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Off the top of my head I can’t remember the name of the medicine Emma was given. The treatment called to 2 shots - one shot, stay over night at the Vet, and 2nd shot the next day. Em reacted badly to the 1st shot and stayed two nights b4 she was released. The Vet decided to wait 30 days b4 her 2nd shot.
When home she had 2 low dose aspirin a day and was to be crated for 30 days - only to come out for potty breaks. This was to keep her to minimal activity so she wouldn’t have a heart attack or stoke. The risk of Em having a blood clot from dissolving heart worms was the reason for the crate time. After a few days it seems to me Emma was more stressed being in her crate 24/7 than was acceptable to me. I let her have the run of the kitchen - she was so ill that “run of the kitchen” consisted of her laying either in her crate with the door open OR laying under the kitchen table. After a week of kitchen time I let her roam in the house - that also consisted of her laying in her favorite places. About a week b4 her next Vet apointment she seem to be feeling better.
Emma’s 2nd shot - again she needed to stay two nights at the Vets. Again she was very ill... shaky and only felt like laying down. We followed the same routine. There were several times over that 60 days I did not think Emma would make it. It took several weeks after that for Emma to regain her strength.
She now takes Interceptor. In two more months she has another heart worm test. IF she would test positive we start the same treatment all over again... She now seems to be fine but I worry that her heart has been weakened and whenever she makes odd noises in her sleep I worry that the heart worms are still there...
My Girls will always get their heart worm pill and Frontline every month - even in the Winter now...I believe Emma developed heart worms while not on Interceptor during the Winter months last year.
Colt your article was very informative on how heart worms develop - thanks.
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