Oh that is sad! But heartworm isn't necessarily a death sentence. Have you called your vet to ask how much treatment would cost?

At the shelter where I volunteer we get lots of dogs in that test positive (big surprise). Fortunately they have the money to treat them. I'm not even sure what the treatment entails, just that the dogs are kept in their pens and kept quiet as much as possible and only taken out for potty breaks. It seems to me the treatment lasts for 4 or 5 weeks maybe.

Sorry I can't give you more information. I hope things work out to where you can still foster/adopt this dog. Please let us know what happens.
Sher

I read about heartworm treatment in "The Dogs Who Found Me" by Ken Foster-it doesn't sound like fun but it's better than heartworms. Here's a website that should have more info for you-www.heartwormsociety.org
Good luck, and let us know what happens,
Jen

It can be treated. The larger the dog the more expensive. Find out what it costs before you jump to the death sentence.

I would be interested to know what you find out.

Asymptomatic dogs usually go through treatment well, depending very much on how well the owner/foster controls the dogs' activity level for the 6 weeks following treatment, the treatment protocol used, and the overall health of the dog. If the dog is allowed to run/jump/be active AT ALL following treatment, it could very easily die. If the dog has any other disease, especially heart or lung disease, it may die. Most vets are now using the "soft kill" protocol, which is one dose immiticide immediately, and then about 4 weeks later 2 half-doses 24 hours apart. Some dogs react very badly to the immiticide and can die even though they are completely healthy otherwise.

The dog should be started on Heartgard (ivermectin) immediately if it is not going to be euthanized. This will prevent the dog from getting even MORE heartworms. She can, and should, safely be on Heartgard during the treatment. You will hear people say that this is not safe, but that is because they are thinking about the older heartworm preventatives like Filarabits, which is definately NOT safe. Only Heartgard is safe for dogs with heartworms.

Dogs that are not treated most likely will die. The longer she goes without treatment, the more damage to the heart and lungs. It's not easy living with 14 inch worms in your heart. There is also a rare but often fatal complication called Vena Caval syndrome, which occurs very suddenly without warning in dogs that are heavily infested. Even if you managed to get the dog to a competent emergency vet and they operated right away, many dogs with Vena Caval syndrome still die.

Treatment is expensive, especially for large dogs. The vet will want to run some pre-treatment tests such as chest radiographs to look for signs of heart disease, and a CBC and chemistry profile to look for signs of liver/kidney/other disease- at the least. If anything is not 100% normal, they may need to run even more tests like an echocardiogram to determine if the dog will even live through the treatment. If the dog is heavily infested or has severe heart disease, sometimes they don't do well.

In any case, my ballpark estimate assuming she's JUST got a low # of heartworms and she's in otherwise perfect health is about $600. The cost will increase if there are complications. Also, the immiticide treatment works for 98% of dogs. If your dog is one of the unlucky ones, she'll need a second round of treatment. You need to follow up the treatment with a heartworm test 6-8 months to make sure the immiticide worked. It is also imperative that you keep the dog on Heartgard during this time, or she will become re-infected and need to be treated again. Once she is 100% clear of heartworms, you can switch to Interceptor if you want, but I would NEVER allow the dog to be without heartworm prevention again, even in the dead of winter (if you get winter in your area).

Good luck.

Here is a link that might be useful: American Heartworm Society

I just had my basset treated for heartworms and it all came out fine.Its all like Meghane said in the above post.The worst was keeping her calm for six weeks or longer.I was a nervous wreck waiting on the treatment to start.I live in a rural area and it cost around 325.00 for a 35 lb dog.She was fine the whole time though it was aggravating keeping her calm..Good luck!Debbie

I have been so depressed & sad since I heard the news. Thanks for your suggestions & info. Meghane, I will print out the information.

I had to work Friday so my friend called her vet. He said it would cost $1000.00 providing there were no complications, & the dog would have to be kept extremely quiet. He says chances are the dog would not survive. His opinion was it would not be a good idea to adopt this dog.

If it were my pet, I'd do anything & everything to save it. I have never even seen this dog, just know it's a female German Shepherd about a year old. I don't know it's medical history, lifestyle or temperment. All I knew was that it's days were numbered on death row, so I offered to foster it, knowing full well I'd get attached & keep her. I had a name for her & was making her a dog bed & checking out trainers to see who'd best suit her personality.

Currently I have a 4 yr old Shepherd that spent the first year of his life in a pen. I also have an unknown age & breed dog (think she's a Shepherd/Australian Cattle) that my husband found on the hwy on his way home from work after midnight. She had breast cancer & a very mean disposition. We had the cancer removed successfully & had her spayed.
Both dogs are very active, energetic house dogs. I also have a stray cat & one I adopted from the pound.

