

4.) Heartworm is caused by mosquitoes and unless you live in a heavily infested area, which is uncommon at this time of year, then I can't imagine why you would give it at all, until the pup was at least four months old, or the weather dictated!

4a.) In Oklahoma, there's always mosquitoes. You do realize that you CAN grow bananas and palm trees here, right? Or at least you can where I live. You can even grow Uzu, which is a type of citrus. We don't normally get snow where I live. If we do, it's typically just for a few hours (if that) & then it's just melted down to water or ice, but it doesn't normally even get cold enough to freeze water into ice.. If it does, it's a freaky, uncommon occurance! And the assistant did mention the 4 month old thing, but she wasn't adamant about it. My puppy wouldn't meet the weight criteria for the dosage she gave me at 4 months, anyway. It's for dogs 10.1 to 20 lbs. My puppy weighed 9.2 lbs at 6 weeks old.


5.) I hope your puppy manages this dose and that there are no lasting ill affects.

5a.) Thank you. He seems fine. Right after I hit the "Submit" button, I had company come over & he was up, playing around, chewing on his toys & stuff like normal. He seems fine. No facial or eye sensitivity, vomiting or etc. I am still keeping an eye on him, though. Right now he's curled up at my feet, sleeping, and groaning at me (like he always does) when I make a noise that disturbs him. lol


6.) I am rather surprised that you gave such a young pup this medication even after reading the pamphlet that specifically said not to be administered to a pup under 8 weeks of age.

6a.) Alexander will be 8 weeks old in less than 12 hours. I didn't think less than 1 day shy of being 8 weeks old really made that big of a difference. Maybe you were thinking I gave it to him when he was 6 weeks old? - I even thought that was young. I waited until he was a few hours away from being 8 weeks old & when he still met the weight limit for the tablet that I received.


7.) Lastly, this medication is intended for FLEA prevention....not Heartworm.

7a.) You are wrong. I didn't ask about fleas at the vet, I asked about Heartworm protection. They gave me this sample of Trifexis. On the pamphlet it says that it "Prevents Heartworm disease, Kills fleas & prevents infestations & Treats & Controls Intestinal Worms- Adult Hookworm, Roundworm & Whipworm"


8.) Perhaps it covers both, but in all my years of dog ownership, it has never made sense to me to poison a dog from the inside out with such toxic chemicals.

8a.) Funny you say that, because you're acting like I WANTED to "poison" my dog. I didn't. I don't. I love my puppy. I want to take the best care of him that I possibly can. That is WHY I asked my vet about Heartworm preventative in the first place! I don't want him to get that. And yes, it was the assistant that gave me the Trifexis, but perhaps it was because the vet asked her to. I was loading my puppy & my other dog (a 12 1/2 year old Great Pyrenees / Australian Shepherd mix) into the car.. She ran out to give me the sample. They don't normally act on their own & even when I call to get my older dog's prescription filled, they always ask the vet before they refill it.. So I'm guessing (and will ask in 2 weeks when I go see him again) about it. Like I said, my vet was just recently voted best in the city & I trust him & have been using him since he opened his office. He is a great vet. I don't believe he or any of the staff there would give my puppy anything that would intentionally cause him harm.


9.) I just viewed your profile and noticed that you have a "flea collar" on your young pup. Those things don't work AT ALL!!!

9a.) Yes, he has a flea collar for the time being. I know they don't work very well, but the lady that I got my puppy from said that she thought maybe they had gotten fleas, since their mom was outside so much.. So I gave my puppy a bath & mixed in some vinegar with his soap (helps kill fleas) and then used the flea collar until I could give him his Trifexis, which was only about a week or so. I thought it would be better than nothing.


10.) I also checked your IP to see in which area you live. I hardly think fleas and/or mosquitoes are a concern at this time of year, especially with this winter.

10a.) Wow, I feel like my privacy has been invaded. lol You act as if "this winter" has been bad in my area. It hasn't. We haven't even gotten any snow. Besides, how do you know that I'm not port forwarding & that, that IP is not correct?.. Way to jump down my throat for making a mistake (as if you are perfect yourself). At least I care enough about my puppy to even LOOK at the possible issues that Trifexis could have on him.. I care enough to look up the warning signs of adverse affects it could have on him.. A lot of pet owners would not bother or it wouldn't even concern them. So you don't have to talk down to me. I DO care about my puppy & I love him. He could have it so much worse, so just be happy that I am even here, looking at stuff about puppies & that he's not wandering around on the streets by himself, dodging traffic or in some shelter waiting to be put to death.

Thankfully, the Trifexis doesn't seem to be having any adverse side effects on my little guy, I was just worried and paranoid after I read this thread & was just expressing that.

[Nileska]

Ilovemypups,...Re: Garlic,I have seen claims that it is toxic,HOWEVER,no dog,horse,or person can consume enough to do any harm...It is produced in granulated form for dogs and horses..and you can also put a bit on your lasagna if you wish.

I currently have about 5# of the stuff on hand...Understand,it kills nothing...parasites,both internal and external are repelled by the aroma ( it goes away on the dogs breath in a short while).It must be introduced gradually until the tolerance levels off..I usually start with a big pinch sprinkled over the food then increase it every few days...I have been happy with the results.

