I recused a bassett hound and took to the vet. He was diagnosed with heartworms. A friend saw something on the discovery channel about tobacco killing heartworms. Has anyone seen this???

I seriusly doubt this is true. The nicotine sap is poison to dogs. And the butt of a cig can kill them. I am sorry to hear your dog has heartworms. Its an expensive disease, but most of them make it. If it had been the other way around of the dog going to pound first, with such an extensive disease, I doubt they would have kept it alive to adopt. Keep us posted how it goes. And after its all done, keep up with the Interceptor monthly. Good luck.

i work at a shelter and just to let you know that we test our dogs for everything and treat them if its possible, heartworms is always treated even though it takes about 2-3months, but it is very expensive and its such an important thing to keep dogs clear of!

Just an extra alert about Heart worms. I have a friend that said she would give her doggy cig. butts for the worms and I cringed, she said she had no money to have it treated. I asked her if she had the money to treat the dog for the harm the butts can cause. She said it was either
way there was no money for it. I don't know what I would do if there was no money. I have been known to use self help, but I am aware it is risky and wrong. My Vet has been good to us,
she can't be a free agent but she does give us time to pay. Im thankfull for that! I think its criminal for this planet to have no free clinics for its domestic animals. It is hard enough to give a homeless pet a home and all of its shots, then here comes a huge life or death
situation and nothing. All vets should give in some way to have this service as well as the citizens of this animal loving earth! Something to think about. I wish I had an answer but I
think if we dig and dig, and ask for help through this forum some one will have answers
and Im sure will share them. Good luck dear and I will sure try to help when I can. Please take care and try to find a safer way to heal your
pet. Any ideas on the pet clinics? Or funding for such? Piddle

Sorry, I wanted to add that tobaco is very toxic to animals. Youre really taking a chance.
Keep looking !

You must work at a Non-kill sanctuary type. Most shelters for the towns dont treat this disease. Esepecially in the summer or spring and fall when the dogs are still contagious, and mosquitoes could carry it to other dogs in the area not on medication. Its a sad fact, but money for the shelters only goes so far, and treating one dog with so much money, when they could take care of who knows how many otherrs- ends up being the bottom line. Sometimes they will start the treatment, put the dogs up for adoption with assistance from a vet to help the new owner. But rarely. An older dog can sometimes not make it due to heart failure of liver/kidney failure.

yes i do work at a no-kill shelter, and also i know that the older the pet the more likly its prone to die, we had a 6 yr old shep mix that had heartworms, also not neutered, had sever kennel cough, had pnemona(sp?), and we treated and prayed for his safety in over comming these colds, and he was adopted out about 3 months after treatment!

Power to you! I know that adoption made you and your co-workers feel good! Good Job!

Im not sure till I check with my vet,I think arsenic is the key player in these drugs for the already affected not sure yet.

And has to be administerd by a vet, as if the worms die too fast, they will stop the heart.

My friend mentioned that her beagles had to stay very quiet and still while being treated.
She said one of the dogs would not stop trying to run and died. Any info ? Ive been lucky, my
dogs have been fine and the cats too. Other than old age and some cancer very late in life.
Im trying to find a no kill shelter near or around Va, but they are none that I can see.
What a shame. We need one bad . Piddle