Heart worms
 

How serious is heartworms and can they be treated if your dog gets them.If you or someone you know has had a pet get them what was the outcome from it.

RE: Heart worms
 

Heartworms can be a very serious problem, especially if the infection is not treated and is left to get worse. Dogs with heartworms can be treated, but the treatment can be very hard on them, even fatal in extreme cases. Basically, the medicine we use kills and starts to break down the worm. The worm peices have no where to go but where the bloodstream takes them, and often this is to the vessels in the lungs. If a dog has a low worm burden, however, they usually show no ill effects and go thru the treatment just fine. Some people hesitate to treat when I say that the treatment could be fatal, but they always end up doing it because the heartworms, if untreated WILL kill their dog eventually.
I have heard of guys treating their dogs, and the dog was fine afterward but couldnt hunt like he used to be able to. I dont have any hard evidence to back that up, just word of mouth. Maybe wvvet or docE can give their experience.

RE: Heart worms
 

What are the signs to watch for in dogs with heart worms.

RE: Heart worms
 

All hunting dogs, or any dogs that spend time outside for that matter, should be on a heartwork preventitive as well as a flea and tick product (fleas can carry heartworm too). I like Interceptor. Your vet probably carries it.

RE: Heart worms
 

i had a dog with it about 10 years ago.had her treated. it knocked alot of stamina out of her. this is a coyotehound. she is still running hard today. after that i put all my dogs on ivermec and have not had a problem since

RE: Heart worms
 

I'm a Chiro, not a Vet, and I don't stay at Holiday Inn. ;)

The final outcome depends on the degree of infestation when treatment is started. In severe cases, the heartworms can also migrate to the brain.

Heartworm treatment (NOT heartworm prevention) is extremely hard on a dog -- but not near as hard on a dog as leaving the worms in the dog.

RE: Heart worms
 

Don't wait for symptoms to appear. Take your dog to the Vet and have a Heartworm test done.

RE: Heart worms
 

In the early stages, you may not see any symptoms at all. The symptoms, which is the same symptoms you see with heart disease, don't even start until damage has already occured within the heart. The first symptom you will usually see is a cough. Most of the time this is the only symptom you will see. Most people bring their dog to me thinking he has a cold that he can't shake.

Later you may see a dog that seems to tire easily. In the late stages you may see bloating of the abdomen, passing out, and extreme exercise intolerance.

The best treatment is prevention. In most cases its costs $2 - $7 a month to keep your dog heartworm and intestinal worm free. This is what I call cheap insurance.

RE: Heart worms
 

Sometimes one of the first signs is your dog is dead. I know that is harsh, but what everyone is trying to tell you is if you have a dog get it tested now and on preventitive. Thats all there is to it. If you don't, your dog will get them if it doesnt already have them and the dog will die a bad death. If you don't want to do that give the dog to someone that cares enough to take care of it.

Ezzy