Needless to say our home is like a zoo. It would be impossible to keep an animal still around here with all the fun & games.

Anyway, we've made an appointment with our Vet for Monday. We'll find out what he thinks as well as get prices for the treatment, spay surgery, shots, etc.

I not too hopeful at this point as I couldn't bear to get her, only to have her die. I'm still not over losing my female Shepherd to cancer 2yrs ago.

Summer

Wait. You haven't met the dog? This doesn't sound like a fostering situation at all. It sounds like adoption, but you get a trial run, is that it? Since you haven't yet met the dog, you need to do that before anything else.

I understand the power of a picture, but the dog's personality may not even fit with your current crew. Heartworm could be the least of her problems. If she does have heartworm and you treat it, you keep her still by restricting her to a crate or a small room during the recovery period and by leash walking.

Cynthia,

It isn't a fostering situation, anymore, since they learned she has HW. I have to adopt her, sight unseen, no trial run etc., have her treated & spayed. I agreed to do it & am waiting for a reply. Wish I had a million dollars.....I'm not a well-off person, but I sure do love animals. Wish me luck!

Summer

Summer, what a very kind and sweet thing to do! I sure do hope the dog will be OK. What have you decided to name her?

She won't be spayed until after her heartworms are proven cleared at the 6 month checkup, so at least there won't be an outlay of cash for that right away. My B'Elanna had heartworms when I found her, but it was a low load and she didn't have any heart enlargment or other health issues. She did great through the treatment, even though I had a Husky and another Rottie at home. Well, she did great until 3 months after her treatment when she developed hepatitis, which she had for 9 months. Sometimes the liver isn't fond of the treatment drugs, but it was unusual for it to show up that late. There was some debate among the vets as to whether or not the heartworm treatment had anything to do with her hepatitis. Anyway, she eventually recovered from that, and then she was spayed, almost a year after I adopted her.

I don't know how a vet can give a prognosis/estimate without seeing the dog and doing at least a chest radiograph. Unless the dog is known to be symptomatic or they've already done some testing. If she has symptoms (coughing, exercise intolerance) then her survival chances do decrease, and the damage to the heart is irreversible if she does survive. But if she just has heartworms she should do just fine.

Good luck, and please keep us posted on her. You are so nice to take in this dog.

Meghane,

Thank you so much! I'm hoping that since she's about a year old she'll do fine. I still don't have any details about her condition etc. I've named her Hannah & can hardly wait to meet her, give her a big hug, & tell her I'll do anything to make her well. I've asked that she be put on heartgard immediately as you suggested. I'm hesitatingly, yet eagerly, waiting for a reply about her. DH & I agreed to give up our annual vacation for her.

Summer

Summer, It is not all gloom and doom as your vet is indicating. We adopted 2 bassets in May, one of them was heartworm positive. We started heartworm treatment mid June after getting him healthy enough for the treatment.

He is on the "soft-kill" protocol that Meghane describe. And yesterday he received his final shot, we're picking him up from the vet this morning.

We too have a house full of animals and it has been a chore to keep him from not running. Has he broken out in a run for the "chase me" game? Yes, a few times. And I'd hold him and worry that it might have killed him.

If you can, get a crate. It will make it much easier to keep her from running. It will also give her a "safe place" away from the other dogs. We've got one more month of keeping our Basset quiet and the process is not as bad as it sounds. It can be done.

As Cynthia said, you don't know what kind of personality the dog will have. The one with the heartworms has fear aggression issues that we are working on too. He has been a challange but all of these things are fixable.

I wish you the best of luck.

jerri

Summer my vets office had applications for Care credit(credit card)that really helped figuring out how I'm going to pay for this.I did eventually decide to pay it in full after a few payments and just pay myself back because of the interest on the card.It took some of the stress out of wondering how I was finacially going to be able to afford heartworm treatment.Maybe your vet has a option like this..Debbie

I am so grateful for this forum & the support you have given me. When I got the awful news, I was so shaken, & had no one to talk to!!! DH works shifts.

Anyway for an update, for those of you that I know care - Hannah will have her first treatment on Tuesday.

When I returned home yesterday, I had a message to call the rescue about her.... DH & I had planned to drive to wherever she was to get her today, only to learn she is much farther away. Planning a transport could take some time & we decided it best to go ahead with the treatment where she is knowing that she is much loved by the pound volunteers. I just called the vet with my visa #.

Hey, it's just a visa bill, right? Who needs a vacation or a new garage door anyway? One day she'll give me that look. You know the one, PRICELESS!

Summer

"I just called the vet with my visa #. "

I was going to say that I really give you a lot of credit for what you're doing, but then I realized it sounds like a very bad pun. But congrats, and I hope this works out well for her and for you.

