Heartworm In dogs?

tempus vernum · 05-30-2019, 06:51 PM

So, our dog tested positive for heartworm

. We’ve had her on heartworm preventative for two years. Honestly I’m still in denial

it’s very “rare”
To have heartworm prevention and test positive. We didn’t buy enough at one time for her treatment to be free (

) . Ironically we were told THIS year the day of the test that if we buy 12 at once they guarantee and pay for treatment.

Any tips? Thoughts? Ideas?

We see the vet without her tomorrow to discuss treatment options, cost, risk factors, etc.

I’ve read a bit and already have some concerns about discussing treatment without figuring out what stage the disease is. I’ve done some reading and understand a bit already. Enough I’m concerned w discussing treatment without xrays and/or ultrasound.

Here are my questions— any other questions we r missing?
1 what stage is our pup?
2 I’ve heard it’s vital To do xrays and potentially an ultrasound before discussing treatment

if that’s not true and vet ready w treatments , why?
3 how many dogs have u treated?

Does anyone think after the first appointment discussing treatment we should get a second opinion?

ECingMama · 05-30-2019, 09:23 PM

Thanks for the reminder.

DE doesn’t cure this?

Maedchen · 05-30-2019, 10:08 PM

DE doesn't have any help for heart worms.

My daughter's service dog tested positive. I was furious when I found out because her now ex husband would not let her ask for help to pay for the preventive 1 month.........I ended up paying for the heart worm treatment (that was in short supply that year) It is BAD! It is essentially heavy chemo.

Due to her dog being a service dog, we convinced the vet to let us take him home after the 1st shot, but we had to be back the next morning as soon as they opened.

He was pitiful.........i know he was in pain because he quivered all night and lay in a cocoon type position.

They have to be kept very quiet and no physical activity for a period of time.

So far, his treatment has worked and we make sure he gets his pill even if we have to do with out for ourselves. The same goes for my small dog. (I didn't know cats can get it, but my hobo cat we adopted has heart worms..........there is no treatment available for cats.

)

The cost for us was a reduced price for $650 (due to him being a service dog)

tempus vernum · 05-31-2019, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maedchen

DE doesn't have any help for heart worms.

My daughter's service dog tested positive. I was furious when I found out because her now ex husband would not let her ask for help to pay for the preventive 1 month.........I ended up paying for the heart worm treatment (that was in short supply that year) It is BAD! It is essentially heavy chemo.

Due to her dog being a service dog, we convinced the vet to let us take him home after the 1st shot, but we had to be back the next morning as soon as they opened.

He was pitiful.........i know he was in pain because he quivered all night and lay in a cocoon type position.

They have to be kept very quiet and no physical activity for a period of time.

So far, his treatment has worked and we make sure he gets his pill even if we have to do with out for ourselves. The same goes for my small dog. (I didn't know cats can get it, but my hobo cat we adopted has heart worms..........there is no treatment available for cats.

)

The cost for us was a reduced price for $650 (due to him being a service dog)

I’m aware it’s chemo and horrible (this is why I want her “staged.” She’s has zero symptoms) and my research also indicates DE does nothing. I keep thinking this can’t be happening because we did heartworm preventative .

my parents dog had heartworm and it was pitiful. I’m considering calling my dad but I don’t talk to him and typically don’t share any “crisis worthy” information due to the nature of our estrangement.

Maedchen · 05-31-2019, 07:38 AM

If you can afford it, you could get a different vet to run another blood work test if you don't trust this vet fully. I would think they could tell you how badly it is showing up. I would also want to know if they gave you a bad batch of pills or if other dogs in your area are having this happen.

ECingMama · 05-31-2019, 09:52 AM

Is the preventative low dose chemo?

We're only supposed to treat March to September here, i think. Mosquito season?

Soliloquy · 05-31-2019, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ECingMama

Thanks for the reminder.

DE doesn’t cure this?

