Carbón beats heartworm: treatment and recovery journal
- Thread starter Emily_Babbelhund
- Start date
- Location
- Cornwall , UK
Oh yes, cooked soft sweet potato is excellent for tummies . Bless that boy , and you for your part , fingers crossed he wont need those injections xxx
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
Yes, and it has tripe and ground bone in the raw mix, so maybe just too much right now. He's getting the sweet potato, broccoli, apples and white fish for dinner. We'll see how that goes.
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
Two nights on a fish-based dinner and two nights without vomiting. Either Carbon is getting used to the medication, or fingers crossed we're on to something.
- Location
- Sydney, Australia
Yay Carbon!
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
Now three days on fish and no tummy issues whatsoever. Hopefully we've got the food thing sorted!
Jacqui-S
Moderator
- Location
- Fife, Scotland
Phew!
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
Good news!Now three days on fish and no tummy issues whatsoever. Hopefully we've got the food thing sorted!
- Location
- East Sussex
Just catching up with this. Sorry to hear Carbon has needed treatment for heartworm but very glad that it looks as though it's taking effect. Hope he has no more sickness, lovely boy.
- Location
- Cornwall , UK
What a relief re the food ! Hang onto it sweetie xx
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
Today we had a follow up at the vet's to discuss a treatment plan in light of the fact that the ultrasound showed no visible adult worms in Carbon's heart nor thickening of the heart wall associated with advanced heart worm.
There was some good news - especially from Carbon's point of view - but frankly it also left me scratching my head. A lot like Leishmaniasis, heart worm seems to be a disease with as many options for cures and opinions as there are vets.
Because of his good ultrasound, the vet wants to use the slow kill off method instead of progressing to the harsher injection of Melarsomine method at the end of a month of doxyclycine.
The slow kill method is not approved protocol in Germany, but is used in 90% of heart worm cases in Hungary. My vet heard of it through her work with rescue organisations, including Hungary. News to me, but heart worm treatment protocol varies widely from country to country where heart worm is present. What is standard in Germany, for example, is very different from what I experienced with Paul in Spain.
Standard in Germany would be topical Advocate spot on and one month of doxycyline followed by two to three injections (I'm assuming Melarsomine but I'm not 100% sure) 30 days apart. Prednisone is given regularly during the injection phase. No or restricted physical activity during and including one month after the last injection.
The slow method is very different. First of all...it's SLOW. As in 38 weeks - or nearly 10 months - slow:
So with that in mind, slow kill method definitely sounds more attractive.
My vet is going to do Carbon's bloods on Monday to see how the doxy is effecting his liver function. I asked if she would still do another test for the heart worm and she said it was too early. However, my thought is that I'd rather do one anyway. She's already taking blood so no extra pain for Carbon and I'd feel better double-checking his positive status.
As it looks like we're in this for the long haul, I will need to look into better/more natural stomach protectors. I'm not sure that continuing to feed him only white fish on a semi-permanent basis meets his nutritional needs in the same way as a wide variety of protein.
@M.F. , I asked my vet about kefir and she confirmed that unfortunately, while he is taking the doxy, he can't have any milk products.
SO NOW TO WRAP UP WITH SOME GOOD NEWS:
Slow kill method big advantage: no physical activity restrictions! As Carbon did not have any adult worms visible on his echocardiogram and the vet decided to follow slow kill, that means Carbon was cleared for free runs as of today.
You can bet he took advantage of that big time pretty much as soon as we cleared the vet's front door!
There was some good news - especially from Carbon's point of view - but frankly it also left me scratching my head. A lot like Leishmaniasis, heart worm seems to be a disease with as many options for cures and opinions as there are vets.
Because of his good ultrasound, the vet wants to use the slow kill off method instead of progressing to the harsher injection of Melarsomine method at the end of a month of doxyclycine.
The slow kill method is not approved protocol in Germany, but is used in 90% of heart worm cases in Hungary. My vet heard of it through her work with rescue organisations, including Hungary. News to me, but heart worm treatment protocol varies widely from country to country where heart worm is present. What is standard in Germany, for example, is very different from what I experienced with Paul in Spain.
Standard in Germany would be topical Advocate spot on and one month of doxycyline followed by two to three injections (I'm assuming Melarsomine but I'm not 100% sure) 30 days apart. Prednisone is given regularly during the injection phase. No or restricted physical activity during and including one month after the last injection.
The slow method is very different. First of all...it's SLOW. As in 38 weeks - or nearly 10 months - slow:
- Stronghold spot on treatment on day one, then Advocate spot on every 28 days. Prednisolon (prednisone) four days before and four days after every monthly spot on treatment.
- Doxycycline for six weeks, then stop for 3 weeks
- Then Doxy for 3 weeks, then stop for 3 weeks
- Then Doxy for 3 weeks, then stop for 3 weeks
- Then Doxy for 3 weeks, then stop for 3 weeks
- Then Doxy for 3 weeks, then stop for 3 weeks
- Doxy for a final six weeks
So with that in mind, slow kill method definitely sounds more attractive.
