“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 [...]
There is a scenario that has begun to repeat itself rather frequently of late. “I need to pick up more heartworm preventive for “Fluffy’. She missed one (or more) months and I need to get her restarted.” To which our staff responds, “I understand, Mrs. Smith. Because Fluffy may have become infected with heartworms during [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Editor’s Note: As of December, 2011, Immiticide was again available through Merial’s European source. If you ever needed another reason to keep your dog on heartworm preventive, here it is. The only federally-approved heartworm treatment medication marketed in the United States is in very short supply. The name of the medication is Immiticide and it [...]
Sometimes clients ask me, “What is the hardest part of your job?” The answer is easy, “Dealing with frustration.” Like today. A nice lady came to see us, escorted by her kind neighbor, who transported her and her daughter’s dog, Cuz. Cuz was having difficulty breathing. Right away in the examination I noticed that Cuz [...]
Sometimes pet owners administer their pets’ heartworm preventive right on schedule, but they get heartworms anyway. There are no perfect medications. One of my staff members came to me with a surprise a few months ago, “Dr. Randolph, I have something to tell you.” Her lower lip began to tremble. “I’m pregnant.” She took her [...]
I saw two pit bulls today. Both had been off their heartworm preventive for quite a long time. One’s heartworm test came up positive, the other was negative. “Why?” you ask. Several factors are probably in play. The biggest is probably mosquito population in the vicinity of where each dog lives. Proximity to a swamp, [...]
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 [...]
Today our morning was joined by a walk-in patient, a precious little Pomeranian named Bouncer. Poor Bouncer has been having problems with passing out. It has occurred four times in the past year. Physically, his examination was normal and his EKG was normal. His chest radiograph (X-ray) shows some enlargement of the right ventricle of [...]
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