We adopted our sweet girl from Texas last fall. You can read her story here.
Yesterday was National Puppy day and for fun, I asked you to share pictures of your dog on The Hawk facebook page. If you need a smile, that post is here.
As I was scrolling through the comments, I saw a few people saying that they also adopted a dog from the states.
With that in mind, I want to share something with you.
When we adopted Rosie, we made sure to put her on a monthly preventative for fleas, ticks and heartworms. Heartworm disease in dogs isn’t very common in our area but it is in many parts of the United States.
A few weeks ago, on the advice of someone who adopted her sister, I had Rosie tested for heartworm.
Her test came back positive.
She was tested before coming to Canada but, as I understand, it can take 6+ months for the tests to show positive as the worms mature.
We are grateful that we tested her now because it means that we caught it before she was showing any symptoms.
So. What now?
There are a few treatment options available. The American Heartworm Society has a lot of great info.
There are also Facebook Groups that offer support and lots of knowledge. This one has over 5000 members.
I have read more about heartworm disease and treatment options in the last week and a half then I care to admit but I feel confidant with our choice of treatment and am happy to say I found a Vet that is in full support of it. Since the illness isn’t very common here and treatment options have evolved over the years, I think it’s important to do what you can to advocate on behalf of your pet.
Bottom line: if you adopted a dog from the states, PLEASE get them tested for heartworms.
Rosie begins her treatment next month. We’d appreciate some good vibes sent her way.
