I just read this book called "How To Afford Vetrinary Care" by Dr. James L Busby D.V.M. that challenges everything that we are told to do when it comes to vet care for our dogs and cats. His book states that cats and dogs do not need anymore vacinations after the first year and that Heartworm tests are unneccessary. He challenges dental cleaning for your pets and many more topics. I was blown away and I am wondering if anyone else has read this book. After I read his book which made so much sense to me, I feel that we pet owners might be doing unnecessary medical practices that could potentially harm our pets and spending needless money on our pets out of love.  His website is oldcountryvet.com. Check it out.

Vaccinations are a big debate and I will also have titers done but the heartworm test... I will absolutely have done every year. I have seen what a heart filled with worms looks like at school and its a very sad terrible sight.

This book challenges everything that we are told by vets - I hope that more people read it and we could here some debates on it. I give liquid ivermetrin that is used on livestock for my dogs and cats and have saved a tremendous amount of money. They are on this all year long and I will be skipping the heartworm tests because if it is effective as they say that it is, I feel that I don't need it. I did have another vet tell me that if you do it all year long that you don't need the test. The irony is if the dog has heartworm they just give increased levels of ivermetrin to treat it it. Dr. Busby goes into the dosage and how to do that. He also challenges the dental work and the blood screenings. I have decided too, that I will only give my dogs the 3 year rabies for now on for my dogs and cats( not sure if cats have 3 year rabies) I have been trying to find a rabie clinic in my area but have not had any luck. This topic has also made me question if my alpacas really need their yearly CDT shots. I will probably not find the answer to that one. This book has really open up a lot for me to think about concerning vet care.

This is from his book:

Heartworm testing and prevention has been a money maker for veterinary clinincs for years. Veterinarians imply that it's dangerous to give the preventative to an infected dog. I am NOT aware of a product currently being used as a monthly preventative that can't be given to a dog infected with Dirofilaria immitis, which is scientific name for heartworm. Doses of ivermetin(the active ingredient in Heartguard), at approximately 40 times as strong as in the preventative, are given to dogs following treatment for heartworm to remove the microfilaria that are still circulating in the bloodstream. Also a little known piece of information tat few veterinnarians will volunteer is that Heartguard, or its active ingredient, if given once a month to a known infected dog for 18 months will cure an animal of infection. Besides using an often overlooked commodity called common sense, if the preventative is any good at all, and they are all excellant, why does one need to test every year before re-giving the medication.

There is not room on this forum to go into the issues but if you read the book and this vet just makes for good common sense you will be blown away at the money wasted on so many unnecessary procedures - all that we do because we love our pets and don't want to take chances with their health and our vets have convinced us that these things are necessary and according to Dr. James L Busby D.V.M in practice for 40 years is not.

This book's website is which I forgot to mention is - check it out.

www.oldcountryvet.com

info@oldcountryvet.com

This is funny but someone I know uses Listerine to repel mosquitos. I not so sure I would like that Listerine smell.