New Doxie Has Heartworms

[Jennifer]

As some of you know, I adopted Betty, 2 year old dachsie from a shelter last week. I had her spayed at my vet yesterday and when I went to pick her up this morning, they told me that she has heartworms.

The vet explained the treatment and it sounds very intensive and tough on the dog. We are definately going to get her treated as soon as she gets her stiches out.

We are really upset cuz the poor doggie has already been through alot. She spent 10 days in the pound and has spent the next week getting used to a new home. And now she has to go through this.

I'm also upset with the shelter. They told me that they were going to check her for heartworms. I told them that I was still going to adopt her if she was heartworm positive, but I wanted to know her status so I could get her treated right away (and keep her away from other dogs) if she was positive. Well, they never told me the results of the test. And on the health sheet they gave me on her, they didn't check either positive or negative. So, I'm pretty sure that they tested her and didn't tell me.

Does anyone have any experience with this and can let me know what to expect during the treatment? I'm really worried about all this .

[dutchman]

No first had experience but check out the links at http://www.dachsie.org/health.html#heartworm for some more information. I know others on this board have had experience especially those who are very active with rescue work. I'm assuming Betty must be in good general health since she had been spayed before this was detected.

Good luck, Frank and Tanner are sending a lot of healing doxie rays to Betty.

Tom

[Wienergal]

Jennifer, so sorry! I will leave the treatment explanations to those who know about these things, but I just wanted you to know that a lot of rescue dachsies have heartworms, are treated for them, and end up just fine. Nothing to send you but encouragement, but sending plenty of that! http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/jacks.gif

[Tanya]

Jennifer, So sorry to hear the news, but keep your chin up. I volunteer with our local humane society and see many dogs go through treatment (when we can find a good soul to sponsor treatment or we raise the $ ourselves). Two of the dogs have been dachsies and both came throgh just fine. They were a light positive from what I was told. The treatment can be tough because you really have to limit their activity and dachsies love to run victory laps! Too much activity while a dog is going through treatment can cause problems so some vets even limit visitation to prevent the dog from becoming too excited. Penny's Aunt probably can tell you more. So glad you got this little girl. I'll say a prayer for her and wish her a speedy recovery.

[Jennifer]

Thanks so much everyone for the kind words. Betty is in very good health. However, the vet told me that she has a very heavy case of heartworms. I scheduled the appointment for 2 weeks from yesterday (as soon as they would do it after her spay). I have already fallen so much in love with this little girl and will be so devestated if the treatment doesn't work out. I can't even think about that...

Yeah, the vet told me that I will have to keep her from running and playing or getting excited for 6 weeks. With two other doggies in the house, that's going to be tough. She's very active and loves to run from one room to another and to play with her border collie brother. Any ideas on how to do that would be very welcome...

[Oscar's Mom]

Sooooo sorry to hear Betty has heartworms. I dont understand how people can allow this happen, its so simple to prevent. I hope she is OK.

[Penny's Aunt]

Did your vet x-ray Betty's heart?

A heavy load of heartworms is not a good thing, Jennifer. I don't want to worry you unnecessarily, but this isn't going to be a walk through the park.

The worms can get quite large & congregate in the heart itself. When the medication is administered, the trouble can begin; that's why it's always given at the clinic. They will have to watch her closely, & even then she can run into problems.

You see, when the medication starts affecting the worms, they start dying off, & if there are an awful lot of worms, they can clog the heart & prevent it from working properly. Sometimes there's just nothing they can do, & the dog dies.

And if you were to not treat her, the dog would probably die in less than 2 years.

Best-case scenario as I understand it: as the worms die, the heart pumps them out gradually, & the body absorbs them over time. That's why she can't be allowed to run: the heart pumps faster & if the circulating dead worms return to the heart, fill it, but the heart is pumping too fast to flush the worms out again, & she can have a heart attack.

Get a crate & keep her in it as the vet directs, or put her on a tether where she can see the family. Don't get the other dogs all excited where she can see or hear them. Walk her in the back yard on a leash. If she wants to cuddle with you in the evening when you're watching TV, etc, that's okay, as long as she stays calm.

No fence running. No tussling with the other dogs. No long walks. DON'T LET HER DO ANYTHING THAT WILL INCREASE HER HEART RATE DRAMATICALLY.

We will all keep our fingers & toes crossed, & will be sending massive dachsie healing rayzzz. Good luck to both of you.

[Jennifer]

Thanks so much Penny's Aunt for the information and everyone for the support. I'm so glad I found this place. My heart is aching from all of this and I really hope everything is going to be OK. That is much more information than the vet gave me. I was also pretty upset when I was talking to the vet and probably didn't ask the right questions.

