Update
 

Well the specialist appt went well. Xrays were good, and showed no obvious signs of worm infestation in either heart or lungs. And they want to repeat the antigen test for HW. So more blood was drawn. This doesn't mean that there are no worms only that she is very probably in the early stages of this disease with a light worm load.

Specialist is feeling that if all goes well, she will only need to be in the hospital for 2 days, but then home to 6wks of strict crate rest.

The catch is due to the short shelf life of the drug for treatment, they have to order it in for specific cases, and they quickly checked with their normal suppliers, who have none at the moment in stock. So as we are coming up to a long wkend here, he doesn't want to start the treatment just before the big exodus out of the city to cottage country. May 24 here is the typical wkend to open the cottage. He wants to make sure that if there is a complication all specilists are available; so we are probably looking at early next wk before she goes in for treatment.

So again we wait.

There was a couple of things I found somewhat concerning; namely I asked about whether he will test for the strain, and if he will participate in the research study by the American Heartworm Society by submitting a small vial of blood, as there appears to be a disease resistant strain mp3. He response; he didn't know of the study, he didn't know about mp3, and he said "at this point I know more about it than he does"! HUH?

He did go onto to say that he does not see a lot of heartworm infections, that Ontario is rather low in this disease.

Anyhoo that is it for now.

Update
 

sorry was a duplicate post

I am just seeing this and read the whole thread, what a roller coaster ride of emotions you have been through. I am sending prayers for Zoey and for you as she goes through her treatment. You are a wonderful mom to your fur family and you and Zoey will get through this with prayers and support.

Oh, Oh, my! When you know more about it than he does, it makes you wonder, doesn't it? I hope everything works out.

A member's dog in the Philappines is going through the slow kill treatment and giving Doxy too. I was understanding that the Doxy kills the W. Bacteria in the adult HW, which in turn renders the HW incapable of reproducing.

One question: How often do you test your dogs for Heartworm? Every 6 months, yearly or every 2 years?

Glad the xrays came out good! Keeping your precious ones (esp the biggies) in my prayers...

And really, Canadian and Alaskan dogs would be the last ones on my list of most likely to come down with HW....

(And go easy on your vet... I don't think vets in Florida are too familiar with treating frostbite!)

PS: Big Hugs for you!

Thanks Michelle. It is so much easier to deal with what is with prayers and support.

Yes it does, not a comfy situation.

Here there seems to be different protocols on the testing, out of 4 general practice vets, two want yearly testing, and two recommend every two year testing. OVMA recommends yearly. But again, city vets assume city dogs staying mainly in Toronto, so that maybe why the different recommendations. But I did suggest strongly as two of my friends with their "city" dogs, do go swimming in Lake Ontario, and love to walk the many beautiful nature paths throughout the city; that they test their dogs for HW. The reality is we were in Ontario most of last summer with only one 5-6 day trip to Kentucky.

Thanks for the hugs.

That sounds more reasonable. Had never heard of 7 days hospitalization before. I mean, it would be a good idea, but if they were hospitalized as long as they needed to be crated, that would be several weeks...

No talk of doxy?

Wouldn't worry too much about the MP3 there. It's possible, but that really is a major problem in the southern US. My vets here in MI hadn't even heard about it. They are just now learning about it because it's something that the AHS is still processing and I don't think there have been any reoorts on it done by the AAHA or AVMA.

Immiticide is a hard drug to get. I believe here the orderer has to show need to be able to get it.


I bet they do use it for slow kill. They also use it before Immiticide though. There is enough positive info on it that I'd probably insist.

We test yearly. That will be increased if Ellie's vet office sees an increasing number of cases in patients whose owners are compliant about giving preventatives every month.

Gail, just seeing this thread. I am so sorry you and your DH are going thru this. I have to admitt that I also have forgotten a dose before. Here they want us to use it all year. Prayers for Zoey and the other fur babies and hugs to you.

Still thinking of you and Zoey. I'm very glad the xrays turned out so well.

Hugs,
Bonny

I raised the topic of doxy; specialist response is no he doesn't use, he uses an anti inflammatory.

Crystal can you post a link to specific study(s) on efficacy of doxy in HW tx? Ps: I will go back this evening to American Heartworm society, to review for doxy specific info.

Evaluation of lung pathology in Dirofilaria immiti... [Vet Parasitol. 2011] - PubMed result

Effects of doxycycline on the endosymbiont Wolbach... [Vet Parasitol. 2010] - PubMed result

Association of Wolbachia with heartworm disease in... [Vet Parasitol. 2010] - PubMed result

Wolbachia and its influence on the pathology and i... [Vet Parasitol. 2008] - PubMed result

etc., etc., etc.

Less thrombi = safer for the pup.
BTW, melarsomine is Immiticide.

Here is the thread I refered to earlier:

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...lp-please.html

Has some relavent info in it but Kiwi had other problems too, mainly with being little. More serious HW discussion at the end of the thread.

Here is one link about the doxy /wolbachia and HW not able to reproduce (contains links to PubMed Studies):

DogAware.com Articles: Heartworm Treatment in Dogs

I believe the issue of 'length of hospitalization' and crate time directly correlates to the amount, size and number of adult heartworms in the heart and if also in the lungs, and movement of the dog increases heartrate and can push out too many dead adult heartworms at one time creating major blockages. When the dog is kept quiet, the adult HWs are more gently and gradually moved through the dog's system.

Waiting is NOT a fun thing, but the xray results is very positive!!! Hopefully her treatment will be minimal and very successful!!! I asked my vet about heatworm when I took Seymour in for vaccines, and he said that if the infestation is minimal, the treatment is usually very successful.... Good Luck to Zoey!!!! Keep us posted. ( & hopefully you don't go stir crazy while waiting..... I know you want to get things taken care of ASAP!)

Thanks so much Crystal I will study tonight tomorrow.