[Dailydrool] Heartworm meds

[Jane Hay]

We've been using Iverhart Max tablets for years with an annual heartworm
test which has always been negative for all the Houndettes. Our vet tried
to talk us into one of the topical heartworm meds at one point but I had a
couple of problems with it. First, the hounds had to stay apart for a
minimum of 30 minutes for the topical med to dry. Second, it took care of
fleas but not ticks so I would still have to buy BioSpot and apply that a
week later because we live in the south and live in tick city. Third, the
price! WOW! The topical product was almost $100 for a six month supply.
Well, with four hounds and having to buy the BioSpot too, it was just plain
too expensive. It may be cheaper now but it was very expensive when it
first came out. However, I have to say, if you live anywhere that there is
a chance that your dog may get heartworms, give them one of the monthly
heartworm prevention meds without fail. You only have to go through the
heartworm treatment just once to know that you NEVER want to go through it
again. Our foster, Mandy, was heartworm positive so we went through the
whole treatment with her. The shots are deep intramuscular shots that are
given in the dogs back and they are quite painful. Mandy was uncomfortable
with the first shot but in terrible pain with the second. We got her home
and she just moaned. It was heart breaking! I kept the poor girl on a big
dose of Tramadol for several days afterwards. That was the one time that we
had a dog fight here the drew a lot of blood. I guess Ginger got to close
to Mandy and she felt bad enough that she went after Ginger. Mandy ended up
with a deep laceration on the top of her head and Ginger had a couple of
puncture wounds on her nose. Plus, you're supposed to keep the dog quiet
throughout the treatment to prevent the dog from having a pulmonary embolus
or stroke as the worms die and break off from the arteries. Well, good luck
with that if you have a young dog! Mandy was only about two and we finally
ended up not confining her because we felt she was more stressed and her
heart rate was higher keeping her apart from the herd than it was if we let
her be with her pack. Of course, if the play became more exuberant that
just alligator mouthing we had to stop it but we really felt that she was
better off with her pack than without it. Anyway, heartworm treatment for a
dog is miserable at best and you don't *ever* want to risk your hound
getting them.

The Houndettes are slinging heart healing and get well drool to all in need.

Jane & the Houndettes
Jersey, Shadow, Suzy & Ginger
with foster girl Sydney
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