I need a recommendation on a vet badly.

[Mysticcobrakilla]

Unfortunately once a dog shows signs of heartworms the disease has progressed to a severe stage. The only way to actually kill the heartworms is to put the dog through immiticide injection treatment. However, with your dog's age and your description of the weight loss and health status, that may not be the best treatment option. There are some medications that can be administered to lessen some of the symptoms as well as prevent the heartworm infection from getting worse. I'd be happy to talk with you further if you'd like, but I would definitely recommend getting a second opinion with a veterinarian that focuses more on thorough client communication and fully explains the treatment options available to your pet.

Take this advise.

[Redd]

The problem with giving a dog that old the full treatment is that it can actually be to much for the dogs hearts like jenn stated. What they do is give the preventive to stop the reproduction of the worms and the older ones die of.


I had to put my two boxers down last summer. One being elbino was a rescue dog that had heart worms, Treated and well years later he got them again. His heart was so damaged from them and boxers have known heart conditions his poor little heart was bout to explode. He actually pretty much died on our living room floor before we knew his heart was so weak. Our neighbor is a vet tech and did cpr on him and brought him back. He was a goofy ass dog and lived another 3 happy goofy months dopped up on meds to control seisures till we finally made the call to put him down as he was getting worse. He was 10 years... our fawn went down hill month later, had mini strokes and lost use of her rear legs more and more...


We use a vet in kaufman.. its bit of a drive but wife and I like them.

[mikec]

True.

The treatment for heart worms is pretty rough on a dog. Maybe the reason they said wait and the put him down is because for a dog that old, the treatment may be too harsh. I would think they would clarify the reason they said that regardless.

The age thing is the issue here. Which, though I absolutely love dogs, I agree with.

The unspoken thing about heartworms and the treatment of them is that the monthly treatment only kills new born worms. Life expectancy of the heart worm is pretty short at nine months. So, if you put your dog on the treatment, existing heartworms will die within nine months.

OP, get him on the treatment, overdose his ass, and hope you acted quickly enough. You might save him without having to subject him to the arsenic treatment.

http://www.ehow.com/about_6324837_dog-heartworm-life-cycle.html

[Reefer Rae]

We just got back from a walk , about a mile . He never had any short breath and did well . I will be sending a couple of pm's in the AM . I am thinking if I can get some body mass on him "muscle and fat " and get him moving again he will get better . I just refuse to let him drift off to death . I'll be back in the morning .
Thanks

[crapstang]

I know 3 vets here and in Denton that would treat you really well if you still need one

[Jenn]

We just got back from a walk , about a mile . He never had any short breath and did well . I will be sending a couple of pm's in the AM . I am thinking if I can get some body mass on him "muscle and fat " and get him moving again he will get better . I just refuse to let him drift off to death . I'll be back in the morning .
Thanks

Be careful with the exercise. In a heartworm positive dog, raising their heart rate can increase the chances of pulmonary embolism and can cause sudden death. The risk is heightened once you start any type of treatment but still possible if a worm dislodges from the heart into the bloodstream. Also, adding any extra strain on a heart that is already working harder is not typically a good outcome.

[Treasure Chest]

We use a vet in Gilmer. People actually fly show dogs in from as far as California to have our vet do certain surgeries on their dogs because he's reasonably priced, and very good.
For perspective, my ex's dog got into antifreeze last summer. The bill for 12 hours at the emergency clinic was $700. Scooby was transferred to Dr Spencer the next morning and he spent a week with treatment, monitoring, kidney function testing, and had to finally be put down, and his total bill was $400.

It's quite the drive from Cleburne, and with gas, you may not save much, but if you want to add him to your call list, I'll gladly give you his number.

[Stephen]

I have 2 vets i suggest but you aren't close to either

1. Dr. Jan dewitt (best vet I've ever used!) (garland)

http://dallas.citysearch.com/profile/9522544/garland_tx/club_hill_animal_clinic.html

2. North Colony animal clinic: DR. Bowe (david)
http://www.yelp.com/biz/north-colony...nic-the-colony (maybe the second best as i cant compare as they are both equally incredibale!)

I have been sending my dogs, my parents dogs/cats etc to vets all over dfw for many years now ( I kind of had a pet adoption problem over my entire life)

Either one of these places will help you, give you correct advise, and not pull a sales pitch.

If you want my honest opinion, I cant give you a better vet out of the two.. dr. jan and dr. dabid bowe both actually really care about animals and will do whats in your's/theirs bets interest to help your pet

[fastwhite99gt]

Man I must be getting a deal or vets are cheaper out here, it's only like $245 for heartworm treatment. My Rottie had them and he stayed at the vet's 3 days and then had to be kept indoors for a week or so, but he's good now. The best bet for an older dog is what a lot of the others have said, give him the heartworm prevention pills and let the old worms die off and keep new ones from coming in.

[YALE]

Man I must be getting a deal or vets are cheaper out here, it's only like $245 for heartworm treatment. My Rottie had them and he stayed at the vet's 3 days and then had to be kept indoors for a week or so, but he's good now. The best bet for an older dog is what a lot of the others have said, give him the heartworm prevention pills and let the old worms die off and keep new ones from coming in.

That opinion has killed a lot of dogs unnecessarily, unless I'm misunderstanding you.

[stinginstang]

was this dog on heartworm preventative to begin with?

[Redd]

Be careful with the exercise. In a heartworm positive dog, raising their heart rate can increase the chances of pulmonary embolism and can cause sudden death. The risk is heightened once you start any type of treatment but still possible if a worm dislodges from the heart into the bloodstream. Also, adding any extra strain on a heart that is already working harder is not typically a good outcome.

Bassicly what happened to my boxer.... His heart was so damaged he went out side got excited bout dog next door started jumping and barking. Came in and fell over and had almost no pulse.

But as hard as it is, you can't refuse to put you dog down when they get to a point they aren't happy/comfortable/in pain/ etc etc

[mikec]

That opinion has killed a lot of dogs unnecessarily, unless I'm misunderstanding you.

Sources?

[Frank]

Not that I am advising you to ignore it, but I had a dog that was diagnosed with heart worms. The treatment was very expensive and not something we could afford at the time. She lived another 13 years until I had to put her down about a month ago. I had to put her down because she was blind and very arthritic, not because of heartworms. She never fussed or showed any signs of pain in all those years and was very active until the last couple.

[YALE]

Sources?

I've got an old hillbilly uncle that won't put his dogs on heart worm prevention, then gives it to them when they get heart worms. It usually kills them in a month or three.