Recent Walks in the Park

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Nothing Messes with Ramona's Heart!

Ramona has been underway on heartworm treatment for almost 7 weeks now.  She definitely has cabin fever and is driving us crazy, but overall it is going better than we could have expected.  There is a lot I didn't know about heartworms and after hours of research and millions of questions to the vet, I think I got the hang of this whole process...

When dogs are brought to the SPCA they go through a number of tests, medically and behaviorally.  One of the things they test for is whether or not the dog is heartworm positive.  Ramona tested positive.  Considering her age (around 2) and the stage they believe the hearworms are at, the vet expected a pretty easy procedure and recovery time.  We got her December 5 and December 10 she started her first round of medications.

Ramona started with 30 days of antibiotic to kill any bacteria that lived on the heartworms.  I was told that until she got her first injection she could play and go to the dog park.  A few days after her meds started Ramona and I joined our friends, David (human) and Luna (dog), at the dog park.  That night Ramona became very ill.  She started coughing and it kept getting progressively worse so I called the 24 hour vet.  He told me to call back if she got really lethargic, vomited, or was not getting enough oxygen (basically check her gums for coloring).  As time went by Ramona was getting more and more uncomfortable and took herself to her crate (very odd for her at that time).  Naturally concerned, I followed her in there.  She could barely keep her eyes open and became extremely lethargic.  Luckily Josh got home right then and we rushed her to the Vet.  She received one more antibiotic and a steroid dose.  This poor pup was now on 10 pills a day for a good week!  The Vet did tell us that no matter what, with heartworms she shouldn't be active more than short leash walks.  

On January 10, I took Ramona back to the SPCA.  This dog LOVES the SPCA.  She just really enjoyed having all the dog friends and people around... she's such a social butterfly.  I'm sure she had no idea that she would be getting a bald patch on her back, a poisonous injection, and more medication.  When I picked her up that night I brought her home to my other patient (Josh had foot surgery 4 days before).  I had 2 medicated patients to take care of and let me tell you... they were both completely out of it on pain meds!  Ramona kept going in my closet and sleeping on my shoes.  I found that very interesting considering her back was in pain, but shoes always make me feel better too :)

Basically Ramona got a poisonous injection that kills the weaker worms in her heart (usually males).  As the worms die they break down and go throughout her blood stream.  She has to stay extremely calm so that her heart rate doesn't get up.  If she does she has more risk of the dead worm particles getting blocked and causing an embolism.

February 14-15, she went back for her 2nd and 3rd treatments.  She had one injection each day.  These were stronger injections so would be more painful.  "Patches" came home with 2 patches on her back and took herself straight to my closet... again this dog loves to lay on my shoes!  She's been handling these last 4 weeks very well- with the exception of her need to get out and exercise.  She has handled the 2nd round basically the same as the 1st.  The thing that has gotten really bad is her water drinking and need to eliminate.  She will drink as much water as is given to her so after her last outing at night she can't have any more water.  She can't hold her bladder for very long so crate stays have to remain no longer than a normal work day.

While her not being able to go on walks or run around has given Josh and me more time to sleep in in the morning and more time relaxing at night, her cabin fever is beginning to run us thin.  A week from tomorrow she will be removed from exercise hold and we will begin rigorous positive reinforcement training.  I can't wait to put everything to use that I learned in "It's Me or the Dog"!!