New dog adoption!

His teeth have been ground/smashed/broken off.
It's common for bait/dog fight training.

That's not him but my other pooch with his face under the cat tail!
Duke is still not trusted with a (the)cat. He is a giant untrained baby. He just doesn't know not to put the cat in his mouth yet.

 

My good friend adopted a dog in October of last year heart worm positive. The treatment can possibly kill the dog if you don't follow the procedures and it takes months. From October until March the dog wasn't allowed to run. She had to be crated a lot and only leash walked. She required a few injections, steroids, benadryl, antibiotics and heart worm preventative.

Once they get the first injection they really really have to be on restriction. The worms start to die and be absorbed into the body. However if the dog gets excited it's very possible that the pieces of the worms can get lodged into an artery and cause an embolism and death.

They aren't even supposed to run up a flight of stairs.

Good luck with the treatment. Her dog pulled thru and it's now a totally different dog.

 

Yup been reading about the treatment, and the series of shots.
I know sometimes they are admitted to be observed for some time at a vet/hospital.
I guess they cough it up essentially...Only from my research though....
They have been using doxycycline Wich he is on now to help combat the worm.

 

I believe the antibiotics serves a dual purpose. It prevents any infections and it sterilizes the adult worms.

When a dog has heartworms there are both adult worms and what they call microfilaria which are microscopic worms that are floating thru the bloodstream. The microfilaria are how the worms move from one animal to another. They are transered via a mosquito. The mosquito picks up the microfilaria in the dogs blood and the microfilaria change into an infective larvae in about a 2 weeks. When a mosquito bites a new dog 2 weeks later it contaminates the new dog with the infective type of the worm and it floats thru the bloodstream and attaches itself into the heart or lungs. There it matures into a worm that actually eats the heart or lung muscle. It also produces the microfilaria.

The heartworm meds that you give your dog every month only kill the microfilaria. It doesn't kill adult worms. That serves to also halt the spreading of the worms.

Basically heartworm treatment it 3 prong.
Sterilize the adult worms
Kill the microfilaria
Kill the adult worms

The 3rd part is where the dog is in the most danger. That's when they get the injection that kills the adult worms. It's given deep and next to the spine. The dog usually remains there all day or overnight. Depending on the treatment course they either get 2 injections 24 hours apart and then another 30 days later or they get 1 injection than 30 and 31 days later get injections 2 and 3. The first method is more aggressive and more dangerous. The second method is the safer one.

You also want to keep the dog calm until the injections because the faster the blood pumps the more heart and lung tissue the worms eat.


This is my friends dog Abby. She recovered very well from the treatment.

 

Looks like that dog's luck has finally turned around. What a gift you're giving him.
I've been spending a lot of time on petfinder and sites for some shelters and rescues. Theres certainly no shortage of dogs needing a home. I'm finally in a position for another dog.

 

There is a special place in Hell for people who abuse animals (I hope). Kudos to you and good luck with the rehabilitation!

 

I will most likely end up down there, I will check and kick some AZZ if I find that place!!

 

Good luck Boomstick ... bet he'll learn the ropes quickly from the other dogs. Life is gooder now for ole Duke...

 

Brought all 4 to the vet yesterday!
The three got their shots, and blood taken. Got some heart guard and other doggie supplies.
Duke was no charge for his exam! (The vet felt for his sob story and really like him and got another dose for mange)He already had blood work and shots before he got to us.

The vet who I really like settled my nerves about heartworm. He is stage 1 (tested positive) with no symptoms.
I guess in poor areas it's common to combat it with doxecylen and just let the worms die.
A coleuge of his treated 62 dogs(poor area down south) this way and two did not survive with varying stages of heartworm. He treated his own rescue dog and never restricted him!
He said in his condition cageing him isn't necessary while under treatment. Which to me is huge!
So the "crate" or cage (just bought it)is going away!


He slept in our bed last night!

I had a miscommunication with the Mrs, he has the user on his eye (scarring)not tummy!

Besides his teeth and heartworm he is good!

Basically watch his teeth and see Wich ones cause him problems/rot/die down the road.

We've had him out with kitty and while interested he doesn't want to hurt kitty and a few good NO's when he has tried to play with kitty resulted in no other interest in the cat!

His demeanor is very very sweet with people.
He has tried playing with our dogs and are in different stages of acceptence!

 

Went for an almost real walk! Can't wait till he's off leash too!

 

What a cutie. Nice stream, too.

 

Boomstick you are doing a great thing..

 

Update on Duke

All I see when he looks at me is gratefulness.

Food has been down for over a week. He is "self regulating".

We have been off leash training!


He loves running next to the four wheeler!
His endurance keeps getting better with every run.

He knows his name in the fact that we are referring to him, but I don't think he identifies as Duke yet.

He is a happy smart pup who loves to snuggle. He is a pleaser and has a lot of shame when yelled at.

The bad
He ate momma's purse and a slipper. He can't distinguish a toy and other stuff yet (he loves toys!)

I was cleaning a pistol the other night, the sound of the slide sent him into oh sh!t mode. Shaking and hiding.
I also took my belt off the other night and the sight or sound of the buckle clank did the same.

He had a disconnect when in the woods the other day, he would not come off a smell. We need to work on his "recall" or coming when called no matter what. Not bad compared to most dogs but not near where we want him.

 

Time heals.

 

The improvements have to be rewarding. Good on you!

 

Thank you Boomstick, great job!

 

Poor guy , has a good home now looks happy

 

It took a year for my rescue to settle in good. But we had 15 good years with her.