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I have a rescue now that is heartworm positive, he's been on the preventative for a few months, he's a lab mix. The preventative kills the new heartworm microfilia , it doesnt kill, only slows down the adults a little.. The protocol in the last few years is to keep them on the preventative... read your latest vet info... plenty of it online. He hasnt been treated yet as he had major surgery to remove a tumor and is still recovering... the tumor was affecting his quality of life much more than his heartworm. ( he got through surgery fine, with not only heartworm but a heart murmur) So I would read more in vet journals ( lots online)... talk to your vet, get a second opinion but unless you have a herding dog... which your mix isnt. It will keep more heartworms from developing into adults thereby reducing the load when you do treat them. Lots of misconceptions out there on heartworm... and many vets arent up on it. If your dog is very active then I would recommend the immiticide asap. Since my rescue is recovering from surgery, has arthritis, etc... he mostly lays around so the risk isnt great. My friend couldnt afford treatment, had her dog on heartguard for 2 years and he eventually tested negative again... it is actually a method that can work to get rid of it as the worms have a lifespan and if you keep more from developing eventually the old ones die off... although you are taking a big risk imo.
Here's a good source of info on heartworm with many options and their pro's and con's :
I have a rescue now that is heartworm positive, he's been on the preventative for a few months, he's a lab mix. The preventative kills the new heartworm microfilia , it doesnt kill, only slows down the adults a little.. The protocol in the last few years is to keep them on the preventative... read your latest vet info... plenty of it online. He hasnt been treated yet as he had major surgery to remove a tumor and is still recovering... the tumor was affecting his quality of life much more than his heartworm. ( he got through surgery fine, with not only heartworm but a heart murmur) So I would read more in vet journals ( lots online)... talk to your vet, get a second opinion but unless you have a herding dog... which your mix isnt. It will keep more heartworms from developing into adults thereby reducing the load when you do treat them. Lots of misconceptions out there on heartworm... and many vets arent up on it. If your dog is very active then I would recommend the immiticide asap. Since my rescue is recovering from surgery, has arthritis, etc... he mostly lays around so the risk isnt great. My friend couldnt afford treatment, had her dog on heartguard for 2 years and he eventually tested negative again... it is actually a method that can work to get rid of it as the worms have a lifespan and if you keep more from developing eventually the old ones die off... although you are taking a big risk imo.
Here's a good source of info on heartworm with many options and their pro's and con's :
That is [usually] only for dogs that have low-volume infections. Even then, giving a heartworm + dog a preventative is very risky.
This is direct from the American Heartworm Society web page:
Before starting a preventive program, all dogs should be tested for heartworms. Giving preventives to dogs that have adult heartworm infection can be harmful or even fatal to the pet. Adult heartworms produce millions of microscopic "baby" heartworms (called microfilaria) into the bloodstream. When you give a monthly heartworm preventive to a dog with circulating microfilaria, this can cause the sudden death of microfilaria, triggering a shock-type reaction. Even if your dog does not have this type of reaction, heartworm preventives do not kill the adult heartworms (although they may shorten the worms' life expectancy). This means an infected dog will remain infected with adult heartworms.
I am very glad that you and your friend have successfully treated your dogs with a preventative. However, that is not the proper course of action for all dogs, and a mistake in these instances could mean a dog's life.
You really need to be careful about dispensing advice, especially if you are not a veterinarian, as there is a chance that, were the OP to follow your advice, he/she could inadvertently kill his/her dog.
All my dog's are under veterinary care and I didnt dispense advice, told her to talk to her vet, look at vet journals etc... Just gave some real life examples of instances where it's been fine and why. I have had multiple rescue's with heartworm have been researching it for over 10 years and keeping up with studies, etc... do the research yourself. I never told anyone to do anything specific with their dog but to research and talk to their vet and get second opinions. I have seen lots of specific do's and don't here by you and others much more than anything I've said in this thread.
