Heartworms and Hookworms

[RottieMom51503]

I recently posted in the chit chat forum and picture this forum about my new GSD from a kill shelter. She went to my Vets yesterday and she tested positive for heartworm. She also is badly infested with hookworms. I am looking for people experinced with either of these conditions to advise me on what I can do to help her out. I have read that the heartworm treatments are very painful and stressful for the dog.

More of a backround on Ella:

She was an owner surrender to a shelter because he ran a junk yard and wanted her as an junkyard dog. He wailed on her alot to make her mean however, that made her scared of humans especially men. She has started warming up to me and acts a little better around me however she is still scared of Dan. She is afraid to be outside and afraid to go to the bathroom in front of us so she has been holding it all day then going during the night in her crate. I don't think she has figured out how to eat out of a bowl yet and so she has ate next to nothing in days. My vet did give me some canned food last night to add to her dry to get her eating as she is only 45.5 pounds. I gave her some last night but she only ate about 1.5 cups. She also doesn't know how to take food from hand very well, she almost bites your hand off. If you take her outside she paces and also paces in a circle around you if you put her on a leash. My vet checked her for a spay scar and she doesn't have one so after her treatment for worms and she gains some energy and weight we will spay her. Also after her treatments I will hire a behavior modifaction trainer to help with some of the minor issues I mentioned above but right now the doctor wants her taking it easy.

Any advice, info or experince with your dog would be very helpful and I would be very greatful.

Thank you

[Silvermarten]

I adopted Bruce from a rescue in Wa . He had hookworms . We treated with Panacur liquid . It was 2 or 3 treatments . I cann't remember right now how far apart . He responded very well .
I beleive interceptor ( mentioned in response to your other post ) treats hookworms too .
I do know hookworms will live in the soil and can reinfect them so pick up poop as soon as produced and dispose of .
Cann't help on the heartworm problem .
Thankyou for rescuing . Good luck with her treatments .

[RottieMom51503]

Thank you for your post silvermarten. I will also ask the vet about pancur liquid. She is my second dog I pulled out of a shelter in one weeks time. The first one I did really good on. We couldn't find anything wrong with her, she is well mannered, housetrained and knows some basic commands. Our two shelter dogs great along great and seem to like to be with each other. I really hope Ella pulls through this alright the poor dog has been through so much in three little years.

[RottieGirl86]

Oh, her story tears at my heart!

Our Duchess was a rescue, no idea what she went thru, but it took her over 1 year to let any man near her.

What about cooked lamb and rice? or chicken & rice, etc. When Duchess was undernorished when we got her and did not want dog food, we cooked her food and it go the weight back on her.

Best wishes!

[jasygirl]

The vet I recently switched to put Jasmine on panacur for her stomach problems. He wanted to a "just in case" for any parasites. He told me it is one of the better parasite treatments.
As for the heartworm, neither of my dogs have had it. But, hadn't given them their preventative for about 4 months and when I asked if I needed to retest before starting it again, the vet said no. Apparently, they've changed their thinking about heartworm. When a dog tested positive for heartworm, the company didn't have any of the treatment in stock so they had them give the preventative treatment. This probably isn't very helpful, but my reason for sharing is that maybe your vet can treat Ella for heartworm without using the traditional painful method.

[wot_racing]

I can help you witht eh hookworm.. I was given 3 doses of panacur YESTERDAY for hookworms/whipworms... Its a white powder that I mix with some food... It wasnt expensive... They also gave me interceptor as a preventative for heartworm and all other parasites...

I cant help you with heartworm, Duke tested negative... I will post what i paid for the panacur when i get home tonight.. the Interceptor is 7 dollars a month..

[chivas]

I havent seen a dog with heartworm in quite a while but when i used to work at a vets, the dogs we did treat for heartworm did quite well. If i remember correctly, it was a 3 day treatment of arsenic injections. I may be wrong but that sticks in my mind, we never did see too much heartworm even though I am in the south. Maybe MARYDVM will respond.

[RottieMom51503]

Cost really isn't an issue...We will cover it somehow I am more concerned about what the treatment and having heartworms is going to do to her. The Doctor called and said she is a level two which from what I have been reading isn't too bad. Also her white count is low. There is some damage done already and he is worried about the heart. He gave her two more medications today Enalapril and SMZ-TMP. He said we will start treatment in about a week. Keep your fingers crossed for her.

[Rocky's_mom]

We have hookworms right now too. It does live in the soil and you basically have to kill the grass (I'm looking for other alt and I'll let you know) but, if you have accidents in the house or you can use this on dirt or concrete...It's 1.5 pounds of Salt mixed with one gallon of water. And you spray one pint per square foot. The salt will pentrate the eggs and then the eggs will explode.

I know there is stuff that you can put your dog on (like once a month) that will help prevent the hookworms from comming back. After you have giving the treatment recommended by your vet. Good luck. I think there needs to be a support forum for people who have dogs with hookworms/heartworms. it's a mess.....

[rottsnroses]

Originally Posted by jasygirl

Apparently, they've changed their thinking about heartworm. When a dog tested positive for heartworm, the company didn't have any of the treatment in stock so they had them give the preventative treatment.

The "preventative" (Heartgard) does work backwards, but only kills immature microfilariae that are less than 2 months old. It doesn't kill mature heartworms. Immiticide is for mature heartworm infections, and you may be confusing that with the monthly preventative since both are made by Merial.

Quote from The Heartworm Society:

Adult Heartworm Therapy (Adulticide Therapy)
There is currently one drug approved by the FDA for use in dogs for the elimination of adult heartworms. This drug is an organic arsenical compound. Dogs receiving this drug therapy will typically have had a thorough pretreatment evaluation of its condition and will then be hospitalized during the administration of the drug.

Melarsomine dihydrochloride (Immiticide®, Merial) has demonstrated a higher level of effectiveness and safety than anything previously available. It is administered by deep intramuscular injection into the lumbar muscles. With this drug, veterinarians have the advantage over its predecessor of minimizing post-adulticide complications in dogs with high heartworm numbers. In addition the drug itself is less toxic to dogs than the drug that was its predecessor. For complete information on the classification and treatment for heartworm infected dogs using this product, consult your veterinarian.

For more info on heartworm and treatment, visit The American Heartworm Society

[MARYDVM]

The manufacturer recommended treatment with immiticide for dogs with no symptoms is 2 injections 24 hours apart. Dogs with heart disease do better with a single injection, followed by a rest of several weeks, before giving 2 more injections 24 hours apart. The serious side effects develop when too many worms are killed too quickly for the body to handle.