Heartworm infected dog - Just found out today :(

Thanks!  Well, I got a call from the vet to setup a time for consultation when we pick Mr. Man up today.  The office said that he went through the injection and the bloodwork just fine.  He didn't flinch a bit.  He's resting now with his pillow and one of each of our shirts. 

We're leaving in 3 hours to go pick him up. 

I was going to go get raw bones from the grocery store, but I've never bought them before so I don't know what to look for.

I found soup bones that were frozen, and had stuff in 'em, but they looked reddish like they were bloody or something so I didn't get them because I don't know what they are supposed to look like, or what to do with them.

Someone!  Educate me!  Please!

Thank you so much!  The prayers and thoughts are most appreciated.

Samantha

Thank you!  I will be very glad to see him too.  Does he wake up a few times a night to go potty or?    57 days?  You must be getting a different treatment.  Hogan's schedule is as follows:
Day 1 (today) - 1st injection
Day 28 - 2nd injection, stays overnight
Day 29 - wakes up at the vet's, gets 3rd injection, they monitor him during the day, I pick him up after work.
Day 42 - Recheck
Day 120 - Heartworm Test

So, we actually have to keep him quiet from day 1 to day 120.  I asked the vet's office and that's what they said.

As for what we've been doing to keep him calm and entertained...

We give him valerian root tincture in small amounts of peanut butter 2x a day - once at 7:00am, once at about 1:15 or so.  We use the brand Herb Pharm and give him about 2/3 to 3/4 of a dropperful.  At night, we crush up and give to him 2 tablets of Hyland's Calm Forte.  We do this at about 7:00 at night, it helps him sleep through the night.  (we started him a week before on this to see how he'd react and also get him trained to be quiet).  Valerian Root Tincture was ok'd by my vet's office, and it helps promote sleepiness and calmness.  He still has his moments of rambunctious puppydom, but he's 15 months old and I don't know that you can take away that without taking away his spirit, ya know?

We have tried several things that have been suggested to me such as frozen kongs - taking his kong and filling it with part of his supper and then freezing it.  It takes him about 45 minutes to finish half of his supper that way.  We'll probably break his feeding down into four meals instead of two... so he'll have a frozen kong at around 7:00, one at 11:00, one at 4:00 and one at 7:00. 

It's been suggested to get real marrow bones and take part of the marrow out because it can give tummy upset if the dog isn't used to it, and then freeze it.  I was going to buy some today but I wasn't sure what to get, so I'm waiting for that question to be answered here. 

I've been trying to work on modulating my voice so that he can hear that he needs to be calm.

It was also suggested to put some cooked vegetables in the kong and freeze it.  Also, cooking veggies, making it into a puree, plugging the kong holes with kibble, freezing it, and letting them have it that way. 

It also came to my attention that Peanut butter isn't that good for dogs even though they love it; apparently it is bad for their kidneys.  Something called tahini, which is essentially peanut butter, not out of peanuts but sesame seeds, I've been told is much better for them and an absolute delicacy. 

Again, all this info is stuff that people on here have imparted to me in one way or another, or that I've read someplace else.  I'm sure that as time passes, we'll both come up with new creative ways to keep them entertained in a mellow fashion. 

As for being a worrywort - I am SO there with you.  I know he will get excited when I come home, when Emma gets excited, etc.  I'm afraid to let his heart race AT ALL.  So, tonight when I talk to the vet when we pick him up, I'll ask about that stuff and report back.

Hope everything continues to go well with Coal.  I will keep ya'll updated on the Hogan-Man. 

Samantha

Hello Worry Warts---from another Worry Wart.  Heck, what kind of parents would we be to our fur kids if we didn't worry about stuff like this.
 
Glad to hear both are doing so well.  I know it is a long road to travel, but well worth it when your babies will be able to run and jump and play and use all kinds of energy---and you can collapse because it is over and your babies are fine.

Marrow bones -- usually some meat on the outside of them.  You don't buy them already frozen -- but usually they are in the meat department somewhere near the stew beef.  Ask the butcher -- tell them you want marrow bones about 1 1/2" long and several if he'll get them in for you.  When they saw them apart there's usually a bit of blood -- but mostly they look like most raw meat stuff -- if it's not smelling good don't buy it. 
 
Take them home and THEN freeze them (that kills bacteria). 
 
Tahini -- I'm surprised you aren't familiar with it -- it will be with the other Jewish stuff and probably somewhere near the Halvah.  (yes, Halvah is made from ground sesame seeds so it tastes a lot like Tahini).  Joyah is a common brand.  You can usually get it most anywhere that carries halvah.
 
If you puree the veg you don't have to cook it.  If you cook it, just mash it.  All you have to do is break down the cellulose. 
 
