As most of you know, I have been having a really hard time trying to get Cher's hair to grow infront of her ears towards her eyes.  I checked for Demo, Thyroid, switched foods, etc.  I thought it would just be her.  Bald. 

BUT her hair has started to grow back.  Coming in rather thick.  So I had been thinking, about what has changed. 

I didnt continue Cher on Heartworm meds for the winter this year.  She also didnt have heartworm meds the first summer I got her (it was about 2 months that she could have been on it, but the vet told me to hold off since she had some gastro issues - not to stress her system and she was only 12 weeks old).

Chers hair didnt start falling out until I started her on Heartworm the following summer.  And she has been on it straight through until November of this year (so about a year and a half). 

SO I think its the heartworm meds that maybe she is allergic to them.  Hopefully thats the case, and I have finially figured out Chers issue with her coat. 

YAY I am so happy. 

That's great news Crespin.  Is there an alternative drug you can give her for heartworm?

Not that I know of.

Cher has to go in next week for her annual exam and jabs, so I will bring it up with my vet and see what she thinks.  But I am sure that it is the heartworm meds causing this

Good news that you've found the problem :) 

But how important is the heartworm meds?

Heartworm meds are quite important actually.  If a dog gets heartworm from being bit by a mosquito, then they have to use a very dangerous medicine to kill the heartworms.   If the heartworms die in the heart, then it will clog the heart and they will have a heart attack.

Very serious condition, but I am thinking if I just have her on the heartworm meds, instead of the ones that treat also for mites, ticks, and parasites, that maybe its actually one of those that are messing with her, and not actually the heartworm medication itself. 

HeartGuard, only prevents heartworm, the one I had her on, Advantage Multi 10, that one treats for all the worms, and parasites as well as mites, fleas and ticks. 

Is there any alternative meds for heart worm that Cher will be less likely to have a reaction to? Be a shame for her to not have the condition although treatment for heartworm is obviously very very important and is, at the end of the day, more important then coat condition.

Oh I know, and if there isnt another preventative medication for Heartworm, that she isnt allergic too (if she really is) then its down to I would rather have a healthy bitch, who doesnt have heartworm, compared to facing a day, when a test could come back saying she is affected with heartworm.  I would be devistated. 

So in the long run, if she has to have a bad coat, then I am ok with that. 

It sounds to me more like it is a Summer thing than a heart meds problem.  If there are allergies to things like pollens, molds and so on they usually develop when a dog is an adult and rarely in young puppies - which would explain why she was unaffected her first Summer in this world.

BTW, I have a dog that had a reaction to Duramune, a vaccine.   Nothing serious but something I definitely wanted to avoid again; so for his annual boosters I take him to a different vet that uses another brand.   Anyway - the vet that uses Duramune explained that sometimes that it is the base of a medicine that a dog is actually allergic to - rather than to the medicine itself.    So just switching the brand of heartworm medication could make a difference; if in fact that is the source of the problem.