[Catdancer]

Our Dexter is 19 weeks old and we've got him on Sentinal (sp?) dewormer once a month. IS this a good dewormer? Are there any alternatives that are a little cheaper? I've asked other people about Sentinal and they've never heard of it? I'm like you have a dog and you never heard of it? So, do some people not give their dogs a monthly wormer/heartguard? Dexter is the only dog I've ever owned and I'm 38. So, I know absolutely nothing about this stuff. I've been following my vet's advice, but if I'm doing something that I dont need to do and blowing alot of money that our family could really use elsewhere, then I'd rather use not buy the Sentinal. We have a big privacy fenced in back yard. We dont walk Dexter, as we play ball with him several times a day and he has the full run of the house and a pet door to the back yard. He does go places with us, like Petsmart, to my family and friends' houses, etc. We also have cats who come and go via the pet door as well. We deworm them 4 times a year and we use frontline on all of them monthly.

So, is the Sentinal really necessary?

And I've also read that paps are sensitive to anestesia. I want have Dexter neutered at 6 months. Is there something that I need to do to prepare him for it? Or a specific kind of anestesia that we need to research or request?

Also, I was thinking of having Dexter microchipped when we have him neutered. What is your opinion on microchipping? Good idea or bad? Can you explain your points of view? If he somehow gets out, I want to be able to track him and go get him. That is how it works right? Do you have to pay a monthly fee? Or do you pay for the microchip insert and that's it?

Thank you all so much.

I am one confused puppy mama!

 

[Hambonez]

Sentinel is Interceptor + Program. I don't think it's as popular as Interceptor or Heartguard plus a separate flea/tick preventative. Interceptor is a heartworm pill with a dewormer. Program sterilizes adult fleas as a form of flea control. It doesn't do anything for ticks. If ticks are a problem in your area, you might want to switch to Interceptor and a topical, such as Frontline or Advantix. The Interceptor would be a little cheaper, but then again you'd also be paying for topical. Heartworm pills and Flea/tick preventative are really minor expenses compared to the cost of having a dog with heartworm, or lyme disease, or parasitic infections, etc... It's a plannable expense too, you know you need them, so it should have been factored into the dog budget before getting a dog. You can compare prices online and ask your vet if they will either price match or write you a prescription to order them elsewhere. Heartguard costs us half as much online as our vet charges. Just use a reputable website.

I would ask for a pre-ansethetic lab work up before sedating any animal. You can also ask for a pre-operative EKG. These tests will help give the vet a good idea of your dogs health before sedating him.

My pup is microchipped. It is a permenant form of ID that he can't possibly lose, unlike tags that can fall off, or collars that can get lost. It doesn't track the dog though, like lojack tracks a car. If your dog is found and brought into a shelter or vet, they SHOULD scan it for a chip, and then all your info is accessed and you're contacted and can go retrieve your pet. I paid $80, lifetime registration. Different companies may have different policies, however. I see no disadvantage to microchipping.

 

[Catdancer]

aha! So, I AM double flea medicating him. See, I already put frontline that protects against ticks and fleas on BOTH my cats and Dexter, I do them all on the same day every month. So, I am paying too much for Sentinel. I can switch then, to just a heartguard pill, right? So, INterceptor, right, will be the heartworm protector and it's a still a deowrmer, right? Then the Frontline will protect against fleas and ticks. So, that should be all he needs, right?

 

[Hambonez]

If you had a tough-to-treat flea problem, then sure do both. If not -- just do interceptor or heartguard (both do heartworms and intestinal parasites, though interceptor does one more) and Frontline.

 

[vabird]

It's a doggie myth that papillons are "sensitive" to anesthesia. It just isn't true so don't worry.

 

[Laurelin]

It's a doggie myth that papillons are "sensitive" to anesthesia. It just isn't true so don't worry.

No, it's not. I've known several with issues, including my oldest who seized when put under and then ended up spending the night in the EV. I think a lot is size related.

I would do a full workup before putting them under.