Your note-taking abilities are astounding!! *grin*  Remember to have a little fun this weekend too, ya know?? *grin*  Hogan would tell ya it's necessary!!!

LOL thanks! I have a mind like a steel trap and when I'm told something important or it's something I'm really interested in, I retain, retain, and retain.    I saw 'soup bones' and they looked frozen.  As for Jewish food - there's not a ton of it here in the Northern Tundra.  Granted, one of our grocery stores has a pretty decent Jewish section, the rest of 'em don't (although I'm sure either the co-op or one of the smaller markets that are specialty markets sell it). 

As for Hogie, he is home now.  We had our consult with the vet at 4:00 and he did great.  He didn't flinch or anything during the bloodwork or the injection.  The doc showed us where he injected the little guy and even when you touch him, he doens't seem to care at all.  He's a little trooper. 

The doc does want him off of the Valerian and the Calms just for about a week and only because he doesn't have any personal experience with a dog being on it after getting a teratment of Immiticide.  Even though I told him that I have a friend who does rescue and assured me it's okay, he wants us to wait a week.  Since Hogie is pretty quiet right now, hopefully that'll be okay.  And then next weekend, we can get him back on his mellow-routine.   

He's sleeping up on the bed (down alternative comforter and all) with Emma, who knows something is up.  She was very excited to see him when he came in, so we had to seperate them momentarily.  Then upstairs, he laid down on his doggie bed and while the S.O. and Emma were in the other room, I laid down half on the floor half on his doggie bed next to him.  We both ended up falling asleep until the door opened.  Emma can tell that something is up because she keeps giving him gentle little licks on his nose and sniffs him.  She looks semi-concerned, and every once in a while she looks like the protective big sister.

That's about as much of an update as I can do.  The doc told us that he should be fine - to watch for any coughing.  He said that a little cough may happen here and there, but if we hear any 'honking' or big coughs, to call over there immediately.  So, hopefully we can get through the night without any wake-ups.  I am now off to go get back to my little pride and joy.

OH, so, when the vet's office called to get the time for our consult, the person who called kept raving about Hogan, how she thought he is such an awesome dog, how he'll let you do anything, how he didn't flinch during the procedures, and how once you are done with what you need to do, all he wants is love.  When I went back in this evening/afternoon to pick him up, she said that to me again.  He's my little pride and joy.  My baby. 

Now that I'm all emotional I'm going to go back into bed and snuggle with my little guy.

Will probably check back later at some point. 

I got some tahini in the mediterranean section and I went to another store to pick up some long soup bones.  They do have a small amount of meat on them.  I washed 'em up, scooped out half of the marrow and they've been in the freezer for about an hour and a half.  How long do they need to freeze before I can give them to the babies?

Welp, the vet ixnay'ed the raw bones because of Hogan's compromised immune system.  Emma can have them.  Hogan is going nutty - bored out of his goard.  He's confined in the room with me because he's whining in his crate and doing his little Louisiana tap dance.  So, he's restless. 

*sigh*  I have a kong with tahini and carrot puree in the freezer.  It can't freeze fast enough. 

I just want my little man to be okay.   I am feeling somewhat discouraged and helpless.  It's not a good feeling.  He finally just laid down next to me.  I know it's going to be okay but I'm just having a rough day.

Hang  in there . Itt is worth it in the end.

Thanks!  And yes, no question about it - it's worth it.

We have Emma crated right now in the second crate we just bought and she's chewing on a raw bone and LOVING it.

I don't think I've ever seen her enjoy something so much.

Oh, I forgot to talk about this.  With his immune system being messed up, you really have to be careful with vax, etc.  Even without immune system fouled up, it is best to get rabies vax a month or so before or after the other vax.  Also, if you can avoid the lepto and or Lyme, do so.  If it is in your area and your vet and you think it best, do so.  But unless it is "going around", skip them.  The more stuff pumped into his body, the more likely he is to have problems.  I give mine EsterC cap every day for their immune system, just to be on the safe side.  I and my hubby also take them.  I have rheumatoid arthritis which is an autoimmune disease--and my rheumatologist said it should not actually be called arthritis.  It affects not only my joints, but also muscles, nerves, etc.
 
With my first son I was sick 24/7 the entire 9 months.  Talk about miserable.  BUT my first look at that sweet baby and I knew it had all been worth it.  AT least you don't have the 9 months of having to keep poor Hogan still, quiet, and you a nervous wreck! 

He doesn't need to get rabies until September, which will be after he's all done with treatment. 

