Anyone with experience heartworm+ dog?
I've applied to a rescue organization to adopt a 4 year old dog in foster care that is heartworm positive. I don't know the severity of the diagnosis, where the dog is in treatment, or what her prognosis might be. She's a Golden Retriever/ Black Labrador mix that looks very much like our Tania, that we adopted from the Lincoln NE Animal shelter when we lived there. Tania was a wonderful member of our family for many years.
After I lost Snowy in 2020 at the beginning of Covid, I decided not to have another dog. It's been 4 years. Recently I decided that I probably won't do any more traveling --beyond going to the beach here in NC --and I would be able to take this dog with me --like I did Snowy--if I book a pet friendly rental.
I don't expect to hear whether my application to adopt this dog will be approved until early next week. If it is, then I'd schedule meeting the dog. I'd like to be prepared to know what questions to ask about what I might expect--or face-- with a dog that has been-- or is being-- treated for heartworm.
Experiences to share? Advice?
= new reply since forum marked as read
This was way back in late 2009. He would go on to live to be about 15. He was around 4 years old so he had to be neutered before the shelter would let him leave. My regular vet agreed to treat him for the cost of the drugs which was about $500 back then. First he had to be treated with steroids. I think it was prednisone or something like that. Basically his body was going to have to absorb the adult worms once they were killed off. After about a month of steroids my vet gave him regular heart worm medication to sterilize the adults and kill all the larvae. My vet let me look at his blood in the microscope to see all the larvae wriggling around between the blood cells. It was creepy. A few weeks later he got his first shot to kill off the adult worms. It was a long needle that had to go deep into his hips. When we brought him home he had to stay in his crate for at least a day. It might have been longer. A month later he got his second and final shot. It was the same deal. Come back and stay in the crate. The shot is a pretty strong poison so Samson just wanted to sleep it off anyway. He was a mellow dog and took the treatment well. After that, we gave him heart worm meds about once a month for the rest of his life. I think the medicine used is the same stuff that all the wingnuts were taking for Covid, Ivermectin. When your dog gets the big shots, keep them in the crate and keep everything calm and quiet. They'll sleep it off and gradually come back to normal. Your dog will probably put on some weight. Poor Samson blew up because he got neutered as an adult and then took all of the steroids. Your mileage may vary though. Good luck! 
Samson, right after digging a hole. 