I also appreciate you letting me know the seriousness of the treatment and of keeping her calm. The vet really brushed over that aspect, especially the part about there being complications during the treatment. I am glad I know how important it is to keep her heart from getting excited.

No, the vet didn't X-ray Betty's heart? Is this something that I should have him do?

You gave me some good ideas about keeping her quiet. I think I am going to have to keep her separated from my border collie for those 6 weeks because she likes to chase him around. I have a pen that we can put her in while we are doing stuff around the house (not calmly watching tv) so that she can still see us. She has some separation anxiety from being in the pound and getting a new home. I also like the idea about putting her on a tether in the house. She loves to run through the house and we are going to have to stop her from doing that.

Will Betty be sick when I pick her up from the vet? We are trying to figure out if we should rearrange our work schedule so that someone can be home with her during the day for a few days after the surgery.

Well, I am so glad that I adopted her and not someone who wouldn't do the treatment. And that the humane society didn't find out she had heartworms and just put her to sleep. She is such a wonderful doggie. She really deserves to have a full, healthy, happy life. I can't wait to go home and see her and get lots of dachsie kisses. She's still recovering from her spay so she's pretty sore and slow today.

[dutchman]

Jennifer,

Penny's Aunt as usual is a great source of information. Here are some things to consider if you need to invest in a few items to help keep the family separated while Betty is undergoing her treatments. First if you don't already have one an x-pen can be a great investment. It can be handy for picnics in the park, more freedom than a kennel but still not too much freedom for a healthy dog at home. If you want to shut off any part of the home with gates to restrict movements of dogs between different parts of the home shop for baby gates at the discount stores. They are identical to most of those sold at the pet stores with the only difference being the packaging and a big increase in price for the pet version. Now is a good time to invest in a kennel for Betty if you don't already have one. Don't forget to check out the discount stores for a kennel as well. They often have to low end line of kennels from some of the major manufactures at bargain prices. If budget is a big matter then an inexpensive kennel is much better than no kennel. On major difference I have see is that most inexpensive kennels don't have the same quick release knobs that slightly more expensive kennels have and thus are slightly more difficult to clean.

Good luck, keep us informed on Betty's progress I tell my little angle dog Aggie there is someone that needs her attention more than Frank or Tanner does right now.

Tom

[Penny's Aunt]

I do not have a lot of experience in heartworms, since I worked in a non-heartworm area; only "imported" dogs occas. showed up with them.

I believe the x-ray just shows if the heart is distorted or enlarged because of the worms. I think if the dog has had the heartworms for quite a while, the heart (which is a muscle) has to work harder, & it gets larger, just like any other muscle. I believe it is just an indicator. There may be no real need to do it.

Ask your vet all the questions you can think of. Write them down at home & take them with you. I don't know how sick she will be with the meds they use these days. That's another question to ask. Ask anything you can think of, even if they sound silly to you. Sometimes those are the most important.

Sue

[Maggie Aggie]

Hello everyone. I've been reading this board off and on for a while now but have never posted until now.

I adopted my 4 year old, red, smooth Maggie from an animal shelter back on July 12th. <IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm12.gif" border=0> She had also tested positive for heartworms and had to be treated. It was an extremely LONG month for both of us following the treatment, but her kennel really helped. Maggie made it through the month just fine with only one bad spell one night when she got too excited. I'm proud to report that she is now heartworm free and on preventative!

I know that I had a lot of questions following her treatment, so I know exactly how you're feeling. If I can help answer anything, just let me know....

Best wishes,

Vicki and Maggie

<FONT COLOR="#00FFFF" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by Maggie Aggie on September 23, 2000 at 01:43 AM</font>

[Jennifer]

Vikki, Welcome to the board. Thanks so much for posting about your recent experience. I am so glad that Maggie is OK. It gives me some encouragement. How was she when you picked her up from the vet? Was she really sick afterward? Was there anything that you wish someone had told you before the treatment?

Thanks again everyone for all the information and the support. I really appreciate it. We got some baby gates this weekend. We have a pen that we are going to keep her in when we are in the living room/kithchen area since it's a large area that she can run around in and it's impossible to block it off cuz it's an open plan.

Jennifer

[Maggie Aggie]

Thanks, Jennifer. <IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm12.gif" border=0>
I apologize in advance for how long this is going to be ....

