Heartworm disease in dogs
Heartworms kill dogs. We know this because anyone who has ever owned a dog in Florida, or any other state which has a mosquito population, treats their dog with a preventative.
My family has owned two dogs who had heartworms. Blackie, the dog I grew up with was diagnosed in his 15th year, and the treatment at the time was so tough, the vet thought old age would kill him before the heartworms did.
And Bigfoot. I took Bigfoot from some people I met who were not being kind to him and he came to live with my family. He was diagnosed on his first vet visit and my father paid for his treatment, which at the time was almost $600 and he had to spend a week at the vet's office recuperating. They used arsenic to treat heart.
That was back in the late 1970s. Bigfoot survived, was put on preventatives and lived a long and happy life. (He was named Bigfoot, because his feet were huge and his body never caught up.)
Shelters used to euthanize for heartworm. The treatment was very expensive and they did not have the resources or staff to treat and then care for a dog with heartworm disease.
Things have changed dramatically since then and many shelters and rescues do treat for heartworm.
The animals after treatment must still be cared for and cannot have normal activity for a month after the treatment. Anything which may start their blood pumping harder than normal can dislodge the dead worms, cause an embolism and the dog can die.
If you own a dog, please have a test done and begin your dog on preventatives right away. Your vet will need to do a blood test before starting the preventative to make sure the dog is clear first. Then follow your vet's instructions for follow-up care.
Heartworms can be prevented. Do it for your dog.
My family has owned two dogs who had heartworms. Blackie, the dog I grew up with was diagnosed in his 15th year, and the treatment at the time was so tough, the vet thought old age would kill him before the heartworms did.
And Bigfoot. I took Bigfoot from some people I met who were not being kind to him and he came to live with my family. He was diagnosed on his first vet visit and my father paid for his treatment, which at the time was almost $600 and he had to spend a week at the vet's office recuperating. They used arsenic to treat heart.
That was back in the late 1970s. Bigfoot survived, was put on preventatives and lived a long and happy life. (He was named Bigfoot, because his feet were huge and his body never caught up.)
Shelters used to euthanize for heartworm. The treatment was very expensive and they did not have the resources or staff to treat and then care for a dog with heartworm disease.
Things have changed dramatically since then and many shelters and rescues do treat for heartworm.
The animals after treatment must still be cared for and cannot have normal activity for a month after the treatment. Anything which may start their blood pumping harder than normal can dislodge the dead worms, cause an embolism and the dog can die.
If you own a dog, please have a test done and begin your dog on preventatives right away. Your vet will need to do a blood test before starting the preventative to make sure the dog is clear first. Then follow your vet's instructions for follow-up care.
Heartworms can be prevented. Do it for your dog.
Comments