Watch your dogs

I've had Luke for 10 years. When he was a pup he had every pill and shot that was needed. Every year a visit to the vet for a rabies shot and anything else for updates plus flea pills. Last month I carry him in for a rabies shot, he has a cough. The vet checks him out, gives him a shot and pills, not a rabies shot and wants to see him again in a month. He has got fat and coughs a lot more. The vet visit was yesterday, not good news. Without costly test he believes Luke has stage 3 or 4 heart worms.
I thought heart worm treatment as a pup was good for a life time or what I gathered from the vet at the time.

Naw man. That's terrible. My dog has to take pills every month for heart worms. They sell them at your vet I am sure. Kinda high priced but worth it when u know its for your best bud. They come in sizes like, 25 lbs and under, 50 lbs and under, and 100 lbs and under. My dog weighs 108 lbs so I have to give him one of the 100 lbs and under and one of the 25 lbs and under.

I hope your dog can be treated successfully. Good luck.

I always gave my dogs a heartworm pill once a month ( had to buy from vet, not over counter)....never heard of any lifetime treatment. Each year when you went to the vet he should have asked you about your heartworm prevention program because he knew you were not buying any from him.

Wow Cane, that's terrible news. I know full well how those critters can become family. Truthfully, I have never been told that heartworm protection as a pup last a life time. I have had Goldens, and GShepards and have always given a RX that covers worms, to include heart worms till they die of old age. Sure wish you the best with your friend, and I know how difficult this must be for you.....and I'm NOT kidding!!

He went to a vet in Horn Lake for the first 5 years and has been to a vet in Hernando for the last 5. This is new to me, first I've heard of it since his first year of treatment for them.

Sorry about this G, I know I was in off topics when I posted this.

yep gotta take the pill every month. They get the worms from bug bites--skeeters I think. Hate that for you. Course Oscar had that cough too and it was congestive heart failure.

Once a month give them a shot of ivomec and they will be good.Even keeps the fleas and ticks off.Sorry Cane.

Mike is right....they get them from mosquito bites and you have to have a dog tested before you start them on the pill program because if they already have heart worms the pill could kill them. The test shouldn't be that high cost....its just a blood test...they put a drop of blood under a microscope and look at it.

Sorry to hear it, man. I lost a lab about ten years ago to heartworms. I use Revolution on my dogs now. It is a topical liquid that is good for ticks, fleas, and worms. Once a month on their back between shoulders. Easy easy....

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yup, heart worm prevention is a monthly thing for all dogs. i don't buy those hi dollar vet pills. i use ivomec, which is a wormer for cattle and swine, just administered in much smaller does either on a piece of meat or bread. 1/10th of 1cc for every ten pounds of body weight each month. you draw if from the container with a syringe just like they do for a flu shot and put on the food. been using it for about ten years. bout 30 bucks or so a bottle and been worming two dogs for over two years and still got a bunch to go in this last bottle. lots of coon and squirrel dog folks use it..