So is her picture on a website somewhere that you could link us to? I want to see her!

Cynthia,

What part of I called the vet with my visa # for her heartworm treatment don't you understand????? Did you miss the part about the rescue has no funds?? I've been to hell & back this week being worried sick about this dog, that I hope to save. Don't need or want your congrats. Oh, I have pics of her, but sharing them with someone like you is not something I desire. Today was the first light I saw at the end of a long tunnel. I must be really dense - I just don't get the 'bad pun' you refer to. Am I cranky? yes, I am. Haven't been sleeping too well lately. Your comments are unjustified. Sorry, but I don't take the plight of innocent animals lightly - never have - and never will. How dare you!

Summer

Um, I hope you know this vet, and this rescue. I wouldn't be giving my Visa number out to random veterinarians without establishing that they are legit. Especially since the rescue told you she was closer to you than she is. This raises many red flags, unless there are details you haven't posted which is certainly possible.

What's unjustified about congratulating you on adopting a dog? The phrase 'give you a lot of credit' is a compliment, it means that you have done something good. The pun was the word 'credit' as in 'Visa.' Hope that's clear now. No one has said anything mean to you. (On the other hand, I seem to have been blasted for offering good wishes. I'll try not to do that again.)

Cynthia,

I was wrong. I did not interpret your comments as you intended. I'm sorry! Please accept my sincere apology.

Summer

Hey Summer,

I confess folks that I didn't read all of this thread. I've been very busy with a new job (no.. not related to animals).

I had a heartworm positive that I adopted from the shelter I use to work at. He is doing just dandy.

I did get him neutered before the heartworm treatment because we backtracked his age and such and decided he couldn't be "glutted" with them at the stage he was in. We used immiticide.

He did do wonderfully and my vet was awesome in giving me a great rate for his size and due to where I was working. He also agreed we should neuter first, then treat. Yes, the treatment can be iffy -- but do-able.

I've had Rusty over 3 years now -- I got him when he was 3. He was kept in a pen and on a chain when he came to the shelter. And yes, was heartworm positive. He was a sack of bones too.

Now he's fat and happy here with us. Here's my fave pic. I tend to think he's rather grateful to be here and alive. He also makes some folks at the local alzheimer's center very happy once a month too.

I rescued a Border Collie who was heartworm positive, but through tests the vet concluded she only had worms of one sex and thus had a slight infestation. I was able to treat her with the Heartguard and within 18 months she was cured. This treatment is only for certain cases though. If you give the Heartguard to a dog in renal or heart failure you can kill it. Let a vet make the decision. Let them know that you don't have a lot of money and if treatment with the Heartguard would be an option.

Cindyandmocha,

Just have to tell you that pic made me smile. Rusty is a handsome, gorgeous boy!

Hannah has her immiticide treatment today & I'm trying to be positive.

Summer

Summer please DO stay positive... There are other pics of Rusty on my website, as well as his "story" of how we got him.

Heartworm is a very treatable disease. While the "cure" is iffy (50%), when they make it? they make it big.

Rusty is a very healthy active member of our community now, and he makes a lot of people very happy -- he truly has a job.

I also want people to know -- and hope you will educate others -- that heartworm is utterly preventable.

Summer, it's gonna be ok.. Please email me and keep me posted.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://bellsouthpwp.net/M/o/MochaGal/index.htm

Summer, I should also mention.... I know you will go through the period of time where Hannah has to be kept calm. Rusty went through that too.

I decided that since he had to be kept leashed outside, and not excited so as to not get his heart-rate up, that he needed some sort of stimulation -- even if only mentally.

My vet said it was perfectly safe for him to trot around the inside of the house, but not go out unleashed for 6 weeks. Thus, I decided that whenever I'd run an errand to town, Rusty would go too.

Well, to this day, Rusty's middle name is "car". He ADORES car rides, but can't run around in there. However, during his treatment, he still had the benefit of mental stimulation by getting to ride.

Everyone at Starbucks knows him now, and also at the Grocery and Home Depot. My neighbor even asked how I trained him (a year later) to run to the car and wait by the door. That might be one avenue of relief for you during Hannah's treatment.

Latest update.....Hannah was picked up from the vets' just before closing time today by a volunteer. She is reported to be doing well.

Tomorrow the volunteer will transport her & some other dogs from the USA to Canada. We have plans to meet her on her way to Toronto when we will get Hannah & finally meet her.

HW does seem like the 'end' here. That was the reaction I had, & the opinion of most people, including vets. It appears we don't get many cases here.

Cindyandmocha - I will check out your website when I have a chance & I know I will email you with questions.

Thanks for your support everyone. I will post pics.

