I am thinking about adopting the most adorable puppy but he he has heartworm. After we get his treatments (which will cost about $600) will he always have medical issues because of the heartworm or will he be able to be normal again?
2007-06-08 18:09:30 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
I have a 12 year old that had heartworm before I adopted him. I was told he might have some after effects but he is a twelve year old and healthy as a pup. Good Luck
2007-06-08 18:12:55 · answer #1 · answered by not-so--dumb--blonde 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had an older stray Lab that was treated for heartworms, and he seems to be fine.
In extreme cases of heartworms where the infestation is great, damage to the heart and other areas of the body could be permanent. However, in many cases that are not so severe, dogs recover greatly if not completely after being treated.
In short, he may not go back perfectly to a normal puppy, but he'll probably get pretty darn close. And no, most likely, he will never have these medical issues again in his life.
However, it seems that dogs once infested with heartworms are more susceptible to getting it a second time. It is encouraged to use a preventative such as Heartguard to ward off a second infestation. Heartguard is used on many normal dogs as well as a preventative, and it isn't overly expensive when compared to the cost of treatment for heartworms.
2007-06-09 01:18:15 · answer #2 · answered by The Samurai Lullaby 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a 2 year-old Corgi mix that just went through heartworm treatment. She was not herself for about 3 days after each of the 3 shots, but between shots was just fine. Her last shot was in late May, and now (mid-June) she is acting like a normal 2 year-old. I don't have to go back to the vet for a follow-up checkup until October. I found out that she had heartworm 4 days after I rescued her and struggled with the decision of whether or not to keep her. I'm so glad I did! She was well worth the investment. Good luck to you!
2007-06-09 01:39:05 · answer #3 · answered by AZdogParent 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, he can be perfectly healthy again! The price of treatment usually includes a full blood profile, CBC, urinalysis, chest x-rays and a fecal test. It is important to know that the dog is in the best health possible before treatment. Sometimes they will need some medical treatment first so they are better able to go through the treatment. As long as no damage was done to the internal organs, heart, and lungs, the dog can recover. If the dog is young, healthy, and does not show any outward signs of the disease, they do quite well. It is very important to follow your vets recommendations after treatment.
2007-06-09 01:22:11 · answer #4 · answered by KimbeeJ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the puppy is young, sure absolutely!
How severe are the heartworms?
If they are a light load ask your vet about doing a slow kill treatment.. Surely less expensive, effective. ( I am not going to describe that it is because stupid people will do it unsupervised and possibly kill their dogs)
** some vets do not do the slow kill, or are not aware of the process. We use it a lot at our clinic, but we live in Louisiana..one of the 5 states with the most heartworm infection**
If it is a moderate to heavy load, go with the immiticide injections. they are very very safe. A lot safer than previous treatments for heartworms.
good luck- Happy you are willing to help a dog that needs you
2007-06-09 01:18:09 · answer #5 · answered by tragedys_kiss 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on how badly he was affected by it and how much of the heart is damaged. Puppies are very resilliant by nature, but heartworm is a nasty disease. You can read more about it at the american heartworms societys page at http://www.heartwormsociety.org/article.asp?id=11. That will give you a lot more information and also speak to your vet about it. I hope everything goes well for you! Good Luck!!
2007-06-09 01:15:33 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Six hundred dollars for heartworm treatment for active heartworm seems kind of high. How old is your puppy? If he is healthy and young there is no reason that he cant be totally normal again after successful treatment.
2007-06-09 01:14:38 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It depends on how severe the infestation is. You need to find out if he has had a proper assessment done (including chest x-rays, maybe ECG and echo) as this will determine whether the hearworm has started to cause damage to his heart and the vessels or if he is simply positive on the little in-house blood test that they do.
If he's up for adoption (is this through a shelter) my guess is that he is not showing any clinical signs of heart problems. If that is the case and the treatment is done properly and carefully, he shouldn't have any lasting problems.
Please feel free to email me if I can be of any more help.
2007-06-09 01:18:51 · answer #8 · answered by Loz 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I depends on the length of the infection and the overal health of the pup. Contact a vet....have them examine the dog and give you advise. If you're getting it from a shelter, then keep in mind that they probably wouldnt be adopting the dog out if they thought he wouldnt make a full recovery.
2007-06-09 01:18:16 · answer #9 · answered by Christine T 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
some may have long term damage to the heart, this usually depends on how long they have had the heart worms, your vet can answer this question best
2007-06-09 01:13:49 · answer #10 · answered by kanniece 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