My 3 year old Lab mixed tested positive to heart worm. Her vet recorment to starting her on heart worm prevention program while I decide for treatment options.
The other Vet in few years back tell me not to put my dog on prevention medic unless it's tested for negtive, cause any present heart worm will reacted violently, and panatrating heart musle and kill the dog.
So, I have two deffrent opinions from vet. One, treatment, then reguler prevention program.
Another, Start the prevention program now to stop any more mosqito bite, until treatment started.
Both agree that the treatment is not garuntee, and it will take several years for the heart worm to over grow and kill the dog.
I need to decide to rather treat her with risk of loosing her, or let her live happily untill she die.
Do I have accurate information?
Help me!
2006-10-11 10:58:47 · 9 answers · asked by wonderwoman 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Heartgard can be given to a dog who is positive for HW.
Read what a vet in Florida has to say about this.
http://www.evidencebasedvet.com
Click on articles and scroll down to the one on heartworm. He links you into the governments website and shows the studies done on all the heartworm pills. They were studied given to heartworm positive dogs and they were all fine.
Also look for alternative treatments for heartworm.
Here's one: http://www.ambertech.com
2006-10-11 11:56:06 · answer #1 · answered by A Great Dane Lady 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I went through that with my dog. She tested positive and I had her treated 1 shot followed by COMPLETE rest for 30 days (no running, taken out on a leash to go potty, no playing) the second and 3rd shots were given 30 days after the first one back to back and she spent 3 days at the vet. Again, complete rest for 30 more days. She then, at the end of that 30 day period, got an oral dose of medicine and was rechecked in 3-4 weeks after that. She was put on HW preventative during the treatment and she is fine. There were no complications. Life cycle of the adult heart worm is 5-7 years and yes, they can kill the dog. Of course, the treatment can also kill the dog depending on how infected she is. Light, medium or strong positive. Positive is positive and she should be treated. If you follow the vets directions for aftercare, she should be ok.
Good luck.
2006-10-11 16:41:08 · answer #2 · answered by MANDYLBH 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Please treat your baby for heartworms, I see dogs with heartworms everyday & it can be heartbreaking, Heartworm treatments have come a long ways & are very effective, Your vet telling you to start on prevenative is talking about Heartgurd Plus, you can check out the website, it is used by many vets as a treatment for the microfilaria, the baby heartworms. But we have the customer bring the dog in and we watch it all day after the heartguard is given for signs of distress, it is not the best option but it is what a lot of people choose & certainly better than no treatment>> good luck
2006-10-11 11:16:57 · answer #3 · answered by lesa b 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Definitely do the treatment, and then keep her on a heart worm preventative. I had a German Shepherd that tested positive and with treatment she was fine. She was about a year old at the time. Without treatment, heart worms can cause a lot of damage to the heart. The dog’s heart and pulmonary arteries enlarge due to mechanical obstruction of the worms, inflammation and valvular damage to the heart. Read the info on this site. http://www.thepetprofessor.com/articles/article.aspx?id=199
2006-10-11 11:14:14 · answer #4 · answered by ...... 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Starting on the prevention doesn't kill out mass quantities of the heart-worm, it's kills the babies so they don't grow into adults and make things worse. If you cannot at this time afford the "Cure" at least start the prevention to keep the babies from turning into adults making things MUCH worse than they already are. If you "cure".. get the dog on prevention and never take it off, never miss a dose. Heart-worm disease is extremely hard on an animal.
2006-10-11 11:11:46 · answer #5 · answered by sred 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
DO NOT give heart worm prevention meds to an infected dog. As the worm die and break up the will clog blood vessels just like Plaques does and cause strokes, heart attackes, etc,etc.
Treatment for heart worms is completlly different to prevention meds.
2006-10-11 11:00:58 · answer #6 · answered by tom l 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Do not give your dog heartworm preventative after it has been diagnosed with heartworm disease.
Get her treated for heartworm disease.
Again, DO NOT give your dog preventative meds at this point. You should have been doing that all along -- if you would have, she most likely would not have contracted this terrible and sometimes fatal disease.
2006-10-11 21:46:03 · answer #7 · answered by kaschweigert 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
i wrestled with the same question,then decided that our dog HoneyBun was worth it, it isnt too expensive, and you'll feel better about doing it for your pet.......if you love them and have taken on the responsiblity of having a pet of any kind, there will always be expenses in caring for your pet............take care, shar from ohio
2006-10-11 11:02:53 · answer #8 · answered by smileyfish 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ok well with heat worm if yo ulive in ca there not a big problem with it.so you can or cant us it. but do not give any heartworm meds with out a test frist.
2006-10-11 11:01:26 · answer #9 · answered by I AM ?? 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