Great. Dog was heartworm positive.

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Doing our yearly dog tests and shots and my dog who always gets sick, Damian, was heartworm positive. We had to bring him in for another test to make sure it's not a false positive. I sure hope it is. Poor little guy. Hubby forgot the heartworm pills for two months when I was in the hospital. I was usually the one who gave them to the dogs.Mosquitoes are still out in Oct. and Nov. Crossing fingers that this was a false positive...but in case it's not...

Anyone with a dog who went through heartworm treatment? Yes, I know it's expensive, but he is a member of our family and we aren't going to let him get sicker and die. What can we expect?

Thanks in advance.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
The treatment used these days is nowhere near as toxic and harsh as what was used years ago.

The hardest part is that the dog must be kept confined during treatment until pronounced clear of worms and microfilaria (baby worms). We're talking cage rest.

Damian would have to be kept in a carrier or kennel and only taken out on a short leash to relieve himself.

During treatment, any exertion can cause a bit of dead worm to break off and travel through circulation to the lungs, causing a pulmonary "embolus" that is usually lethal.

You can cure Damian, but it'll be a long haul to get him well, and a lot of work on your family's part, not to mention a lot of stress on Damien.

Also things depend on what other health issues Damien has.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
That will be hard. He's never been in a cage ever. I guess, since I'm not working yet, I can stay home and make sure he just lays around, which is what he does most of the time. But I'd do it for him.

Damian is very chill. If we just hold him and he can lay on our lap, he is good. If I have to leave, I guess then I will have to put him into a cage.

Thanks for t he info.
 

Scent of Cedar *

Well-Known Member
We had a Cocker Spaniel who needed to be treated for heartworm. This would have been many years ago Serenity, and she came through it beautifully.

She needed to stay at the vet's, and was not allowed to come home until the danger was past.

The earlier the issue is diagnosed, the easier it will be to treat it.

Your little guy will be fine, I think.

Cedar
 

Lil

Well-Known Member
Oh my that's so scary! I'm so sorry to hear it. We are the literal worst people in the world when it comes to remembering the heartworm prevention medications. We're talking months or even years without giving it. Last time Suzie got her shots the vet had a 6 month heartworm shot! I was so excited! She's good to May. Then we changed vets and the new one doesn't do that shot, so Mac isn't treated. I didn't buy it because I knew we had some at home. We did...from 2012. Needless to say, I need to go by the vet - today - and get more.

I hope your little one had a false positive. It seems so surprising, missing two months in the fall!
 

Tanya M

Living with an attitude of gratitude
Staff member
Oh SWOT, I'm just sending you big hugs as you like me are such a animal lover.

I hope everything turns out okay.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
thanks, all. Trust me, he will get full treatment if it does turn out he is positive. I won't let my baby die. He seems fine, but I am not going by that. Waiting for second test results.
 

New Leaf

Well-Known Member
Prayers for your baby. Sorry for the heartache of this, Serenity.
Hoping for a false positive.
If it is positive, your love for him will be a big part of the cure.
Holding you in my thoughts.
(((HUGS)))

:staystrong:
leafy
 

susiestar

Roll With It
The dog we had when I was little got heartworms. When I found out I thought she was going to die from them immediately and I was SOOO upset. She was 11 or 12 at the time, which is quite old for a lab/irish setter mix. The treatment at the time was super hard on dogs and the vet was unsure of giving treatment due to her age. As usual, my dog surprised the vets (she was treated at a large vet hospital run by the local university vet school). She sailed through t he treatment with very few problems and was such a sweetie that the students didn't want us to take her home. The protocol then was to watch the dog in the hospital for a few days during one stage in the treatment so that if something happened she could be treated immediately.

She lived to be 17 yrs old and probably would have hit 19 or 20 except that someone came onto my parents' property and murdered her. The vets always asked us if we were positive of her age because they thought she was maybe 12 or 14 yrs old. As my aunt owned her mother, we even knew her exact birthday, l ol.

I hope your furbaby sails through treatment as smoothly as mine did!
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
HURRAY!!!!The first results were wrong!!!

Turns out Damian is heartworm negative. I asked the vet if he was sure and he said he was positive. So that's one less thing to worry about. I love him so much.
 

Tanya M

Living with an attitude of gratitude
Staff member
Doing the Happy Dance!!!

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