if I get my dog a treatment for his heart worms is it dangerous?

Answer 1

Its more dangerous if you do not get the dog treated. Heartworm WILL kill your dog. You can usually find a vet who will charge anywhere between $500.00 and $900.00 for the treatment. If you can not afford this find your local humane society or ASPCA and ask for help. They will always help those who need it. But do it quick........

Answer 2

There are risks involved in treating for heart worm but not treating is a death sentence too.

The treatment is to poison the worms and if the dog is unable to handle the chemicals in their system they can die from that, but your vet should be able to tell reasonably well how the dog is going to tolerate the treatment before he/she administers it.

The dog MUST be kept very quiet after the treatment so that the body has time to break down and absorb the dead worms or they can break off and cause a fatal blockage. My vet told me about the only dog he's had die and it was because the dog got loose after it was released from his care. It made it half way around the block and dropped because the blockage happened that fast. In my opinion that is the biggest danger to the dog if the dog is under the care of a good vet.

Answer 3

Treatment for heartworm is a serious medical treatment. Dogs can occasionally die from the treatment. HOWEVER, they will certainly die without it.

Basically your dog will go to the vets office and stay there for a few days, that way they can get the treatment and be monitored for serious reactions.

After the dog comes home is when your hard work starts. You have to monitor the dog for a fever, give them medicine daily, and basically allow them to walk around only to use the bathroom. The rest of the time they need to stay as calm and quiet as possible. This regimen will need to be followed for 6-8 weeks or until your vet tells you otherwise.

It won't be easy, but my flat-coat retriever went through it about 7 years ago and has been fine ever since.

Good luck!

Answer 4

No, the treatment is not dangerous but NOT getting it treated is a death sentence for the dog. I have a "rescue" poodle that was found wandering in town & she tested positive for heartworm. The rescue place had her treated which was successful but now she is 13 years old & has heart problems, her lungs fill up w/fluid regularly due to damage done by the disease & to think this could have all been PREVENTED!!!! Prevention is SO MUCH BETTER than the cure!! All animals should receive heartworm prevention all year through and they can then live a healthier life & enjoy their old age. I will probably soon have to have her put to sleep so she does not suffer. I wish the people that had her originally had taken better care of her!!

Answer 5

It can have potentially dangerous side effects, but not treating his existing heartworms would be 100% fatal. You should talk to your vet immediately about different treatment options, and chose the one that the two of you decide is best for your companion. Always remember to have your dog trested regularly and use a preventative medication in future. If the problem is that your dog won't take oral medication, like my girl, you can try a topical treatment, such as Revolution, which is applied between the shoulderblades, and is very effective at preventing internal parasites.

Answer 6

Yes - but not treating him is worse. If your dog has heartworms he is definately going to die - and this sort of death is slow and painful.

You have to kill the worms that have embedded themselves in the heart muscle and grown thru the heart and arteries. As the worms die they deteriorate. You dog needs to be kept quiet and as still as possible through the treatment - you don't want to risk a large piece of the worms breaking off and clotting in a vein or artery.

Not treating the heartworms means that they will continue to grow and spread. The heart muscle is weakened and the dogs lungs start to malfunction. The dogs becomes lethargic and starts the dreaded heartworm cough. The kidneys begin to fail and the dog begins retaining fluids. Their abdomin swells until it is distended and painfully tight and paralysis of the hind legs starts to set in.

No dog should have to go thru that.

Answer 7

If he already has heartworms it can be. If all the heartworms suddenly die their bacteria can infect the blood stream and other bad stuff.

My dog has heartworms and they wanted $900 for the heartworm treatment. But some vets will prescribe Heartguard which is a PREVENTATIVE for heartworms which is much cheaper but takes longer because it only keeps new heartworms from growing. But on the other hand, other vets think it could be bad because it might kill the dogs with heartworms because of the above reason.

Answer 8

Take the dog to the vet. RIGHT NOW. It is more dangerous to let it be or to try to do something without the advice of a vet. They are professionals, and will do everything they can for your pet. If it is not too far sometimes antibiotics and then a steady regimen of heartworm meds will be sufficient. But dont wait too long! Good luck to you and your dog

Answer 9

If you follow the vet's orders you'll have a healthy pet in no time. I just treated 2 very important family members for heart worms. My border collies are just like my children. My male was diagnosed at stage 4 and I never knew he was sick. He's now 100% after some patience and TLC...he's back to chasing frisbee's.

Answer 10

The treatment can be risky, but heartworms are fatal if not treated. Talk to your vet about the treatment, ask a lot of questions. Good luck.