Maggie had just returned from having her last treatment when I picked her up from the animal shelter. Since they had used a lumbar injection, she was still a little sore in her lower back. Other than that, she appeared fine. She was still a little timid from having such a rough week (being dropped off at the shelter, being spayed, being treated for the heartworms, etc.), but she did not look or act sick.

In retrospect, I really wish that I had known how bad her case of heartworms was. Since the animal shelter arranged for the treatment, I was never given the specifics on her case. Also, they did not impress upon me enough just how important it was to keep Maggie quiet and calm. When I asked them if it would be okay for her to stay outside, they said yes. Because of this bad information, Maggie got too worked up one night (about one week after the treatment), and she started coughing up stuff. I was scared to death, but I found out from Maggie's new vet that can be a normal reaction in some dogs when the heartworms start breaking down. It's never good for the dog to get worked up to the point that they are passing the worms by spitting up though, so the vet suggested that I keep her inside in her crate for the remainder of the month long post-treatment phase. Upon taking his advice, Maggie never had any other bad episodes of coughing or spitting up.

The difficultness of the post-treatment will depend on the severity of Betty's case though. As Penny's Aunt said, since doxies are so small, it's hard for their little bodies to handle a lot of heartworms. If their heart starts beating faster (because they're running, playing hard, etc.), the heartworms that are breaking down could get clogged in the heart. You have to do your best to avoid anything that will get Betty's heart beating faster. I know it will be hard on you and on Betty, but one month is a small price to pay for many healthy years ahead with Betty.

For me, that was the hardest part of the whole situation--trying to keep Maggie quiet and calm for the whole month following treatment. That just doesn't fit the doxie nature, so that's where a kennel comes in handy. Maggie was only allowed out of the kennel to go potty, to go for short walks, and to play with (as long as she didn't get worked up). Whenever I started to notice her getting too excited, she went right back in the kennel. I really believe that is the best way to approach the situation.

I hope this information helps you, and I would be happy to try to answer any other questions you have.

Best wishes,

Vicki and Maggie




<FONT COLOR="#00FFFF" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by Maggie Aggie on September 25, 2000 at 03:35 PM</font>

[Wienergal]

Jennifer, when is Betty's treatment to start? Or has it already? You and she are very much in our thoughts.

One suggestion: Ask your vet to write down every single thing he tells you, so you can have written "instructions" when you get her home. It's too hard to try to remember everything that's said during a visit, especially when the visit is stressful, as yours surely are.

Best of luck from me and all the four-legged critters here!

Pamela

[Jennifer]

Betty's treatment starts on Tuesday October3rd (one week from today) and we get to take her home on Thursday.

Thanks everyone for the support and well wishes. I know it's going to be a tough couple of weeks. I'm so glad i found this board. She has so much energy and will start to run around in even a small room, so we are going to have to keep her in a pen in the house, in our lap, or in our bed at all times.

Vikki, Thanks so much for sharing your experience. It helps to hear others experiences. And for letting me know that coughing can be normal. And stressing the importance of keeping her quiet.

Pamela, what a great idea. You are right. When I pick up Betty from the vet, I'm not going to be thinking clearly. I am definately going to do that.

[TessieMom]

I've been watching this thread develop because I am about to have my first heartworm experience. I'm going to be about 1 week ahead of you. The two fosters I picked up from the pound last week for CTDR, Pablo and Kibby, got their first injection at the vet's today and will be coming home this Thursday if everything goes well. I have 3 crates set up based on the discussions here (one at school for the days), one for transport, and one for home. They are both high energy dogs and will run given a chance. So I guess it will be on leash to go out and crate otherwise. Have thought about a small xpen for a little more fresh air in the back yard, but they seem to be fairly expensive where I have checked for them here. Rena

[Jennifer]

I will keep Pablo and Kitty in my thoughts and prayers. I hope that everything goes OK. Are they in good health generally? Please let know how it goes and how they are doing. And anything that I may expect to experience.

I'm going to look into the xpen. I think that may be a great idea to use outside. We'll be doing a lot of working in the yard during the time she will be confined, so it will let her be able to be outside with us, but not able to get to excited.

