By Cyndi Crossland

Working in animal rescue we work with dogs who generally have not had veterinary care. These dogs are malnourished and sometimes very sick. Their medical care can sometimes use any spare funds the rescue has. One common disease we see in dogs is heartworms. This disease is brutal on dogs, and can quickly take their lives.

The heart of the dog actually fills with living worms. Worms that reproduce and quickly fill the heart and lungs, smothering the dog to death. The worms can break off and cause a “clot” in the main arteries and kill the dog at any given time.

After a diagnosis of Heartworms, the treatment can be very expensive. The first month is treated with antibiotics and possibly steroids. Then come the injections, which are given along the spine and are painful. The injections start killing the worms but this must be done slowly, three shots given one each month for three months. The dog must be crated and not allowed to jump, run or play during this three-month period. If the dog is too active the dead worms can move to quickly creating the “clot” that can kill.

If all goes well at the end of this three-month time span, the dog will be cured of the heartworms. The cost can range from $500.00-$1200.00.
In Oklahoma the mosquito lives an average of ten months; therefore, it is necessary to keep your dog on heartworm preventative all year round. Without prevention a dog is likely to be bitten by a mosquito and that carries heartworms. Preventative cost approximately $20.00 a month and keeps your dog from getting heartworms and going through misery of the disease. If your dog lives in doors they still have a chance of being bitten by a mosquito the need prevention also.

Check out Fur Babies website and their Facebook Page Fur Babies Adoptions and Rescue.

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