DE stays in the digestive tract. It is helpful as a preventative for some parasites but I don't trust it as a sole line of defense even for intestinal worms. But it won't even touch heartworms.

tempus vernum · 05-31-2019, 04:48 PM

So we just got done at the vet and it was crazy bad luck because we do year round. She appears to have a mild case due to no symptoms and regular testing and will be getting her X-ray and larvae rest. We may still qualify for 100% reimbursement for treatment since the 4 weeks recommendation and guarantee is fairly new and she’s never tested positive before now and had 2 negatives on file

We will likely do a slow kill method for many reasons. One is our vet has been successfully treating that way for many many years. Two is that it’s much much gentler I’m not ready to process more than that right now because I’m horribly shaken still. I welcome thoughts prayers and opinions even if u disagree w slow kill

Thanks for all of the support

Maedchen · 06-04-2019, 03:41 PM

I have meant to ask, what heartworm preventative medication did you use?

We just had to go and get our dog the blood test and a refill and I thought of this thread when I was picking up the medication. We use the Sentinel chews for our 40 pounder. (I was really concerned while awaiting the results of her test, but she tested negative. PTL!)

ECingMama · 06-04-2019, 04:06 PM

Is this the slow kill method you're talking about?

Heartgard (slow kill)

The "slow kill" method, which is a newer approach, is the one prefered by us for treatment of dogs who are in Stage 1 of the infection. It consists of giving the dog Heartgard on a monthly basis. This heartworm preventative medication has some effect against the adult worms and should gradually eliminate them over a period of one to two years; without treatment, the worms can live up to five years. The earlier the treatment is started after infection, the more quickly it will work to eliminate the adult worms. Note that only Heartgard (ivermectin) should be used, as Revolution (selamectin) affects far fewer adult worms, and Interceptor (milbemycin oxime) almost none at all.

https://www.petrescuebyjudy.com/info...ay?PageID=5811

weerach · 05-31-2019, 12:14 AM

I've never heard of this before. I'm going to go Google it.

I'm so sorry :-(

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

05-30-2019, 06:51 PM	#1
tempus vernum Rose Garden I am the mountain. I am not the storm and the storm is not me. -Ian Cron Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 28,913	Heartworm In dogs? So, our dog tested positive for heartworm . We’ve had her on heartworm preventative for two years. Honestly I’m still in denial it’s very “rare” To have heartworm prevention and test positive. We didn’t buy enough at one time for her treatment to be free () . Ironically we were told THIS year the day of the test that if we buy 12 at once they guarantee and pay for treatment. Any tips? Thoughts? Ideas? We see the vet without her tomorrow to discuss treatment options, cost, risk factors, etc. I’ve read a bit and already have some concerns about discussing treatment without figuring out what stage the disease is. I’ve done some reading and understand a bit already. Enough I’m concerned w discussing treatment without xrays and/or ultrasound. Here are my questions— any other questions we r missing? 1 what stage is our pup? 2 I’ve heard it’s vital To do xrays and potentially an ultrasound before discussing treatment if that’s not true and vet ready w treatments , why? 3 how many dogs have u treated? Does anyone think after the first appointment discussing treatment we should get a second opinion? __________________ ~Spring always comes after winter~ 2 Corinthians 4:16 “ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ” Last edited by tempus vernum; 05-30-2019 at 06:53 PM.

05-30-2019, 09:23 PM	#2
ECingMama Rose Garden Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 16,748	Re: Heartworm In dogs? Thanks for the reminder. DE doesn’t cure this? __________________ ENFp Wife who is thankful to be in love....17 years Homeschooling Mom of three....15 DD dancer and 12 DS mountain biker and 5 DD calico critter and dolly mommy 12/2014 8/2015 11/2015 9/2016

05-30-2019, 10:08 PM	#3
Maedchen Rose Trellis Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 2,482	Re: Heartworm In dogs? DE doesn't have any help for heart worms. My daughter's service dog tested positive. I was furious when I found out because her now ex husband would not let her ask for help to pay for the preventive 1 month.........I ended up paying for the heart worm treatment (that was in short supply that year) It is BAD! It is essentially heavy chemo. Due to her dog being a service dog, we convinced the vet to let us take him home after the 1st shot, but we had to be back the next morning as soon as they opened. He was pitiful.........i know he was in pain because he quivered all night and lay in a cocoon type position. They have to be kept very quiet and no physical activity for a period of time. So far, his treatment has worked and we make sure he gets his pill even if we have to do with out for ourselves. The same goes for my small dog. (I didn't know cats can get it, but my hobo cat we adopted has heart worms..........there is no treatment available for cats. ) The cost for us was a reduced price for $650 (due to him being a service dog)