My vet is going to do Carbon's bloods on Monday to see how the doxy is effecting his liver function. I asked if she would still do another test for the heart worm and she said it was too early. However, my thought is that I'd rather do one anyway. She's already taking blood so no extra pain for Carbon and I'd feel better double-checking his positive status.
As it looks like we're in this for the long haul, I will need to look into better/more natural stomach protectors. I'm not sure that continuing to feed him only white fish on a semi-permanent basis meets his nutritional needs in the same way as a wide variety of protein.
@M.F. , I asked my vet about kefir and she confirmed that unfortunately, while he is taking the doxy, he can't have any milk products.
SO NOW TO WRAP UP WITH SOME GOOD NEWS:
Slow kill method big advantage: no physical activity restrictions! As Carbon did not have any adult worms visible on his echocardiogram and the vet decided to follow slow kill, that means Carbon was cleared for free runs as of today.
You can bet he took advantage of that big time pretty much as soon as we cleared the vet's front door!
Wow, that IS slow. it seems an imperfect decision to make, in that if he needs very regular treatment over 38 weeks that ties you to a vet quite substantially no? And is Doxy an injection, or a tablet? Because one I guess you can stockpile and administer yourself, the other you'll perhaps have to visit a clinic each time. But on the plus-side for the slow treatment, the potential side effects are fewer and less severe, and - maybe most importantly - Carbon can free run like a Spanish gentledog oughta!
Oh Emily, you are an utter trojan. Good luck with the decision making (if there's a decision to be made?) and investigations into stomach protectors. I'll keep my ear to the ground here, and hopefully Forum knowledge and the lambie network can offer some decent options.
Oh Emily, you are an utter trojan. Good luck with the decision making (if there's a decision to be made?) and investigations into stomach protectors. I'll keep my ear to the ground here, and hopefully Forum knowledge and the lambie network can offer some decent options.
- Location
- Cornwall , UK
Flippin heck Emily, that is some programme to put him through, but it certainly sounds the kinder option for the lad , especially as it leaves him free to be off lead , so at least he will be much happier . Ironically , I was looking online at the side effects of Doxy as its what I`ve been given today for infection in my ears/sinus , and read that it is often used for dogs and cats for certain conditions ! xxx
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
Doxy is a tablet, given twice a day with food. My vet here can likely load me up on doxy, prednisone and Advocate for probably now until June if I ask her. I'd hope it wouldn't be too hard to get a local vet where ever we are to write/fill a script as well. More problematic might be getting blood work done on the road as needed, but I'll make sure I'm clear on what he needs before we set off. With Brogan, I got quite used to finding local vets and getting what I needed on the road, so that experience will serve me well.
My vet here already knows that we won't be in Germany for the whole of the treatment and I've already asked about any adverse effects with the other worming treatment that needs to be given before entering UK/Ireland. I forgot to ask if he can take a heart worm preventative while doing this slow kill method, so I'll do that on Monday.
Yes, apparently it's a pretty old and oft-used antibiotic for humans and animals. Hope it does the trick for your and you're feeling better soon.
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
Advocate is a heart worm preventative. It's what I use for mine.
Sounds like a long plan, but a good one if it saves him from the Melarsomine. Especially if you're not 100% he is actually positive for heart worm. What a long journey, but at least he's able to free run again, yay!
Wow. You’re certainly made of very stern stuff. Most people would crumple. Very impressive.
Poor Carbon. What a start in life. Hopefully the months of treatment will speed by and he’ll be given a clean bill of health.
Slippery elm is given for bowel protection. Not sure about stomachs. But it can’t be given endlessly—so I’ve read. I’ve not used it, but I know people who swear by it for their dogs.
Coincidentally, Snowie has been refusing his nightly kefir. Might’ve gone off—can fermented food go off?—in this hot weather. So I turfed it all in the compost. I want to start making sauerkraut. Let’s see if Snowie puts his nose up at that. Maybe Carbon will see it as a cultural food he must eat!
Poor Carbon. What a start in life. Hopefully the months of treatment will speed by and he’ll be given a clean bill of health.
Slippery elm is given for bowel protection. Not sure about stomachs. But it can’t be given endlessly—so I’ve read. I’ve not used it, but I know people who swear by it for their dogs.
Coincidentally, Snowie has been refusing his nightly kefir. Might’ve gone off—can fermented food go off?—in this hot weather. So I turfed it all in the compost. I want to start making sauerkraut. Let’s see if Snowie puts his nose up at that. Maybe Carbon will see it as a cultural food he must eat!
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
Ah, ok. I've always used tablets (Milbemax) and vaguely thought Advocate was for ticks/fleas. I've never used topicals for anything as I find them a bit scary, so need to have a look at the Advocate now that I know he's going to have it monthly.
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
Carbon already LOVES sauerkraut. But then again , I've yet to meet a food that Carbon didn't love.
