DS: for those of you who own dogs &.....?

Nope. The dogs are, but not my cat. She is strictly indoors, as our cats have always been, and we've never used preventative. We've never had a cat get heartworm, and all have lived to around 15 or more. Probably not the best plan, but it seems to be working.

I've owned cats for 17 years, they've always been indoor/outdoor cats as we have a catflap. We've never experienced heart-worm in any of our 5 cats. (touch wood). And no our dogs aren't prevented either. They get flead, wormed and vaccinated when they need it: that's it.

I agree with you that vets are just trying to make more money and don't be pushed into something that you aren't comfortable with, but do remember that if heart worm is at an epidemic, it may be in yours, and the cats, best interest to do so.

I don't have cats, but my dad does and he doesn't have them on a heartworm preventative, no. Reason being, they never go outside, so they automatically have a very low chance of being stung by any mosquito in general.

ADD: I don't think they'll need it. I've read that with dogs heartworm is almost always fatal if not treated. With cats, a cat can get heartworm and you will sometimes never notice because it just passes right away. Dogs will get many heartworms and they will basically take over the heart. Cats will get one and it will usually go away on its own.

Not only that, but only recent studies have shown that cats even get heartworm. Not only is their no real treatment for cats with severe heartworm, but the preventatives for cats have not been around for very long so the bad side effects have not been fully studied. For an animal that rarely gets heartworm, I wouldn't run the risk of giving it the preventative and then something going wrong

Before I get all TD's from people. Where I live in Canada, surprisingly, it isn't really necessary to give heartworm prevention medication to dogs. I have owned dogs all my life and not one has every contracted heartworms from any mosquito. So no, I do not give any of my animals heart worm preventative. I do give them flea and tick however, but if I did think that there was a risk of my dogs and cats contracting heartworm then of course I would give it to them.

However, when doing research for this to back up my answer that the breed of mosquito that carries the HW is not present in Saskatchewan where I live I found this article dated recently...

http://www.leaderpost.com/entertainment/Heartworm+...

So now I think I am going to talk to my veterinarian about if I should start getting my dogs and cats on HW preventative after the FIRST case ever in Saskatchewan to occur as of April 17th 2010!

I have 3 dogs. Although I love all 3 equally I have BONDED with one (Ducky) more than the others. I even had the other 2 first. I just don't connect with them like I i do with Ducky. We did not even plan on getting a 3rd dog. I was working @ the shelter for over a year. Saw tons of amazing, sweet, trained dogs come through. Many were put to sleep. Something about him caught my fiance's eye one day when he brought me lunch (we worked close to each other, so he played with the dogs on his lunch breaks). He was not even that special looking. We had him for a weekend, then again the next week (the shelter let employees take dogs home for a night or so to give them a break from the kennels, and to train them). It got to the point where he was just so attached to me. Its really just a special bond I cant even describe. Now my husband calls him my spoiled Princess cause he goes everywhere with me, and follows me around. My husband has his 'soul dog' too. And its the same way for him and Apollo. Bailey is the 3rd dog, and the most independent. She is not good with other dogs in public, so its not like she could go places with us anyways. She is very aloof towards humans, and prefers to do things her own way, so I don't feel like she is left out at all, its the way he likes it.

I do for all 3 of my dogs and both of my cats. My cats are total inside cats I don't let them outside, and my dogs are only outside to go potty and for play time. But I give them the monthly heart-worm medication because I asked my vet about it and he said even indoor cats (especially since both of my cats are rescued cats) have a possibility of getting heart worm.

I own 3 dogs. All of them are on heartguard preventitive. I have however, a 10 week old kitten who when is old enough will be put on a preventitive med for heartworm.

I would prefer to spend the 65 some dollars a month on preventative then have to worry about my dog dieing from something that might not cure, and the antidote might kill him....I had a dog who had heartworm...he was 6 and he died as a result of heartworm meds while he had it.

My mother does not keep our cat on HW pills because she says it's a "waste of money for an indoor cat." AKA... my mother is an ignorant a**.

I intend on owning an indoor cat and plan on keeping it on HW meds. Why, you ask? Because you never know. Mosquitoes can get in a house just like an ant or a fly can AND any indoor only cat can wander outside if it has a mind to. I'd rather spend the $60 a year and be on the safe side. I love my pets and want to do everything in my power to keep them happy, safe and healthy ALL the time.

Please don't forget to share your reason for asking haha. I wanna know why I just answered this.

yes based on advice of vet. It was a few yrs ago in talking about heartworm the vet said that in the areas where heartworm is a risk for dogs it is also a risk for cats. even indoors. She said that it is now realised that cases of heartworm in cats were more than had originally been thought.

I'm strictly dog, but I'll star for ya.

I don't keep the dog on a heartworm preventative, because that isn't an issue around here.

I'm really hoping this isn't going to be some sort of life lesson that I absolutely(don't) need to know :P