Help Please!! (asap!!)

[Camo]

i have a delemma that i need yall to advise me on. our dog was diagnosed with heartworms last friday, he had been sick for about 2 weeks prior when we noticed the changes. He was coughing and his eyes were really mattery. the dr gave us lasix and told us that if we wanted to start treatment for him it was going to be about $500 (no gurantee)-- could not pay that as of now. so he was brought back home and put on the lasix. we called a friend of ours that deals with cattle and he told us to use Ivermectin to put 3cc's down his throat for 3 days then if he makes it thought that then to inject 1cc in the nape of his neck. the first 3 days he was getting sicker and wouldnt drink we forced fluids and food, after the first injection on the 4th day he purked back up and ate and drank on his own, after the 3rd injection he started coughing and coughed up blood but was doing ok after still eating and drinking on his own. he seems to be back to himself, but we'd like to know how to TOTALLY beat this, can anyone tell us what is happening to him and should we continue to inject this medication or what should be done to keep him around. ALL INFO IS APPRECIATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BTW- he is a purebred choc lab that prior to this was about 110 Lbs and is now down to about 93 Lbs.

[weezyNollie]

Ivermectin isn't going to do anything, because it only kills the microfilaria form of the heartworm. Not the adult heartworms, that your dog has.

The only way to beat that is to treat it with the medications the doctor can provide. Unfortunately, heartworm is not an easy fight.

Another reminder of how cheap prevenative health care is.

[Camo]

do you have any suggestions (besides the vet for right now) not alot of $$ (home remedies)

[pomlover80]

Originally Posted by weezyNollie

Ivermectin isn't going to do anything, because it only kills the microfilaria form of the heartworm. Not the adult heartworms, that your dog has.

The only way to beat that is to treat it with the medications the doctor can provide. Unfortunately, heartworm is not an easy fight.

Another reminder of how cheap prevenative health care is.

Exactly what I was thinking...It is much cheaper and easier to prevent it in the first place than treat it now. But weezyNollie is right that a vet is the only way to go to treat heartworms. Good luck and hope your dog gets better.

[Camo]

thanks for the info, i do know that preventitive measures should have been taken in the first place but i have to take care of the here and now. he looks a TON better since the meds have been started and is doing alot better but the coughing up of blood is what im worried about. the friend that has helped us with the meds has had about an 80% Success rate with it and is truely a friend but id like to know if there is anything yall could say about the blood issue and why hed be doing almost a complete reversal of the way he is from how he was. THANKS AGAIN!!

[sheplovr]

Oh No honey so sorry as if given from a puppy Zimectrin it contains the same chemical as heart guard for heart worm. I use it monthly on the 22nd each month of one mi. only per adult dog.

My dogs always test negative when I run a fecal sample in for worms of any kind... I feel so badly for you and pray your dog makes it. Heart worm can be stopped now by vets meds only and it costs money that is why I use horse wormer as many breeders do from the beginning. Do what your vet says now and hope all works out for u and if so then get him on a schedule of worming with Zimectrin monthly have a doggie calendar for dogs things only and mark it down monthly one mi only for adults. Puppies I only use for infants EarlyWorm and to seven months Neumex from drsfostersmith.com

Please let me or us know how your pet is doing and I pray it will be ok and just fine.

[bernicesmama]

don't know how accurate this is, but here's a website talking about homeopathic remedies for heartworm.
http://www.theherbsplace.com/heartworm.html

[Camo]

thanks yall again. Prayers help IMMENSELY!! PLEASE CONTINUE!!! my only question now is why is he coughing up so much blood but looks good?

[mara]

Is is Bright red Blood or kind of dark pink and frothy. If the later could be from congestion in the lungs caused by the heart not beeing strong right now. The Lasix would be the treatment for this. Should be getting less as time goes on.

[weezyNollie]

Coughing up blood is never good.

Part of the disease the worms migrate to the lungs and the body's reaction is to cough it up. Unfortunately, looks/sounds like the worms in the lungs are causing fatal signs. I'm really sorry.

I think you should really go to a veterinarian for all this and get this treated. It's pretty much guaranteed that dogs pass on without treatment for heartworms. I hope you do the right thing.