And if you actually read thoroughly the heartworm association website.. it is listed as an alternative treatment... like I said in all my posts .. do your research. Ultimately the decision is yours but look at all the facts with each dog as the treatment depends on so many factors depending on dog's health, breed, etc. I've rescued/fostered 13 dogs with heartworm ..all of them have survived treatment, all have had different approaches by the same vet based on their situation.
Just curious, doesn't the Immiticide do the same thing as a preventative, but in larger quantities, including the adult worms? If so, why wouldn't that put the dog in shock. And I haven't given him any HW preventative.
Just curious, doesn't the Immiticide do the same thing as a preventative, but in larger quantities, including the adult worms? If so, why wouldn't that put the dog in shock. And I haven't given him any HW preventative.
IDK, I'm not a vet; that would be a question that a vet could and probably should answer.
Every time I have heard that a dog has heartworm, the first rule is to never, ever give them a heartworm preventative. The second is to never give Ivermectin to a herding breed dog. I am sure that there are anecdotes to be offered in which people state experiences to the contrary. However, administering heartworm preventative to a heartworm + dog or Ivermectin to a herding dog can result in death.
All my dog's are under veterinary care and I didnt dispense advice, told her to talk to her vet, look at vet journals etc... Just gave some real life examples of instances where it's been fine and why. I have had multiple rescue's with heartworm have been researching it for over 10 years and keeping up with studies, etc... do the research yourself. I never told anyone to do anything specific with their dog but to research and talk to their vet and get second opinions. I have seen lots of specific do's and don't here by you and others much more than anything I've said in this thread.
Yes, you did. This is from your first post:
Is the dog showing advanced heartworm symptoms like coughing, weightloss, dull coat ? If not, I would actually treat with a heartworm monthly preventative for now, that will prevent new heartworms from developing.
Every time I have heard that a dog has heartworm, the first rule is to never, ever give them a heartworm preventative. The second is to never give Inermectin to a herding breed. I am sure that there are anecdotes to be offered in which people state experiences to the contrary. However, administering heartworm preventative to a heartworm + dog or Ivermectin to a herding dog can result in death.
That's what I've always heard/been told as well, to never give a + dog a HW preventative. I just recently heard people talking about giving a HW preventative to a + dog. I don't plan on giving it to him, but I'll be at the vet again this week as it seems he has an eye infection, so I think I'll ask him about this.
That's what I've always heard/been told as well, to never give a + dog a HW preventative. I just recently heard people talking about giving a HW preventative to a + dog. I don't plan on giving it to him, but I'll be at the vet again this week as it seems he has an eye infection, so I think I'll ask him about this.
This website is recommended to me by a vet. If the information is right, I will start the treatment. You don't want to wait until there are a lot more full grwon worms. I guess since the treatment can be complicated, the vet may decide to do the straight forward one first (Neuter). I agree with StalaJane. I will finish HW treatment and wait a year for the liver to recover before the neuter surgery.
Best wishes and thank you for taking care of him with great care.
Is the dog showing advanced heartworm symptoms like coughing, weightloss, dull coat ? If not, I would actually treat with a heartworm monthly preventative for now, that will prevent new heartworms from developing.
The first thing I said in that post was consult with your vet, get a second opinion. Then I stated what I would do.... and backed it up with specific info on why. All which can be backed up with VET research.
Like I said in another post LOTS of misconceptions about heartworm and what you've "always heard" is really old info and the thinking on this in the vet community in recent years after a lot of experience with heartworm.. is different. Read through the articles posted... this last one is right on and from a vet. Show it to your vet as many have been using the same treatment no matter where the dog is in the cycle. If you treat too early.. then it takes more of the painful shots to get all the worms... personally I look for the least painful but most effective .. not the quickest and easiest. Reducing the load before giving the immiticide shots is one... reducing inflammation is also beneficial and reduces risks. All achieved by administering ivermectin and doxy before treating with immiticide. But every dog is different with dif needs. So again consult with your vet... but arm yourself with some up to date knowledge not what you have "always heard"
Numerous more cases have evolved since Katrina and heartworm preventatives in those areas have been less effective giving vets/research many more reasons to look into alternate ways to deal with it.
Cant hurt to do a little research for the benefit of your dog right?
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