Our last treatment!

[Aerie]

So Recon's last treatment was on Friday. She's feeling frisky and is harder than ever to keep calm at this point (three months so far of forced crate-rest and only on-leash walking/etc). But...the good news....only TWO MORE WEEKS and she can start playing again. Mild exercise at first to get her stamina built up and then we're back to normal. There's apparently no scar tissue to worry about - no permanent damage to the lungs or heart.

 

Eilidh has had no other seizures and she appears to be fine physically at this point. The lingering stiffness in that leg is gone and her sight is fine. She's acting "typically" border collie ish now which is good. (as opposed to the pathetic, whimpering, sick little puppy that she was. it was awful to watch.) Mom has finally gotten her to focus on the toys instead of biting hands and shoes, so things are calming down there.

 

Yep. So. That's that.

 

Question, though. I'm supposed to start Recon's heartguard on May 6th...I don't want to give it to her early this month, since she's had such a huge dose of chemicals happening already. If I give her the first dose on May 6th, then do the 2nd dose on June 1st, will that be ok? I know it's almost a week early...but, well, is it ok?

 

Anyway. Thanks, folks!

[Maralynn]

Woo-hoo! You're in the home stretch now! It's good to hear that Recon has come through her treatment with flying colors.

 

I'm glad things are looking up with Eilidh, too

[Tassie]

Hey, well done, Aerie. I'm glad too that things are on the improve now - and great news about Recon.

 

Can't help with the Heartgard question - but I'd try asking Merial. As well as your own vet.

[WyoBC]

That's great Aerie. I'm so glad that she's almost done with it all. I bet you can't wait to play with her again.

 

As far as the Heartguard I wouldn't worry about giving it to her on the first of June. But from what I have been told Heartguard isn't very good for BC's because it has ivermectin in it. My vet put Black Jack on Interceptor because it doesn't have any of that in it.

[Beth G]

Congrats on making it through ok!! The last vet that I spoke with said that Ivermectin is ok for Border Collies, but bad for the regular Collies.

[Aerie]

I'm going to call the vet in the morning to ask him, just wasn't sure if someone here would have the answer or not.

 

And from what i've read on these boards - heartguard is safe for border collies to take. I believe there's a sticky about it somewhere around here... I would look, but my computer barely let me get to this page so I don't want to risk searching right now.

 

I'm -so- excited that not this coming Friday, but the Friday after that...I can start playing with my dog again. I totally miss it. I know she's going half-crazy from it. Yay!

[BayouBC]

Most heartworm treatments use Ivermectin as one of the injections also. But for BC's, Heartguard is generally considered safe in the monthly prevention dosage, even for dogs that -do- have the mutation. I wouldn't use it if I knew the dog had a problem, but otherwise I'd still use it. All of my boys and all of rescues are given Heartguard or Iverheart, and I've never had a problem.

 

For giving it early, she'll be fine getting it on the first. It won't hurt her.

 

And congrats on seeing the light at the end of the treatment tunnel! I know it can be a battle going through treatment and keeping the dog calm, etc. Recon's no doubt ready and raring to go back to "normal".