Of course I live in Ohio,I have friends in Florida who put stuff on their yard that we wouldent touch with a 10ft pole here in the " far north".We don't have Alligators coming up from the canal trying to eat our dogs either.Life IS hazardous don't ya know.

Speaking of hazardous,I read your entire post and the two words I came up with were attitude and defensive and that's all I am going to say about that

It is not good to mess with Deb,she is the closest thing we have to law and order around here.

Next item: I am not sure you understand what a " breeder" is...I was trained and mentored by several breeders and successful
show exhibitors..Breedings are carefully planed and a bitch in season is NEVER left with the general population.It is not nessecary to own the stud dog,there are plenty of good choices out there..Clue,you have to know how to read a pedigree and what to do with it.Nothing is left to chance if possible.

,I DO know people who use their Pyrs for herd protection,the pups live in adjoining pens for a while and as they mature join the herd.That is their job and they are not pets...Yes.those breedings are also done carefully with a goal in mind.

[ilovemypups]

Speaking of hazardous,I read your entire post and the two words I came up with were attitude and defensive and that's all I am going to say about that

Yes, I was defensive and had an attitude. You are 100% correct. I felt like "deb" was attacking me, so I was very defensive & it irritated me that someone would be that way with me right out of the gate, especially since I was already worried and paranoid about what Trifexis could do to my puppy!.. So naturally and understandably, I was a little hot about it.. Therein lies the attitude part.

Ilovemypups,...Re: Garlic,I have seen claims that it is toxic,HOWEVER,no dog,horse,or person can consume enough to do any harm...It is produced in granulated form for dogs and horses..and you can also put a bit on your lasagna if you wish.

I currently have about 5# of the stuff on hand...Understand,it kills nothing...parasites,both internal and external are repelled by the aroma ( it goes away on the dogs breath in a short while).It must be introduced gradually until the tolerance levels off..I usually start with a big pinch sprinkled over the food then increase it every few days...I have been happy with the results.

I do understand that garlic doesn't kill anything. I wish you folks would at least pretend that I have a modicum of knowledge & common sense, and that I am not a complete and total nincompoop, because I'm not. Just like you all seem to believe that I don't know anything- you don't know anything about me, either. I have read a lot of books and things about dogs and what is healthy for them and not healthy. I've spent hours reading veterinarian-run websites & blogs & I see & talk to my veterinarian & other veterinarians on a regular basis, even talk with mine on the phone when I have questions. I've also considered becoming a veterinarian myself, because I love animals so much & believe it or not, I actually have the brains to become a doctor! I also have a Great Pyrenees/Australian Shepherd mix that I managed to do pretty well with this past 12 1/2 years. Nobody can believe that he's as old as he is & veterinarians have commented on how healthy he is & how good he looks, especially considering his age. He's not been my only other dog, but I'm just saying, I have managed to do just fine all these years & my dog has not only survived, but thrived.

Chocolate is toxic to dogs as well, and they'd have to eat hundreds of pounds of it for it to kill them, as long as it's not baker's chocolate, but I have never read that people sprinkle chocolate over their dogs food or anything like that. lol Avocados are supposed to be bad for dogs as well, but I've seen people in California & places where they have avocado trees let their dogs eat the fallen ones without any adverse side effects.. I even know someone who feeds his dog grapes "because she likes them" & has seen no adverse effects from it (though I did tell him that grapes are terribly toxic for dogs). That doesn't mean that I should give my dog garlic, avocados, chocolate & grapes. If you want to do that with your dogs, that's fine and dandy & I'm happy that they are all doing well on it, but I try to be very careful about what I give my dogs, despite whatever you folks may currently believe.. Just because I gave my puppy ONE tablet that my vet's office gave me to give him ONE time! (and he is fine, by the way, which is the important thing!)

Of course I live in Ohio,I have friends in Florida who put stuff on their yard that we wouldent touch with a 10ft pole here in the " far north".We don't have Alligators coming up from the canal trying to eat our dogs either.Life IS hazardous don't ya know.

Indeed. Apparently so is this place. I don't use lawn chemicals. I have an organic garden in my backyard & chemicals are a no-go.. Plus they cause brain cancer for dogs.. But you're right.. We don't have gaters and stuff trying to eat our dogs. lol

It is not good to mess with Deb,she is the closest thing we have to law and order around here.

And she made a mountain out of a mole hill & managed to offend & upset me right off the bat, when I was already in a fragile state to begin with. It was akin to "picking on" me or "kicking a someone when they're down." You realize that this is my first impression of this forum & from my perspective, that's not saying much & I'm not terribly impressed with her people skills. If this is how I can expect to be treated on a regular basis, then I don't plan on being here for very long. Then again, I will give her the benefit of the doubt & say that perhaps we just got off on the wrong foot.. However, it should be noted that I *never* would have reacted the way I had, had she not come across the way she did to me... It should also be noted that I have run 3 forums myself, all having thousands of members.. So I'm no stranger to forum administration & know how people should behave.

