[SKB]

Originally Posted by newteacher

Thanks for all the tips. I only considered tranquilizers because I don't want the cats to be stressed out. One is about 16 y.o. and I am worried for her. I will check with my vet and I'm sure he will reccommend whatever is appropriate. Trust me, if anyone puts the needs of their pets above their own, it's my husband and I. Over the past few years, we have not had the best luck with pets... we always adopt, and animals with issues seem to be uor specialty... we've propbably spent more money on them then we have on us.. our dog had a $2,000 surgery for a luxating pattella (still paying that off) cat recently was hospitalized to the tune of $500 for a blockage in his bladder, etc. Plus, in moving to Ocala, they were our main concern, I am having my horse shipped down (I know he'll love it there) and having a rental with a yard is something we insisted on for our dogs. It's just getting everyone there that is stressful...

I hear you on the health issues, my little Pekingese just went through again issues with a re occurring neck issue, he had a MRI done two weeks ago and spinal tap to find out surgery will not fix this. He had eye surgery last year and one of my other dogs has been diagnosed with Heart worm and he had been getting preventative meds.

It is horrible as our pets age as they have more and more health problems. I tell you pet insurance is something I really regret NOT getting. Our vet bills over the last two years have been very high indeed.

I am sure you guys are great parents to your pets, I hope you didn't think I meant you were not a good one, I never meant to come across that way.

You are right, moving pets is a big deal, especially when they are getting old. I worry about my kids this time too.

I am hoping to get back into my horse hobby on a small scale when we move to WPB. I used to compete in cutting and before that every event from barrel racing to Western pleasure. I am looking to simply part board when we get there and find a nice trail horse to just enjoy riding again.

Good luck with your move and your babies, I am sure if you will get the best advice from your vet.

[newteacher]

Thanks! I also used to ride competitively in high school and college- I rode in the hunters/jumpers. My horse is a little arthritic now, so we mostly just trail ride... I am looking forward to the Ocala trails, and I am hoping that the warm climate and constant turn-out will ease my horse's arthritic discomfort, anything has got to better for him than these bitter Jersey winters...
Anyway, good luck to you, too.

[kelly3120]

SKB

Can I ask .... you dog was on heart worm preventative but still got heartworm?....what was the preventative?
I ask because I've always wondered how preventative heart worm meds are?
What did your vet say about your dog getting heartworm after being on meds.
...how much is it going to be to get ride of the heart worms and how hard is it on your dog? ...again I ask, because you are experiencing it first hand.

....was he on interceptor? ...that's what our boy is on. He's of the herding breeds and they have been known to react to all of the other heartworm meds. I don't really know the facts or stats for herding breeds reacting to other heartworm meds, but he's to darling and sweet and we aren't willing to chance it


THANKS

[SKB]

Originally Posted by kelly3120

SKB

Can I ask .... you dog was on heart worm preventative but still got heartworm?....what was the preventative?

We have always used Heart Guard for our dogs and gave a separate med for fleas etc..
I ask because I've always wondered how preventative heart worm meds are?
Heart worm meds are really not a preventative drug they are a cure actually. There is nothing to prevent the mosquito from biting your dog and giving them the spores. The medication simply kills the spores.
What did your vet say about your dog getting heartworm after being on meds.

Our vet believes that Bailey has been carrying this for a while now he has adult worms living in his heart. We are going to give him several large doses of Heart Guard in the next two months, then slow it down to once a month and re test him in six months. The vet wants to kill the spores only and then give him the powerful drug (arsenic) to kill the adults. If we give him the arsenic now the worms may aspirate to his lungs and kill him.
...how much is it going to be to get ride of the heart worms and how hard is it on your dog? ...again I ask, because you are experiencing it first hand.

It should not be that expensive as we are giving him double doses of Heart Guard and then the arsenic is not that expensive (at least is wasn't in The Bahamas). Our other Bahamian potcake tested positive for heart worms seven years ago and they used arsenic that time and cured him. In The Bahamas heart worm is one of the number one killers for dogs. Since then veterinarians have slowed down on the aggressive style of treatment options and wish to take it more slowly. We have a specialist from the Montreal University working with us on this.

