(March 25, 2018 at 7:35 pm)Mermaid Wrote:

(March 24, 2018 at 8:20 pm)mh.brewer Wrote: Did they have adult heart worms? Your dogs may not have been at the same stage or had the same worm load.

The injections are into a large muscle in the back, hence the shaving with long hair (these dogs get shaved even for a blood draw). She was touch and go for a long while. If I recall correctly she was on cage rest for 4 months. But then she had other co-morbid issues. 

https://www.heartwormsociety.org/veterin...plications

Any dog that is positive on an antigen test or microfilaria test has adults already. It's not possible for them to be MF+ and not have adults.

But, depending on the timing of the infection, you can get a dog who has adult worms which have not reached sexual maturity and thus not laid eggs.  That was the situation we had with our second Korean dog, Jessica.  They skipped the first two months of Heartguard and went right to the Immiticide.  We had them double check with the microscope for microfilaria and they weren't there.... yet.

How has a picture thread transformed into pet armageddon?

(March 25, 2018 at 10:58 pm)Lutrinae Wrote: How has a picture thread transformed into pet armageddon?

For once I didn't do it!

Becc's all these dog lovers and their dog problems remind us why we have cats instead!

Heartworm is a serious problem in most of the US.  Oddly, Phoenix was one major city that was largely exempt because the climate is not humid enough for mosquitos.  Instead we have Valley Fever which is a fungal infection to be the bane of our existence.  But Heartworm is spreading in the higher elevations of Arizona thanks to climate change so now we have to watch out for both.


Shit.

(March 25, 2018 at 11:14 pm)ignoramus Wrote: Becc's all these dog lovers and their dog problems remind us why we have cats instead!

Because cats are independent, intelligent, loyal when they want to be, and cute.

Cats are actually demons

(March 25, 2018 at 10:56 pm)Minimalist Wrote:

(March 25, 2018 at 7:35 pm)Mermaid Wrote: Any dog that is positive on an antigen test or microfilaria test has adults already. It's not possible for them to be MF+ and not have adults.

But, depending on the timing of the infection, you can get a dog who has adult worms which have not reached sexual maturity and thus not laid eggs.  That was the situation we had with our second Korean dog, Jessica.  They skipped the first two months of Heartguard and went right to the Immiticide.  We had them double check with the microscope for microfilaria and they weren't there.... yet.

How was she diagnosed? Antigen test? That test detects products of the female worm.

(March 26, 2018 at 10:19 am)mlmooney89 Wrote: Zero photo dump

Smart as a whip but still ate a bee. His nose is all swollen. Had to be carried home cause he is a drama queen.

Most of my dogs have chomped bees at some point or other but never had any swelling from it. Poor unlucky Zero. What does he weigh again? Hard to imagine him being carried by you and would be an awkward load for your hubby as well I'd think.

(March 26, 2018 at 10:19 am)mlmooney89 Wrote: Meet Fender, my mom's 3 legged pitt bull. Her boyfriend has a stranger sense of humor because he found her on the side of the road after being hit by a car. He took her to the vet and ended up keeping her then saying she was hurt by the fender of a car so that's her new name. It's been a few years now and she can keep up with the other dogs running, established her dominance as alpha, and sometimes face plants if you get up too quickly while she leans against you.

A very lol-worthy choice of name. Glad to hear she does so well on three legs. Is she alpha because she was on the scene before Zero, or is it just her nature?