Pretty little Copper is heartworm positive. We found out yesterday when she went in for her spay. The blood test showed the presence of heartworm, but thankfully no Lyme Disease or Ehrlichia. So if there's a silver lining, I guess that's it.
She's really sore today, trying to recover from the surgery. Next week my parents will take her back to the vet to begin dealing with the heartworm problem.
Usually, all but the most advanced cases of heartworm disease can be successfully
treated in dogs.
From the American Heartworm Society's website: Adult heartworms in dogs are killed using a drug called an adulticide that is injected
into the muscle through a series of treatments. Treatment may be administered on an
outpatient basis, but hospitalization is usually recommended. When the dog is sent home,
exercise should be limited to leash walking for the duration of the recovery period, which
can last from one to two months. This decreases the risk of partial or complete blockage of
blood flow through the lungs by dead worms.
Re-infection during treatment is prevented by administration of a heartworm
preventive. These preventives may also eliminate microfilariae if they are present.
Dogs in heart failure and those with caval syndrome require special attention.
So, for now, we just wait until she goes to the vet next week. She's healing from the spay right now, that's what we'll focus on. Take each step as it comes…
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