HW Treatment

[Roxane]

We have spent so much time suffering along with owners and dogs undergoing HW treatment, I need some solid understanding and would appreciate your input.
Many, many years ago I adopted a tiny Yorkie who tested positive. At that time arsenic was the basis of the remedy given. She had a series of shots over a protracted period of time. My obligation was to keep her as quiet as possible.
She was a dog suffering from flea bite allergies, who had pnuemonia
when originally rescued. In other words, not the healthiest little gal.
The point is that, although heavily infested, she came through the treatment easily. None of the complications that seem to be haunting so many of our board dachsies.
I realize the change to the medications used now was because arsenic was considered too dangerous. I believe that was the reason.
Since "Crumpet" was my only experience, I am left wondering if perhaps the arsenic treatment isn't a better way to go?
Please enlighten me.
Thanks,
Roxane

[Tanya]

I am not an expect but what I have learned since Ben started treatment is that the Imiticide (the new med) causes less kidney and liver damage than the arsenic. Supposedly it causes fewer side effects and complications as well. I had a great resource which I have since deleted but I'll post it if I can find it. Someone else may know more.
Tanya

[TessieMom]

I have learned a lot in the last few months, but am definitely not an expert. With immiticide there are fewer side effects and the death rate is much, much lower. The dogs who have problems are carrying a heavy load of heart worms (as Pablo was) and the complications that caused his death were that too many worms died too fast for his body to deal with them. They lost about half of the dogs on the older procedure and the immiticide may be 10 percent or less. Kibby, by the way is doing great! She is on my lap as I type this. She just seems to be getting more energy every day. The newest method of treating dogs with a heavy load of heartworms to to give the single injection of immiticide to kill old and young worms, wait a month and give the 2 injections which should kill the middle-aged worms. This is where I lost Pablo. This used to be followed by a megadose of ivermectin (about 10x heartguard), but the latest procedure out of Texas A & M is just to give normal doses for the next 6 months to kill the microfilaria. Hope that helps. Rena

[Tanya]

She's right. It is the dying worms that tend to cause the problems...blood clots etc... Ben was not heavily infested though. He tested a light positive. I think his problems were old age and maybe poor health from God knows what the poor thing has been through.

[Tanya]

This is the website I found. I thought it was pretty interesting. http://www.vetinfo.com/dhwtreat.html

[Roxane]

Tessie's Mom, so glad Kibby is doing well.
Tanya,
you are right, it is interesting site and loooooong. Got about 1/2 way through it. Will read some more tomorrow. HW treatment is a damned if you do and damned if you don't situation with some dogs, isn't it? I realize that the pills we give are expensive, especially when you have multiple dogs but nothing compared to the expense of treating positive pets. And certainly not worth the suffering or death they face if not on preventitive. Maybe, if we are lucky, research will come up with a treatment with less side effects.
Thanks for sharing the site, as I said I will read some more tomorrow.
Roxane and crew

<FONT COLOR="#00FFFF" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by Roxane on December 13, 2000 at 07:41 PM</font>

[Tanya]

This site actually shows what a heart infected with worms looks like. It's disgusting, but after you see it, you will never forget to give your dog his HW prevention on time!
http://www.placervillevet.com/canine%20heartworm.htm