....was he on interceptor? ...that's what our boy is on. He's of the herding breeds and they have been known to react to all of the other heartworm meds. I don't really know the facts or stats for herding breeds reacting to other heartworm meds, but he's to darling and sweet and we aren't willing to chance it
We are now using interceptor on our other two dogs, this is the first year using that particular med.

It was a big shock for me and my vet clinic as in Montreal heart worm is very rare, that is why my vet thinks Bailey may have been infected for some time now. The Heart Guard was not enough to kill the worms some spores in the blood were being killed.
One thing I learned now, get your dog's blood checked every year for heart worms, just giving the meds is NOT enough.
If we had been doing yearly testing this wouldn't have gone on for so long.
Bailey should be ok, he is not coughing and his lungs and heart are looking good on the x-ray no visible damage is showing


THANKS

No problem

[kelly3120]

we get him tested yearly. I think it's pressed hard in Florida that you do, because of the warm weather.

....so the idea behind the drug is to kill small investations of heartworm each month w/ the drug so they can never get large? ...because I've also been told it's kinda hard on the dogs system. I've heard so many things I don't know what to think about heartworm.

Is your dog in pain



mmm interesting. so heartworm is common in the Bahamas ...how about florida ...does anyone know?

[songgirl]

Please do not let your cat out of a carrier while in the car! When I moved down to FLA from NJ, I did just that, and as someone stated, when I stopped to spend the night in a hotel, my cat jumped out as soon as I opened the door. She ran off into the woods. I called for her for 2 hrs., then went to bed exhausted.

Here's the happy ending. The next morning, I did something different. I put the cat carrier by the edge of the woods, then started calling for her again. She ran into the carrier! I guess she needed somewhere to hide where she felt safe. I still think about how unbelievably lucky I was to get her back the next day like that.

[Songbird42]

I believe that if you leave your dog out in the yard or whereever most of the time he will get heartworm.......many, many people down here adopt dogs or cats for the season while they are living here, then when they go back home they leave the poor animal behind to fend for itself. My neighbor moved 10 months ago, took most of her dogs and cats, left behind the outside cats
I've been giving them water/dryfood since she left, if I could catch them I would bring them to the no kill shelter, but I would have to prove that they are mine, without records or papers they will not take the cats.

My animals are house pets, my cat is afraid of the outdoors and if he gets out
will return rather quickly..........my dog is at my feet as I type, he wouldn't survive out in the wild.

[SKB]

Originally Posted by kelly3120

we get him tested yearly. I think it's pressed hard in Florida that you do, because of the warm weather.

....so the idea behind the drug is to kill small investations of heartworm each month w/ the drug so they can never get large? ...because I've also been told it's kinda hard on the dogs system. I've heard so many things I don't know what to think about heartworm.

Is your dog in pain



mmm interesting. so heartworm is common in the Bahamas ...how about florida ...does anyone know?

Yes exactly the drug kills the spores so they do not get a chance to grow and infest the heart and other organs.

It is hard of their system but having heart worms is worse and the dog will eventually die from being untreated. For our Bailey he seems fine, not in pain and very happy as usual.
Florida does have a high incident of heart worms in fact The top five heartworm states were Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia and Louisiana.

We are just crossing our fingers now and hoping for the best for him. Time will tell what is going to happen. We will do everything we can for him.

[Rachael84]

Just so everyone knows, I'm hockeymom72's daughter. Her and my dad are actually renting a 16' truck, if that makes a difference with the cats. Just thought I would let you all know.

[cmsvmom]

We are preparing to move within the year. I posted earlier in another thread about psycho kitty. My friend gave me a dog crate that her puppy had outgrown, and the cat is getting used to it as a safe and special place just for him.

My vet says that when the time comes we will begin medicating him.He's had antidepressants before and they really flatten him out, so I don't like him to live like that - but if he is mellow and bored during the trip, so much easier on both of us.

He is large, but not quite the size of a Maine Coon. He is formerly feral, and very nervous.

I expect he will enjoy finding new things to kill once we get there.