I was wondering if any of you have had experience with dogs going through heartworm treatments. I adopted a dog from a shelter who has one heartworm injection left. They told me to keep him quiet and to make sure he doesn't run and such. But he's two years old, and he wants to play. Is it all right for me to play fetch with him in the living room? What should I expect after his next injection? For those of you who've had dogs with heartworms, how did it go? Is your doggie okay now?
-pH
Posted by Avadaru (Member # 3026) on :
The vet clinic where I work does heartworm treatments on dogs (the last clinic I worked at didn't do them) and I don't like them. I think the best way to treat them is to start them on Heartgard, which kills off the microfilaria (baby worms) and sterilizes the adult worms. The adult worms will eventually die of old age and be absorbed into the body harmlessly.
The immiticide injections used in heartworm treatments basically kill the adult worms immediately, and those worms break loose from the heart and can cause all kinds of problems. They can very easily get lodged in an artery or vein and cause a massive and potentially fatal clot. For a dog with a very severe heartworm infestation it's extremely dangerous. There are many different schools of thought on this, but I personally wouldn't take the risk.
Since you're already undergoing the treatment, it is VERY important that you keep Bert calm. When you are not home, he needs to be in a crate, or if you don't have one, a bathroom or small enclosed area. No running off leash or vigorous play. If you absolutely can't keep him calm, I would talk to your vet about getting some form of sedation until the treatment is over. In the short time I have worked at this clinic, I have already seen several cases where the owners of the dogs failed to keep them confined and calm, and the dogs basically went into heart failure. It's not THAT common, but the fact that I've seen 2 cases in 2 months scares me enough to know I'll never do it.
Just be careful, and try to keep him as calm as possible.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
Last summer my mom's best friend was fostering a two year old Jack Russell that had to undergo heartworm treatment. The day after his treatment she had to be out of town and my schedule in school allowed me to go spend three hours with him. This was the big deal first treatment, and he had no desire to move. I did take him outside to potty and he decided to lay on the cold grass (he'd just been neutered three days before the heartworm treatment), but he didn't want to play. He didn't have to have another actual treatment, just a normal preventitive given at the vets office and be left there that day a month after treatment. He spent the first two weeks post treatment in a utility room with a gate.
I'm pretty suprised that the shelter would put him up for adoption while he still had treatments to undergo. This person did end up adopting this dog after six weeks of cuddle time though. She fosters about 20 dogs a year and that was the only one she's ever adopted.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
What Avadaru said. Sure, he wants to play--he's a 2 year old dog, and he feels okay. Despite that, playing with him is a very, very bad idea.
Posted by Stan the man (Member # 6249) on :
quote:Originally posted by Noemon: Despite that, playing with him is a very, very bad idea.
*ooops* Well, there goes my dry spell of Hatrack. Sake's down so I needed something to read. Back later. Have a scout meeting.
*Psssst, PH, I guess this means I'm back for a bit.*
Edit to add: Noemon: Whether that was meant serious or not (it probably was) It just sounded funny in my mind when I read it. More like a than a . I wish I could get a puppy. However, my lease contract says I can't. Hope all goes well PH.
[ August 07, 2007, 09:45 PM: Message edited by: Stan the man ]
Posted by matt (Member # 236) on :
My dog had heartworms when I found him, and he got the treatment done (I was in college and broke, so my aunt made all the decisions about his care due to the fact that she was kind enough to pay for them...)
If it makes you feel better, that was almost 10 years ago to the day. He got through that no problem, and he's gotten through having four mast cell tumors removed pretty well (so far), too! So take heart, if you keep him calm for just a little longer (tough with a puppy, I'm sure), he'll probably be OK for a long time to come.
Best of luck!
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
quote:Originally posted by breyerchic04: Last summer my mom's best friend was fostering a two year old Jack Russell that had to undergo heartworm treatment. The day after his treatment she had to be out of town and my schedule in school allowed me to go spend three hours with him. This was the big deal first treatment, and he had no desire to move. I did take him outside to potty and he decided to lay on the cold grass (he'd just been neutered three days before the heartworm treatment), but he didn't want to play. He didn't have to have another actual treatment, just a normal preventitive given at the vets office and be left there that day a month after treatment. He spent the first two weeks post treatment in a utility room with a gate.
I'm pretty suprised that the shelter would put him up for adoption while he still had treatments to undergo. This person did end up adopting this dog after six weeks of cuddle time though. She fosters about 20 dogs a year and that was the only one she's ever adopted.
He was with a foster mother before I adopted him...I saw him at the shelter before he started treatment about a month ago, and when I came back in, they offered to give the foster mother my number so we could set up a meeting.
I think he also has pretty bad separation anxiety, so I'm worried about how his heart will respond when I have to go to work after he has his treatment. I'm going to get him a crate; I'll need one anyway until he can get through some of his anxiety. He's a very well-behaved dog, but if I'm gone for too long, even if it's in the next room, he gets really freaked out. He's gotten really attached to me.
Avadaru, what kinds of sedatives might be available for him? I'm wondering if maybe a sedative would be a good idea just because of his anxiety level.
-pH
Posted by Avadaru (Member # 3026) on :
Some common sedatives are acepromazine and valium. Ace is the most widely used in dogs, it's very safe and inexpensive. Valium is more often used for seizuring dogs, but if you have a seriously stressed animal, it works very well.
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
pH, this sounds like a different dog than the pit bull you've talked about before--do you still have him?
(My apologies if it wasn't a pit bull, that's just my vague memory; I remember something about your father training him before you got him.)
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Uprooted, Pike (my pit bull) developed major behavioral problems after I asked my boyfriend to move out. I gave him to a family with five boys. He likes men a lot better than women...he really doesn't respect commands from women. So he's happy now...he has a huge yard to play in and five boys who will play with him.
Bert is a black lab/chow mix. He's a teddy bear, and what's weird is that he's smaller than either a lab or a chow. He has a lab body, but he has short legs. It's cute.
-pH
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
I'm glad that things worked out for both you and Pike! Bert sounds adorable. I hope all works out well w/ the heartworm treatments. How long are you supposed to keep him quiet?
Posted by AvidReader (Member # 6007) on :
Two months. Mine just got the negative result yesterday. Yay!
After she came up positive, we switched from the all-in-one topical crap to Heartguard. A month later, she got her first shot. Then another a month later. Those two months after the shots she had to be kept quiet, but the apartment isn't very big, so we just kept an eye on her. Fortunately, my man and I are on opposite work schedules, so someone was always home for her.
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