Summer

Got Hannah yesterday. She's so sweet, it was love at first sight. Meghane - your est. cost for treatment was very close.

Apparently, the infestion wasn't too bad & we need to have her tested in 4 mo. Tomorrow, since I'm working during the day, dh who is working nights will bring her info to our vet & get Heartgard.

Hannah went into heat while at the vets sometime between Tuesday & Friday. I would like to know when I can have her safely spayed? Since we have to keep her quiet for six weeks, I'm thinking if possible, why not get it over with during that time. We'll speak to the vet, but the information provided here is so helpful.

Summer

I'm so glad she's home with you now. She sounds like a wonderful dog, and how lucky she is to have you. Glad she's doing well.
In heat?! That figures!
I'd wait to spay her until she is definately heartworm negative. I don't understand the logic of doing the test in 4 months though. If Hannah got infected (again) before she was put on Heartgard, which is possible, then it takes 6 months for those larvae to mature and show up positive on a test. She could have heartworms at 4 months from now, but the test would be negative. I'd wait for the full 6 months to test her again, and then spay if negative. That's what I planned to do with B'Elanna, but she had other plans and got hepatitis 3 months after heartworm treatment. So she didn't get spayed until 9 months after treatment. It would have been 6 months after treatment, after her negative test.

Hooray! Glad Hannah is home with you!

Good luck with keeping her quiet and resting. I hope everything works out for you and your new family member!

Hi,

I feel kind of bad keeping her crated - but I know it's for the best. I picked up the Heartgard today as the Vet had to special order it. He wasn't there, but the surgery nurse asked why I'm waiting 6 mo to have her spayed??????

When I talked to our vet yesterday he said week 2 & 3 are the worst. Hope all continues to go well. I'm not really sure what to expect. Anyway, here's Hannah......

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It wasn't easy to get a pic without an assistant.

Summer

How sweet she is. Stay positive. My friend has a dog that had heartworm and ten years after treatment Thunder is happy and healthy.

Summer, I loved the pics. Remember, those "six weeks" are so quiet for her. I would definitely work on her mental stimulation during that time. Maybe work on some simple tricks like sit and stay and fun stuff. It really helped my Rusty's boredom. I think Hannah's a lucky gal. I look forward to hearing about her progress.

BTW... we had Rusty neutered first because he couldn't have had heartworm for a long time yet. Our vet thought it was safer to neuter him first -- then treat for heartworm.

The worst part of heartworm treatment -- immiticide -- is the 3rd week according to all I have read. That is when the adult hearworms are "breaking off" --sometimes in chunks too large for their hearts to handle. For those that don't know, immiticide is just a form of arsenic.

I am very very happy for Hannah.

Today is two weeks since Hannah's treatment. She is one of the sweetest, nicest dogs in the whole wide world. We are so lucky to have her. Our sheppy loves her as do our two cats, while Maggie is indifferent.

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We prefer to err on keeping her too quiet rather than have complications. We're not even sure if heavy duty barking with the other dogs is considered stressful.

Summer

Hey folks,

I'm hoping someone can help me. I am fostering a rescue vizsla who is heartworm positive, albeit in the early stages, so that's a good thing!! Anyway, is it commonplace for the vet to keep the dog at their office for a few days after treatment for observation?

I'm trying to do what's best for this dog, but we do have a limited rescue fund, so any expenses we can avoid are very good, like kenneling costs. I know of other vets that have sent the dog home right after treatment with instructions to the owner - I was wondering if this is fairly commonplace. All help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Paul

Where I work and at the vet school, the dog always stays at least overnight. Depending on which treatment protocol used, that may mean a 2 night stay for the second round when they do 2 injections 24 hours apart. It wouldn't be worth it if nobody was there to watch the dog overnight. I left my dog overnight after being treated so she could be watched. Nothing I could have done at home if there were complications. As far as I know that's pretty common practice to have the dog stay overnight for observation.

I was following up on some of my old posts and wanted to check in on the HW positive dogs.

I agree with Meghane, my vet let Rusty come home the next day. However, most vets require two days. Since I worked in animal care at the time, our vet deemed it just made sense for him to come home to my house, thinking I would know what to do if a problem arose. (Plus I'm only 5 minutes from the vet office). Note that most vets will ask that the animal stay with them for two days. After Rusty's second shot, the vet let him come home with me.

Immiticide (aresenic based) is administered along the muscles of the spine in two doses now, as Meghane said above. It use to be one injection directly into the bloodstream. Thus, the two injections, 24/hrs apart, require 2 days vet-stay rather than 1.

summerday,
I love your new dog, Hannah! You can tell she is a sweet dog. Just beautiful. Congratulations to you and special congratulations to Hannah for getting a loving, kind mommy like you. God Bless~