BTW. Heartgard (Ivermectin) also kills hooks, rounds and whips. But because the life cycle of these is three weeks and the Ivermectin/Heartgard is given every four, dogs that are under high exposure to parasites should also be wormed with pyrantel pamoate every other week in between the Heartgard/Ivermectin.

I've never heard of de-worming this often. In the vet assistant program I took, I learned that dogs should be de-wormed only about ever 6 months to once a year, depending on how much exposure to other dogs, etc. they got.

Because I have been doing rescue fostering, and there is an infested pack of feral cats that hunt in my yard (I have tamed kittens out of this pack so I know they have rounds and tapes bad), and my dogs visit the dog park regularly for training, and board at the vets for socialization, they are under high and constant exposure to parasites. This is what my vet and another both recomended for my dogs. However, most dogs are not that exposed to others as much and it would be excessive.

So at this time I am freaking out not knowing if my pup has heartworms or not.
Question-
+ve test means- blood do have heartworm so medicate him to preventive it.
if the blood test shows he has heartworm <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />, then what is the remedy. Is there any symtoms I should note, to indicate if he has heartworm or not??

Thanks,
Rashmi

If he isn't over the age of five yrs more or less, then I wouldn't be concerned of DEATH from heartworms. They progress slowly into a population that makes it hard for the heart to work and can eventually clog it or one can detach and end up in the lungs and be fatal to the dog.
They usually classify the infection into two groups- treatable or really infested and hard to treat. (If the infestation is real bad then there is a larger chance of a dying/dead detached worm ending up in the lungs or brain.) They are careful on how they treat the really infested ones but can treat the mild cases effectively. If your dog has heartworms badly then he will show signs like a dull coat from the lack of nutrients that the worms are sucking out of him, lethargy, shortness of breath, fast pulse, water retention on his abdomen (signs of major heart problems- his skin will look puffy and swollen), pale gums from the lack of iron/blood the worms are ingesting, and more.
A mild infection would just be smaller ones attached to some arteries and veins. Mild infections rarely have symptons until it's too late and they've taken over the heart.
Treatment consists of strong meds usually given my injection. It's been awile but I am sure you can find all the specific info on a search for "heartworm treatment".
The test at your vet to see if he has the worms is a simple blood sample and most vets have in-house tests so the results can be immediate. If positive, treat and then put on prevention. If negative, put on prevention- but remember to look at alternatives (ex. Ivermectin) to the pricey vet stuff.
Usually areas have either a high risk for heartworms and many dogs have or had them or a low risk where they are uncommon. Your vet or boarding kennel will know.
After he's on prevention a mosquito can suck the blood out of him all and and no worries about heartworms.

Alison,

Thank you so much for the detailed explanation. Very well put.
Rashmi

Connie,
Thanks a lot for you inputs. I am going to rip the hair out of my vet.

Have you guys( you and Alison) thought of writing small journal and selling it to amateurs like myself <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Make some money out of this....
Thanks a lot again for you consult.

I will update you guys after the Thursday's visit.
Rashmi

No need for small journals.......they exist all over the place, in print and free on the web. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Thanks, though.

Regarding the use of Ivermectin? I had Kato on Ivermectin for what was thought to be demodex AND he is on heartworm preventive. Is there a danger of too much meds in his system?
BTW. A friend's dog was diagnosed with heartworm in June. Luckily it was caught in the early stages and she is recovering, but she was on a monthly preventative year round. The vet told the family that just because the dog is given heartguard every month, it is not a guarantee.