“My previous veterinarian didn’t act like heartworms were any big deal, that’s why Sharkie wasn’t on a heartworm preventive. Now, thanks to you, I know better!” Sadly, we veterinarians must not be doing the quality and quantity of client education we should be on heartworm disease, because, nationwide, only 46-55% of dogs (depending on the [...]
There is no more important role of your veterinarian than that of educator. Yes, we can fix things, and yes, when there is an emergency we have to remember our ABCs: Airway, Breathing, Cardiopulmonary. After the dust settles and the feathers are no longer flying, it is crucial that we sit down with clients [...]
Reader “SJaffe” writes to us, “Hi, Dr. Randolph, I foster a Cocker spaniel who is 12 years old. She is heartworm-positive and it’s just breaking my heart. I would love to do everything I possibly can do help her get through this. She doesn’t really have a cough but she breathes very, very deeply (with [...]
This is Suzy Q and her owner. Suzy Q has heartworms. As discussed in a first and second post on the topic, we know that dogs who have never been on a heartworm preventive, and dogs who have missed one or more doses of their preventive are at greater risk for developing heartworm disease at [...]
Tuesday night was both fun and educational. The monthly meeting of our regional veterinarian’s group, South Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association, met in Biloxi, MS, at Mary Mahoney’s restaurant. The presentation was delivered by my Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine Internal Medicine professor, Dr. Ray Dillon. He is also board-certified by the American College of [...]
Karen writes: My 8 yr old indoor Siamese has had a tiny, tiny cough only in the mornings the past six months. In the morning, she just gives out a tiny one-time-cough and it doesn’t bother her at all. Would heartworm produce more coughing throughout the day? I have taken her to the veterinarian twice [...]
Heartworm disease is deadly, to both cats and dogs. Furthermore, heartworm disease is so easily prevented. Given the information we discussed last week about heartworm preventive resistance and the importance of giving doses on schedule year-round, another important issue arises. We have long advocated semiannual heartworm testing, and, with the specter of heartworms looming over us, being [...]
Dr. Dwight Bowman is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. He received his Masters and PhD degrees from Tulane University in Parasitology. He is also a traveling speaker with Heartworm University, an outreach educational program of the American Heartworm Society. In this month’s Clinician’s Update, [...]
Last night we were blessed to have Dr. James Crisman, of Pfizer Animal Health, come to our South Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association (SMVMA) to speak on the topic of heartworms. Now, you might well think that there is nothing new to know about a parasite that has been recognized for well over one hundred years. Not [...]
Heartworm University (HU) is a function of the American Heartworm Society, based in Wilmington, Delaware. It is a new feature of the Society and its program was presented six times in calendar 2009. As a member and director of the Louisiana Academy of Veterinary Practice I was fortunate to be able to attend HU this [...]
The story of little Susie is one repeated altogether too often in the United States. It is a sad tale of a puppy who got excellent care as a new baby, finished the puppy series of vaccinations, had her spay surgery, and never saw a doctor again. You can substitute kitten for puppy and neuter [...]
Wrinkles was a sad little sight. It had been seven years since his last doctor visit. His list of medical complaints was long: smelly ears for a few months, coughing for eight months, two suspicious lumps, poor appetite for six months and off his heartworm preventive for seven years. By the time the visit was [...]
SFO has it made. Bitty wants to know why. SFO (see Pet Names tab on the MyPetsDoctor.com home page for SFO’s story) and Bitty fell behind in their regular preventive care. As a result of not getting their Revolution every month they, and their family have gotten a severe flea infestation in the home and [...]
Yesterday we discussed a pet owner’s misconception that his pet, a dog in this instance, wasn’t at risk for heartworm disease because he was a mostly-indoor pet. Everything we will say today will apply equally to your canine and feline friends. We’ve known for nearly a century that dogs get heartworms. We’ve known for decades [...]
Revolution is a monthly heartworm preventive for cats and dogs that also both controls and prevents fleas. MyPetsDoctor.com’s Dr. James W. Randolph recommends this Pfizer Animal Health medication for many of his canine and feline patients in his own private practice in Long Beach, MS. Heartworm disease is a life-threatening parasitic infestation for both species. [...]
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