Next item: I am not sure you understand what a " breeder" is...I was trained and mentored by several breeders and successful show exhibitors..Breedings are carefully planed and a bitch in season is NEVER left with the general population.

I'm not sure that you understand what I said, so here you go... The lady that my dog came from lives WAY, WAY, WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY out in the country. I live in the suburbs & it takes me an hour to get to where she lives, which is basically out in the middle of nowhere. They have 1 male, stud dog & the rest (like 4 of them) are females. They keep them outside, in their pasture to protect herds from coyotes.

Their male is the only male on their premises & has issues with not being able to produce puppies, because of a low sperm count. For all intensive purposes, he's sterile. Their old stud dog, which they used up until this last litter of puppies (that my dog came from), was shot & killed by (presumably) some unknown hicks that thought it'd be fun to go kill something. So they got their new stud, and he unfortunately can't produce puppies. What bad luck!.. So having a sterile male & the rest of their dogs being females, they didn't see the harm in letting their bitch be with the rest of the dogs.. There were no other males around & they live so far out in the boonies that the odds of another male dog finding her were astronomical... It just so happens that by some act of God that a loose Rottweiler from who knows where somehow got into their pasture & ended up getting their bitch pregnant.

SHOULD the bitch have been left out like that? No, I agree, but she was & what happened, happened. There's nothing that can be done about it now.. Shoulda, coulda, woulda... Y'know?... It happened & I am thankful for it, because I have been blessed with one of the puppies & he is a cute little sweetie pie. lol People make mistakes. The lady & her husband are both on the elderly side, so maybe it was easier for them to leave the bitch with the rest of the dogs. I have no idea why they did it or what happened. I didn't grill them about it when I went to get my puppy. I was just happy to have my new little guy & that's all that I was really thinking about. I got to see the rest of their dogs roaming the pasture behind their house & they were all healthy, good looking dogs & it wasn't a puppy mill or something, so I'm happy.

It is not nessecary to own the stud dog,there are plenty of good choices out there..Clue,you have to know how to read a pedigree and what to do with it.Nothing is left to chance if possible.

ME COMPREHEND. ME NOT CAVEMAN. *beats chest like a gorilla & makes Tarzan call* (maybe uncalled for, but again, I feel like I am being attacked & my intelligence insulted, which is just as unnecessary as my reaction.)

In regards to there being other options.. Not many people have Great Pyrenees around here. They're a lot bigger than the small dogs everybody typically loves to get & most people don't want larger dogs.. They get things like Yorkies and Chihuahuas.

I DO know people who use their Pyrs for herd protection,the pups live in adjoining pens for a while and as they mature join the herd.That is their job and they are not pets...Yes.those breedings are also done carefully with a goal in mind.

The breeder that I got my puppy from does that. They raise & treat them like herd protecting dogs. They're not pets to them. They are very frustrated with their male dog & want to get rid of him, since he can't produce any puppies. They offered him to me, but I don't have room for him.. Otherwise I'd have taken him, since they don't want him. The whole ordeal is pretty sad, to be honest with you.

[kian]

This has gotten way off course and I am locking the thread, not until I say a few things to " I love my pups"......

First: Deb WAS not attacking you that I read, merely educating. As for IP addresses, be aware anytime you sign onto a forum the moderators and admin have access to more info than you realize.

Chocolate CAN KILL your dog even in small amounts....very experienced dog owner, trainer and former vet tech.
I put NO chemicals on my dog unless needed, get the flea collar off, it can kill your young puppy with toxic fumes, I have seen it happen.

Yes by all means Heartworm meds, check into other products rather than something you don't need to add.

I have to address your comment: Lots of people get 6 week old puppy...GRRRRRR and that is why I have a job. BAD breeders let puppies go that young and she should have stood her ground and said NO. When they are weaned from mom between 5-6 weeks they learn to separate themselves from thier mom ON THIER OWN and they learn the world is not a scary place. They gain social skills and this is for thier mental health. I deal with many dogs who have been torn away from mom way too young and I see lots of anti-social behaviour, sadly this can never be regained as that time is lost.

If taken too early many times the puppy will attach themselves to the owner as if the owner is thier mom. Sounds pleasant??? Trust me it is NOT, that is where fear plays in. I know what I am talking about, I am a Behaviorist and a professional trainer. I hope you do not have this issue, your dog is going to be big and any fear aggression could lead to some serious problems down the road.

I currently adopted a puppy from a family that was going to put him in the shelter, they got him at 5 weeks. After having him in my home for a few days I could see the issues from that. Of course all was not lost, I KNOW how to work with that and am proud to say he has conquered those issues. What if he had stayed with the family....sad to say he would not have.

Please take the advice from Deb, Richard and Me and learn from it. I always say remain teachable in this world and you will do fine. Do I know everything....heavens no. At 55 years of age I am always learning. Go with your goals, but do learn now you will be ahead of the game. Please study behaviour, as a vet tech the vets I worked for knew very little about behaviour, I filled in for them. Study Sophia Yen, she is both. Good luck to you, don't be angry, just be teachable and you will do just fine.