I heard a piercing yelp from the other room and winced. Seconds later, the vet tech was walking a tail-wagging, happy as always Roswell toward me.
The next step after that first shot was to walk him around outside for 10-15 minutes since the pain killers he got usually make him have to poop. So we wandered past the bank next door and saw a goose on the roof. Then the goose saw us and honked and flapped until it felt we were a safe distance away. I’ve been nervous about this day for like 2 months now, and today is only injection 1 out of 3 to rid Roswell’s heart and lungs of the worms that have wrapped themselves and made a home. Living in Chicagoland and growing up with pets that were well cared for, I was lucky to have never had to think about heartworm other than as that thing my dad gave the dog and sometimes gave us the little red heart sticker from the packaging. Heartworm is no joke. Lots of the dogs we rescue from Kentucky come in having never lived in a house before, or sometimes just have lived in a place where their owners were poorly educated. This is my 3rd foster that has made the journey north with an active case of heartworm disease. This is the first time I have been the one to bring the poor patient to the injection. The pamphlets all said the whole experience is stressful and painful, and to make sure we keep to the schedule on the pain meds, but seeing him half comatose, whimpering in his sleep is stressful and painful for me too. With luck and with good meds, he will be feeling better by tomorrow. And then 2 more injection days await us before we go into the final waiting period and get him retested. At the end of this, we will have many healthy years, but it is really, really unfortunate he has to go through this. Please keep your pets up to date on preventatives!
3 Comments
3/28/2023 03:09:45 pm
I did not know that the worms make a home in the heart and lungs. I am grateful that I can take our pups for preventative care.
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Wow, thank you for posting this. You are correct in your thinking, that little sticker on the calendar reminds me but sometimes I forget. That's because I don't know. You describe the pain, both to your pet and to you very well. It strengthens my resolve.thank you
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Sara Tomasevich
3/31/2023 11:41:44 am
I have only had the same experience with heartworm that you had as a child..giving the pill and then placing the pink heart on the calendar. I can picture the heartworm diagram in the vet's office and it is pretty horrifying. Bless your heart for taking in such medically-needy dogs. In my next life, I hope I come back as a dog at your house!
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Author5th grade teacher, wife, mama to my 3 magical babies, ally, advocate, doggy foster mom... just stumbling on. Archives
March 2022
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