heartworms

[sable375]

took my foster girl to the vet this am. I was told when I got her she was a low positive, today she is very much a high positive. :( Poor baby. I think we are going to go ahead with treatment but I have heard from 2 different people heartworm treatment is bad bad bad. One was my vet and he said in 6 years he has lost one pup to treatment and it was 30 mins after the injection and it was a Rottie and the lady that is prez over the rescue said another lady just treated her foster and she almost lost him. Is the treatment that bad or are Rotties more susceptible? They did an xray too and she is a catergory 2. Her heart was enlarged and her pulmonary artery was enlarged. The vet didn't seem too concerned over that though since apperently it is not uncommon. Any information or links would be appreciated. Thanks! Oh yeah, she is 3 years old and already spayed.

[godfreyc]

I treated a 5 year old female and she came through with flying colors and never looked back. My vet said the key is to keep them very still for a long time so no pieces of the dead worm act as a clot.

[Carina43]

My vet said he's never lost a dog to HW treatment. Dutch was HW+, the shots kicked his butt, and yes you have to keep your dog calm and quiet for weeks. A friend has a Dane who went through the shots regimen years ago, her dog is just fine. The vast, vast majority of dogs who are treated for heartworms are absolutely fine afterwards.

With every medical procedure, there will be a chance (usually quite remote) of complications, including death.
Your alternatives? a: Do nothing, and watch your dog die slowly. Or b: follow one of the many "alternative" treatments touted all over the internet & take your chances. Personally I wouldn't trust most of those walnut hulls/supplement/voodoo whatever treatments when it comes to a life & death issue, but that's just my opinion. :)

There's a very vocal segment of the population who seem to regard just about anything a vet prescribes as evil and dangerous. To these people, the internet is Their Friend :) with tons of silly websites devoted to how dreadful medicine is, and how wonderful their "natural" treatment is. Everyone chooses the best care they believe in for their dogs/families; it's your call.

I'd do the Ivermectin treatment, personally.

[MARYDVM]

One method of easing the stress during heartworm treatment is to wait one month before giving the second injection. Lots of vets are starting to go this way.

[sable375]

I will ask him about waiting a month in between injections. Other wise how is it done? A week? We are going to also move the other Rott that I am fostering b/c he stresses her out. So before we start treatment he will be moved to another foster home. They get along ok but he is still a puppy and wants to play all the time and she just gets upset after a while. She will play but then get irritated and he is still going. They are working on a new foster home right now. I have her crate set up right next to my computer and she was in it all morning this morning. I had to push her in b/c she doesn't like it, but I knew if she wasn't in there then Rocco would want to play with her and that just wasn't going to happen. Thanks for the info. Anyone have any info on the web I can look at?

[godfreyc]

MaryDVM that is exactly what my vet recommended and did. The treatment seemed like it took forever and she had to be kennelled the whole time between treatments but I would rather be safe than sorry.

Sable375 I'm talking so still and quiet that initially she was allowed outside only on a leash to go potty and straight back in. It was worth it though because like I said she's great now. Your foster wants to be left alone (I'm pretty sure you know this) because her heart is filling with worms which make exertion difficult because the heart speeds up etc. etc. I wouldn't wait too long if you can't find that other foster a new home you may need to get her treated and then keep her crated unless she's going to the bathroom or trade them out on crate time, something.

[sable375]

unfortunetaly I have no control over getting him to a new home. That is the rescues job and responsibility and I don't know who can take him and who can't. They have all that info. I know it needs to be done though, and the good thing is, so does the rescue. So I am pretty sure they are making every effort to get him out before I start treatment on her.