Re: [PyrNet-L] -heartworm positive

["Tracy Pribbenow" <pribb@feist.com>]

I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but....

I've had five dogs over the years that tested positive for heartworm. Most
of these were strays (rescues) that I took in.
After costly treatment for a couple showed that they lived no longer than
without, I talked at length with my vet about heartworm.  She agreed that
treatment doesn't necessarily guarantee that it will help the dog to live
any longer.  And she also agreed that heartworm doesn't always kill -- at
least sometime not for several years.  Heartworm was probably around for
decades before we knew how to diagnosis and treat it.

The last three dogs that I've had with a positive heartworm test, I had NOT
had treated with anything.   They have led full, active lives.  I always
intended that IF they would begin to show any signs of suffering from
heartworm (such as congested cough, signs similar to congestive heart
failure) that I would have them put down rather than have the heartworms
make them suffer slowly.  However, not one of them has shown any signs,
even though the oldest has now been heartworm positive for over five years.

I sometimes feel the heartworm treatments are medically and financially
unneccessary and risky.  My neighbor's dog died from the treatment for his
heartworm.

The newer dogs I have are all heartworm negative and on preventative
(including my Pyr) , and I hope to eventually have no heartworm-positive
dogs.  However, it is very common in this area, since it is a
mosquito-carried disease.

As long as you open your heart to strays and homeless dogs, you will find
cases of heartworm.  Please consider ALL of your options.

Tracy
pribb@feist.com        Bentley, Kansas
http://www.feist.com/~pribb

----------
> From: Dogsownme@aol.com
> To: pyrnet-l@gamerz.net
> Subject: Re: [PyrNet-L] Kuvasz -heartworm positive
> Date: Friday, June 05, 1998 3:57 PM
> 
> Just had to share my disappointment with someone who would understand.  I
> wrote yesterday about going to bail out pyr and turned out to be Kuvasz
in the
> shelter--took her anyway to save her from euthanasia and wouldn't you
know it?
> She tested positive today for heartworm.  
> 
> Say a little prayer for us--she is such a sweetheart that I am throwing
all
> logic and sanity down the toilet and going to have her treated.  I feel
that
> all our mountain guardians are somehow related and I can't turn my back
on
> her.  She may be 3-5 years old and only have a couple of years left in
her,
> but I bet she wants even those few short years.  She is not symptomatic
and
> vet says she expects a full recovery, so how can we play God and say she
isn't
> worth a few (actually many) dollars?  
> 
> As a shelter manager and animal advocate, somedays I wish I didn't have
to get
> out of bed, but who would be there for these guys?  
> 
> Thank you everyone for being there for my big guys--it seems we are in
the
> minority and I need people like you to be there when I get them in my
> shelter--they are the most difficult to place.
> 
> Marcie