Prevent Heartworm for Dogs with Virbac® Sentinel® Spectrum #SentinelSpectrum

This post is sponsored by Virbac® Sentinel® Spectrum® and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer NetworkTM. I am being compensated to help create awareness about protection against common parasites found in dogs but we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers. More information about Sentinel Spectrum Virbac is not responsible for the content of this article.

Keeping my dogs free of heartworm disease, fleas and other intestinal parasites is my top priority so I was elated when I got the opportunity to try and write about this awesome preventative called Virbac® Sentinel® Spectrum. Having an all in one preventative treatment option is fantastic because its saving me money over having to purchase these preventatives separately. Since my big boy, Jasper, is also allergic to fleas I was excited to find out this product also interupts the flea cycle by killing flea eggs. Although heartworm is extremely rare in the city I live in, those that expose their dogs to places that mosquitos tend to roam are at a greater risk. Plus, my readership is country wide, so I know my readers will want to learn about the 6 most common parasites that effect K9’s today. I know that I can help prevent Heartworm for my Dogs with Virbac® Sentinel® Spectrum.

ABOUT Virbac® Sentinel® Spectrum®:

SENTINEL SPECTRUM is a Tasty Chew that protects your dog against all 3 parasite groups: 1. Heartworm 2. Intestinal worms – roundworm, whipworm, hookworm and tapeworm 3. Fleas. Even if you do not live in an area that has a lot of heartworm, you still benefit because this product covers 6 parasites that are very common to dogs. This product is available by prescription only, and Sentinel Spectrum is available in 4 different sizes and can be used safely for dogs six weeks of age or older. Having options for puppies is very exciting as there is not a lot of options out there for puppies. One thing that I really love about this product is that it is a chewable tablet. Both of my dogs are full of hair and are double coated. Jasper’s double coat is much thicker with a dense undercoat that is impossible to part to apply treatment. On top of all of that, Jasper is an 80-pound HUGE baby when it comes to topical treatment. He literally acts like I am trying to kill him if I try to apply any “treatment” to his coat. So for us, the topical treatments are not as effective because we don’t always get the treatment on the dog correctly. I just prefer chewable tablets over topical. I know I am not the only one going through this, even if dog owners refuse to admit it. I am willing to bet I have a lot of readers who can relate to my struggle.

Since fleas are something we deal with every year I am really excited because I feel that the product is safe and effective in eliminating fleas for my dogs. My Jasper is seriously like my child, and when he has allergic reactions to fleas it’s just terrible to deal with. Where there’s one flea, there could be hundreds more waiting to hatch. When you have a dog allergic to fleas this is a major problem. Fleas on a dog are only the tip of the iceberg. Only 5% of fleas are adults, the other 95% are eggs and immature fleas living in the environment. This is why flea infestation happens so fast, and is so hard to get rid of. It is also why I work so hard to keep my home and animal’s flea free. Having a treatment that interrupts the flea cycle means I will be able to stay on top of keeping fleas out of the home.

6 Common Parasites You Need to Know About

Heartworm is an extremely expensive thing to treat. I once met a woman that adopted a GSD who ended up being heartworm positive and it cost her over $1500 to treat him. I cannot stress enough how important it is to ensure your dogs are given a preventative for the most common parasites. Nearly 300,000 dogs in the U.S. contract heartworms each year from infected mosquitoes, causing lack of energy, weight loss, and breathing problems. If left untreated, then heartworm disease can cause heart and lung damage and even death. Both indoor and outdoor dogs are at risk year-round—no matter where you live. Annual screenings with a simple blood test are important to help detect heartworm disease. The test is fairly inexpensive, and can literally save your dog’s life. I was able to get the results of Jasper’s heartworm test back within 24 hours. It was really fast. Even though I live in an area mosquitos are not that prevalent, I take my boys into areas that mosquitos and other parasites are living. My boys also eat grass, a common way that roundworms are passed to dogs.

In conclusion,

The fleas you can see only make up a small portion of the population, while the fleas you can’t see are able to survive in a home for up to 1 year before ever finding a host. Intestinal parasites, including hookworms, whipworms, roundworms, and tapeworms, are worms that invade your dog’s digestive system and can cause serious health problems for your pet. Many of these parasites can be picked up while frequenting areas that are used by lots of other dogs. So for example if you live in an apartment complex like I do that is dog friendly you are at a higher risk. The first step in protecting your dog from Heartworm is to book a Vet appointment so that you can get a prescription for Sentinel Spectrum. Even if your vet does not carry this product, you can get them to write you a prescription, and then you can fill the prescription using an online pharmacy.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Virbac® Sentinel®. The opinions and text are all mine.