[TessieMom]

I rescued them from the pound last week where they had been for almost a month. Originally, they had evidently come from a Puppy Mill as Pablo's ears are clipped where they had put tags in to identify him. He had kennel cough which he got over and is in generally good health except for tartar on his teeth. Kibby had teeth that look like those of Queenie (under the Puppy Mill thread). Very heavy tartar up into the gum and perhaps jaw. She could not eat the dry food that the pound fed, so was skin and bones. She is a standard, but weighed 12 pounds max. I fed her canned food to put some weight on and brushed her teeth every night so that she was finally able to chew and eat some dry food. After a week, she gained 3 pounds and looks and acts much better. She is on the CTDR website at
http://www.kozykingdom.com/ctdr/bblewis.htm
Will let you know about their progress as I know!
Rena

[Maggie Aggie]

I just wanted to send my best wishes to Betty, Pablo, and Kibby. Good luck and be brave! <IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm30.gif" border=0>

Look out for that injection though! <IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm24.gif" border=0> It's no fun! <IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm21.gif" border=0>
Maggie


<FONT COLOR="#00FFFF" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by Maggie Aggie on September 26, 2000 at 04:07 PM</font>

[Jennifer]

Rena,

How are Kibby and Pablo doing? Hopefully just fine. I've been thinking about them. I checked out the picture of Kibby and she is sooo cute.

Jennifer

[TessieMom]

They are doing great right now. Still at the vets. I talked to one of the other rescue folks who is very experienced with heartworms and she said that complications usually occur between days 5 and 10, so I will keep you posted. She also cautioned me about not letting them jump up and down in particular (to be sure the crate is short enough that they can't try to jump). In addition, she said that the second injection (a month later) will be worse because it is stronger. Does Betty have to have the second set, or will she just have one shot? Kibby says thanks for thinking she's cute (Pablo thinks he is cuter. He is a little heavier and is a specialist in the L@@K). We will be thinking about you and sending rays next week! Rena

[Penny's Aunt]

Do whatever the vet tells you to do. Heartworms are something that really needs to be handled by a knowledgeable professional.

[Jennifer]

I'm glad that they seem to be doing well. That is also good to know that complication occur 5- 10 days. I had thought the complications would be right away, if there were any. When do you get to pick them up from the vet?

Yep, Betty has to have 2 injections. The second one will be 6 weeks after the first one. Then I have to take her back 2 weeks after that for a heart worm test. And hopefully all will be hunky dory.

[TessieMom]

Her vet was talking about waiting until Saturday, depending on how they are doing. After hearing the 5-10 day story and listening to what can happen at that point: coughing up blood, worms, blood in the urine, lack of interest in food or water (she suggested adding baby pedialite to the water to help keep them hydrated), difficulty going to the bathroom ..., I have been considering talking to my vet to see if they need to stay a bit longer. Will let you know more when I do. So far they seem to be doing fine. Rena

[Jennifer]

My vet didn't mention any of those side effects. Wow. I sure have a lot more questions to ask him when I take her on Tuesday. I am going to talk to him about the baby pedialite. Should I try to limit the time the doggie is alone during the 5-10 days time frame so that someone is around if there are complications? Is there any other info that she gave you that would be useful to me?

[TessieMom]

I just consulted with another member of the rescue group and she said that each dog is different. Hers had problems in the first 3 days while they were at the vets. So I guess the clue there is to talk to the vet and get their advice. That is what I plan to do. Betty is younger than I think Pablo and Kibby are, so I would think that there would be less risk of complications! Rena

[dutchman]

Just one quick note when my sister's kids (human) were little her dodtor told her to forget the baby pedialite and use gatoraid instead. He told her it would work just as well and was much less expensive.

Good luck with the crew we are all pulling for them.

Tom, Frank and Tanner

[sillysadie]

Sorry I have not seen this post earlier. I just lost two mini rescues to Heartworms and the treatment. First I would suggest only one injection of the immiticide first if she is heavily infested. A full dose may kill the heartworms too quickly and create a toxin build-up. If you notice a dark red in her urine after treatment get her back to the vet for treatment. She will need an IV flush most likely. Listen for congestion in her lungs as she may develop pneumonia quickly...get her to the vet for Antibiotics. When you bring her home you may have problems eating. The ones I have treated sometimes become nausous easily and may have spells of not wanting to eat. You might have to get little baby viennas to get her to eat anything. The first two weeks are essential in her recovery. She needs quiet and give her blankets to cuddle in. She may experience pain through the injections in her back...keep watching them and make sure they don't form an infection. DONT be afraid to take her back if you suspect problems. I will take mine in several times during the treatment just to ease my concerns and it paid off. There are so many things you have to keep on top of. Make sure she is drinking. They get dehydrated quickly and if she does not drink the vet will need to hydrate her. Take her out for exercise breaks on a leash. She does not need to be walking around especially with a heavy infestation. I have probably scared you but I feel you need to know what to look for before treatment. I have successfully treated a heavy infestation but it does require a strong person. I think you have already proven that by taking in the little girl and treating her regardless of her health. Good Luck and I would be glad to help in any way. Our crew is pulling for you both.

