kristinavb Posted May 19, 2010 Report Share Posted May 19, 2010 Topic says it all really. I got him tested when he first came to me, was negative. But something about the way they did it kind of made me feel uneasy... So, he pants. A LOT. And i've been concerned but have marked it up to him being overweight and the hot weather. Well, something told me earlier i needed to have it done again. So i went to one of the clinics they were having down the road and... tada! Heartworm positive. I'm so upset right now. The stupid woman who had him before i really could just... arg! :D So if anyone has some good thoughts to send our way... Or anyone who has dealt with this before. I'm willing to take anything really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancy Posted May 20, 2010 Report Share Posted May 20, 2010 Ages ago (1967), we got a lab-shepherd mix. Then, a few year slater , our in-laws got one. Their Ben had been living at the town dump. A local woman had him and brought him to the local vet. Who knew that DH's folks were looking for a new dog. Ben tested positive for heartworm - which was a new deal back then. He went through all the treatment - and was a happy dog for years. In fact, he and our dog did a real deal on a roast beef at one holiday family party. And got away with it - literally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinavb Posted May 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2010 So we went to the vet this morning. He said his symptoms don't sound too serious but we have to wait for the new blood test to come back, which is only 1 day away (tomorrow!) He said we'll use heartguard for 2 months and then treat with 2 injections of immiticide a month after the 2nd heartguard administration. And then a month after that, an injection of ivermectin (micro-dose he said..) Of course this is all pending on his blood test agreeing with the Vets opinion that his symptoms don't seem to be that serious. So hopefully that will be A-OK. Asking for good thoughts and prayers for Seamus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz P Posted May 20, 2010 Report Share Posted May 20, 2010 How long between the first test and the second? It takes 7 months for the worms to mature enough to cause a positive on the SNAP test. Even then you need a minimum number of female worms to get a positive. Good luck with treatment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSmitty Posted May 20, 2010 Report Share Posted May 20, 2010 Kristina, I'm sorry to hear this. Good for you, trusting your instincts to re-test. Anyway, Alex went through the traditional HW treatment almost two years ago. He came through the treatment very well, only seemed tired after the injections. The worst part was the no exercise for two months, but we survived that, too. He is completely healthy, and does agility, flyball and some stock work, with no problems whatsoever. Best of luck to Seamus! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinavb Posted May 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2010 How long between the first test and the second? It takes 7 months for the worms to mature enough to cause a positive on the SNAP test. Even then you need a minimum number of female worms to get a positive. Good luck with treatment. The first test was done when i first got him, roughly a month ago.. maybe a week or so more. Second test was last night. Thanks guys, i know the crate rest is going to make him crazy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timberviewfarm Posted May 20, 2010 Report Share Posted May 20, 2010 I have had 2 dogs go through HW treatment. One came through without a 2nd thought the other had a few minor problems with treatment. It will go by faster than you think!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted May 21, 2010 Report Share Posted May 21, 2010 Aw, man, this s%cks. Hope the treatment goes smoothly and quickly! I can tell just between the initial photos you posted and the more recent ones how well Seamus is doing under your care - may he continue to progress as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinavb Posted May 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2010 Well, my vet is out until monday so the other vet who practices there called me. He was rude and scared me saying how i need all of these crazy tests done and radio-graphs and pulmonary somethings. My vet said he'd probably say things like that so now i have to wait for him to come back to get some real answers. I'm so sick of vets that don't seem to care at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligande Posted May 21, 2010 Report Share Posted May 21, 2010 I went through this 13 years ago, my GSDx tested negative when I got her, at the check up a year later she was positive/negative, they retested and it was negative, then 2 years after getting her she tested positive, the vets said it was because we had had her on heartguard and the worms had grown slowly. After the 2 injections we kept her quiet in the house, but did not crate. She lived a long and healthy life and died this last october, having made it to almost 15. Wishing you both well, just remember with good care he will have a long and happy life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinavb Posted May 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 Seamus earlier (literally 10 minutes ago) defecated blood. It seems as if that's all there was, just blood. I know it's gross to add, but it didn't smell horrible (nothing at all like Parvo) He started raw last week and hasn't eaten anything yet today. Could this be heartworm related or Raw related? Or neither? We're not anywhere near home and my own personal vet closes at 5 so no one answered when i called... Nothing else has changed with him and hasn't done this before (that i've ever noticed.) I'm so panicked right now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrayburn Posted May 28, 2010 Report Share Posted May 28, 2010 Kristina, I can't speak to the blood issue but can to the HW. My Ben came out of a shelter in Memphis, TN. He tested HW- when I got him but HW+ at his annual checkup a year later. He was treated and came through with flying colors. The crate rest was definitely the hardest part. Also, he was very pitiful for a couple of days after the immiticide (?) treatment. I had a lab treated for HW last summer and he did great too even though his HW was much further developed than Ben's. On the bright side, it sounds like Seamus's infection is relatively recent so hopefully his load is small and there will be less stress from the treatment. As for the blood, have you contacted an emergency vet in your area or your vet's afterhours number? If it is a small quantity of fresh blood, it may be due to a tear or broken blood vessel and probably is not a huge crisis. If it is larger quantities, dark or thick (indicating it came from further up his GI track), I would have him seen ASAP. I have seen dogs pass quantities of mucus along with fresh blood - quite disturbing - when they have large intestinal worm infestations too. Lisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvw Posted May 28, 2010 Report Share Posted May 28, 2010 I once rushed my dog to the e-vet in the middle of the night because she was straining to poop and all that came out was blood. Turns out her anal glands were full and irritating her. Made her feel like she had to go but didn't have to. The straining cause a vessel to pop. Most expensive anal gland expression I ever paid for! This may not be your case so I would still call a vet. Jennifer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinavb Posted June 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 Vet wasn't too concerned actually. And it was a one time thing. Hasn't happened since. But, still, he's now on limited exercise and is only getting 3-4 short 5-10 minute walks a day. At night he is crated now and isn't allowed to go to work with me. June 28th seems to be sneaking right up behind me... After the immiticide injections i'm not sure how i'll handle this. We're JUST getting by with 4 short walks a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IowaDog Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 Hi Kristina, I found this forum completely by accident while searching for information about Immiticide aftercare. I adopted my hound from a shelter last year, and at the time he testing HW-. Lo and behold, he came up positive during his routine screening at the end of April. It sounds like Seamus and Woodrow are on sort of reversed treatment regimens -- Woods did Immiticide first (he is still on lockdown, which he is increasingly not appreciating), and will start Heartgard in a week or so. It's been really nerve-wracking at times, but from everything I've been told and everything I've read (including here), the stats are overwhelmingly in our favor. What's Seamus's injection schedule going to be? Woods had the two shots 24 hours apart. I really worried about cage rest for him, since he tends to be pretty exuberant, but he's felt pretty run down and hasn't really minded. Well, until this week. If you want to start a two person/two dog support group for the duration of our patients' treatments, I'd be completely game. Good luck-- Carolyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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