05-31-2019, 07:38 AM	#5
Maedchen Rose Trellis Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 2,482	Re: Heartworm In dogs? If you can afford it, you could get a different vet to run another blood work test if you don't trust this vet fully. I would think they could tell you how badly it is showing up. I would also want to know if they gave you a bad batch of pills or if other dogs in your area are having this happen.

05-31-2019, 09:52 AM	#6
ECingMama Rose Garden Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 16,748	Re: Heartworm In dogs? Is the preventative low dose chemo? We're only supposed to treat March to September here, i think. Mosquito season? __________________ ENFp Wife who is thankful to be in love....17 years Homeschooling Mom of three....15 DD dancer and 12 DS mountain biker and 5 DD calico critter and dolly mommy 12/2014 8/2015 11/2015 9/2016

05-31-2019, 04:48 PM	#8
tempus vernum Rose Garden I am the mountain. I am not the storm and the storm is not me. -Ian Cron Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 28,913	Re: Heartworm In dogs? So we just got done at the vet and it was crazy bad luck because we do year round. She appears to have a mild case due to no symptoms and regular testing and will be getting her X-ray and larvae rest. We may still qualify for 100% reimbursement for treatment since the 4 weeks recommendation and guarantee is fairly new and she’s never tested positive before now and had 2 negatives on file We will likely do a slow kill method for many reasons. One is our vet has been successfully treating that way for many many years. Two is that it’s much much gentler I’m not ready to process more than that right now because I’m horribly shaken still. I welcome thoughts prayers and opinions even if u disagree w slow kill Thanks for all of the support __________________ ~Spring always comes after winter~ 2 Corinthians 4:16 “ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ” Last edited by tempus vernum; 05-31-2019 at 06:29 PM.

06-04-2019, 03:41 PM	#9
Maedchen Rose Trellis Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 2,482	Re: Heartworm In dogs? I have meant to ask, what heartworm preventative medication did you use? We just had to go and get our dog the blood test and a refill and I thought of this thread when I was picking up the medication. We use the Sentinel chews for our 40 pounder. (I was really concerned while awaiting the results of her test, but she tested negative. PTL!)

06-04-2019, 04:06 PM	#10
ECingMama Rose Garden Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 16,748	Re: Heartworm In dogs? Is this the slow kill method you're talking about? Heartgard (slow kill) The "slow kill" method, which is a newer approach, is the one prefered by us for treatment of dogs who are in Stage 1 of the infection. It consists of giving the dog Heartgard on a monthly basis. This heartworm preventative medication has some effect against the adult worms and should gradually eliminate them over a period of one to two years; without treatment, the worms can live up to five years. The earlier the treatment is started after infection, the more quickly it will work to eliminate the adult worms. Note that only Heartgard (ivermectin) should be used, as Revolution (selamectin) affects far fewer adult worms, and Interceptor (milbemycin oxime) almost none at all. https://www.petrescuebyjudy.com/info...ay?PageID=5811 __________________ ENFp Wife who is thankful to be in love....17 years Homeschooling Mom of three....15 DD dancer and 12 DS mountain biker and 5 DD calico critter and dolly mommy 12/2014 8/2015 11/2015 9/2016

05-31-2019, 12:14 AM	#11
weerach Rose Garden Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 11,733	Re: Heartworm In dogs? I've never heard of this before. I'm going to go Google it. I'm so sorry :-( Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk __________________ Rach wife to Andrew Mama to Miss A 2007 Mr N 2009 Mr J 2010 Miss S 2013 Miss N - 2016 6 angels waiting with the Lord "Looking off unto Jesus my spirit is blessed, In the world i have turmoil ; In him i have rest, While the sea of my life all about me may roar, When i look unto Jesus i see it no more"

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