Bobsk8 said:
My vet recommends HeartGuard Plus. I would never take a chance with my pets health by not giving a heartworm preventitive. That is one horrible disease and a bad way for a pet to die.
It is correct that heartworms cause horrible disease, but not every dog is at risk for infection, and frequent dosing with chemicals can be just as harmful, causing a pet to die. Heartworm preventives aren't without risk either!
After doing some thorough research, I have made the conscious decision not to use a HW preventive for now, since there is only a minuscule chance that my dog would actually become infected.
I do have a HW test done every 6 months though.