Yeah 9 months and I'd be insane

Hi all-
Well it was a LONG weekend.   I feel like I worked a full week over the weekend.  didnt get much sleep.   I sleep on one side of the bed and Casey hogs the rest and Coal sleeps on the floor.   Coal has figuired out if he reallly has to go outside he has to bark at me... scares the crap out of me...lol...gets me up though.   We go to bed about 10:30 and I make sure the temp is down to at least 70 and sometimes they sleep thru the night and sometimes Coal wakes me up about 1:30 or 4:30.  We have been getting up at 6 so its not so bad....  this weekend we just layed around.  I went to the store yesterday afternoon and they werent happy campers but they were ok.


I have noticed Coal coughing a little but not a lot.    Is Hogan panting a lot???   Coal is.  I think he is getting bored.  he wont touch the kong and the rawhide bones are ok for about 5 mins.  If I lay on the couch he just sits there and stares at me and pants.... 


My vet says only the 60 days.   Coal had his first set of injections on 4/17/06 then we go back on 5/17/06 or there abouts for his next series.  He stays at the vet at least 1 day both times.   then I have to keep him quiet for 4 weeks after each shot.   as far as I know thats it.   will have to ask.  

I have to call today and ask for flea meds and their hook worm medicine... 

hope things are going great with hogan.

When i left for work this morning I hear Coal whinning right before i walked out the door but I know my dads going over this morning so it shouldnt be so bad.


I did notice that Casey isnt eating much.  and when i put him outisde this morning instead of barking and raising cane he just went and did  his buisness and laid down on the porch....   of course once i talked to him thru the fence he perked up but I am wondering if maybe something is going on with him.  Will have to keep and eye out..

well gotta go to work....  talk at ya later

I hear ya.  Poor Coal.  Mama, I gotta GO. 
We just hung out and relaxed, too.

As for coughing, the vet told us that he may have slight little coughs but if it's a 'honking' cough we want to call him right away.  I noticed Hogan cough a very slight bit this morning and he's been breathing louder.  He hasn't really been panting much, but his breaths are definitely louder.  Of course, he has been a bit of a heavy breather over the last month or so.  We just put a different blanket in Hogan's crate and he loves it now.  He always wants to be in it.  What we've been doing is putting carrot puree in the kong and freezing it, although I think he's sick of carrots.  I got some pork chewies from PetSmart or Meijer, I forget which one, and they take him longer to chew.  He's sleeping most of the time, but it's only day 4.  We make sure that we keep water in his crate and have the thermostat at around 68 (though it stays cool right now).  If he's obviously thirsty and won't drink, we either have him lick water off of our hands/fingers, or take a tablespoon and spoon feed him about 10 tablespoons of water.  Or, put a little doggie biscuit in his water dish. 

Hogan had his first injection on Friday the 21st, and we go back on May 18th for his 2nd.  He stays the night and on the 19th of May, he gets his 3rd injection.  The doc said that this go-round that he had on Friday killed probably about 30% of the worms and that the next treatment is the most critical.  We'll let Hogan up on the couch if we're on it, but if he fidgets, he's back in the crate.  We have two crates now - one upstairs and one downstairs.  He likes the cages rather than the enclosed crates, so we have two of the cages.  This weekend we took turns, he'd be downstairs in his cage for a while, then we'd move him up to the one upstairs to give him a little change of scenery. 

It was very hard to leave home this morning and go into work.  He sleeps on his doggie bed next to Emma and they were itching in the middle of the night, eventually he came over to sleep on the pillow that's on the floor on the side of the bed.  I woke up and he was curled up on it. 

We'll all get through it!  If you are concerned about his panting, I can't stress enough to call the vet if you have questions or concerns.  I know at our house we worry about being nags and worriwarts, but the vet tech made sure we knew that if we had any worries or any concerns, to call - that's what they're there for and being that the treatment isn't cheap, you've paid for the right to call as much as ya want! 

Thanks for the update - Tell Coal we're rooting for him over here.

New here, but had to add my two cents for our three Bassets.    ClemBob, 11 1/2 (who has had Addison's Disease for half his life), was a selected adoption at 5 weeks; the two girls were rescues.  After two series of heart worm treatments with [Alpha] RoseMarie (now about 10), we adopted GoldaMyEar (now about 9).  Golda had violent reactions to the heartworm treatment (as well as whip worm) bad enough to require steroids on Christmas Eve.  She didn't move around at all, just moaned, poor girl.  The following March we found out RoseMarie's two series had not converted her.  We were worried that after GoldaMyEar's experience another series might kill RoseMarie. (Not to mention the $$$$ it costs to have three elderly dogs each with meds.)  We opted to keep her on Heartguard Plus monthly (we live in Florida).  She converted after three years and now all three are negative.  Nasty disease; wish they could invent a vaccine like for rabies.