Shelley, Silly and Sadie

[Jennifer]

Thanks so much for the info,Shelley. I am very glad that I understand all of the complications and all of the things to look for. Yes, it's all very scary, but it's better to be knowledgable and prepared than ignorant and blissfull. My vet hadn't mentioned the hydration and the eating, so that is good to know (going to stock up on gatorage and on little hot dogs (she loves those). We will definatley be watching her closely. I'm going to have my MIL come over during the day while I am at work to check on her.

Although, I've only had her for 3 weeks, I am so crazy about this little girl. I wake up to her kissing me and snuggling into my arm. She such an expressive dog. She is always trying to tell me things, like that Oscar stole her toy or that the big dog drank all the water and I need to refill it. Last night so sat in front of my feet, started barking, and led me to the empty water bowl. What a cool dog!! I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that she is OK. She has already become such an integral part of our family that I can't even bear to think of something going wrong.

I really appreciate all of the support and information and healing rayz from everyone on this board. It has been such a help and I'm sure it will continue to be a huge help over the next few weeks. I am going to write down all of my questions for the vet so that I don't forget any when I take her on Tuesday. I think I will be more able to think clearly when I take her than when I pick her up.

[TessieMom]

The vet is sending Pablo and Kibby home this afternoon. Said that they just need to be kept from running around and that he did not anticipate any problems... that they would really do much better at home now. Will give you updates as I have a chance to see how everything works. He thought it was a great idea to crate them at home and take them to work to keep an eye on them, so will play that one by ear or eye? Take care, Rena

[Jennifer]

Yeah for Kibby and Pablo!! That is wonderful that there have not been any complications and that the vet does not anticipate them. I'd love to hear how they are when you pick them up so I know what to expect. I am so glad things are looking good for them.

That is great that you can take them to work. I wish I could take Betty with me. That would make me feel so much better. But we can't have doggies here, so MIL checking on her during the day will have to do.

[Penny's Aunt]

I think those little sausages are kind of high in salt, so don't overdo them.

Another treat that my sister's dachsie liked & the only thing she would eat after getting mauled by a husky: cheddar cheese soup, thinned.

Also, Swanson's chicken broth (low fat, less salt version) can almost replace water (use straight).

Don't hesitate to call the vet or Emergency Clinic for any little thing. This is a tricky treatment, & catching anything wrong immediately will help. Write down the exact name of the heartworm drug that your vet is using & put it by the phone, so if you need help from the Emergency Clinic, they will know what is being used.

Sending dachsie rayzzzz your way!

[Krista]

I would not reccommend the gatorade...can't remeber off hand why, maybe its the sugar, or type of supplements in it.

I have heard vets reccommend pedialyte -used for tiny humans to combat dehydration. I would ask the Dr for sure though, remember these drinks do have things in them that could perhaps react with a dogs meds. I would never give anything like that without clearing it with my vet first.

Good luck to all going through this. I hope the babies pull through with out complications.

[TessieMom]

Kibby and Pablo are home... not happy about the crate, but that is life for now. They are eating and drinking like normal and look just like they did when they went in. In fact their doctor said he couldn't believe how well they are doing. I am convinced the hardest part is the fact that they have to be confined and can't go rushing about everywhere like they want! Heard today that they have a potential home waiting when we get through this, but one thing at a time. Dachsie rays to your girl. Rena

[sillysadie]

I agree with Penny's Aunt on the sausages. They are in the baby section but I can't remember the name. Don't feed the regular Vienna's as they tend to upset their tummy.

[Jennifer]

Thanks for the advice on the sausages.

Rena, I am so glad that they are doing well. Wow, I've been getting really nervous, but this gives me some encouragement. That is wonderful news that they may have a home.

Sending continued healing rayz to Pablo and Kibby. Hope they continue to do well. Keep us posted.

[Penny's Aunt]

One of the hard things to do is to keep them confined when they look so good! It is tempting (esp for the family that didn't get the WORD from the vet). The kids often don't see any sign of illness, so they think it's okay to let them out "just for a little while".

Nope!

[TessieMom]

Day 6 and Kibby and Pablo are still behaving like normal, no complications, but I keep watching. Had a real hard time keeping them under control today, but the leash is short. Finally settled back down in the crate to sleep again. They've got their paws crossed and sending Dachsie rays to all other doggies with heartworms. Rena

[Jennifer]

I'm so glad that there are no complications. That is wonderful!! Keeping my fingers crossed for continued good luck.

Betty goes in tommorrow. DH and I just made up a long list of questions that we have. I think that the vet is going to laugh at us, but oh well.