My dog has heartworms. Why are new worms appearing and is he itchy?

From that description, it sounds like he may have tape worms. The heartworm test doesn't test for tapeworms (or any intestinal parasites) and the medication is heartgard wouldn't kill tapeworms. A fecal test doesn't always show the worm eggs either for this particular type of parasite. I'd recommend giving your clinic a call to see what they policies are - you may be able to pick up medications from the description alone, or they many need you to schedule an appointment. Finally, make sure Buddy is on a good flea preventative -- he got the tapeworms from eating a flea. He could definitely have just found it outside, but it's worth mentioning!

Yes you should have a heartworm test before starting back on heartworm pills. If Mana has heartworms now they should be treated so he doesn't get damage to his heart. Hopefully the test will be negative and you can start prevention again right away. The worm segments you are seeing are tapeworms. Dogs get these from eating fleas when chewing and itching their skin or eating mice or rodents. The comfortis will control the fleas now but you need to get tapeworm medication from your veterinarian to treat the tapeworms. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Mana.

Heartworm parasites live in the blood vessels adjacent to the heart. Most of the time we thankfully diagnose heartworm disease before symptoms develop, by doing a simple blood test. However, symptoms of heartworm infection are similar to symptoms of heart disease, since heartworm parasites put a strain on the heart by obstructing blood flow. We can see shortness of breath, increased respiratory rate, increased heart rate, weight loss, and lethargy. Scratching is not a typical sign of heartworm but could indicate topical parasites such as fleas or skin mites. Since Mason is having issues with his itching and sounds like he hasn't had a good wellness exam from a vet (if the previous family didn't care for him very well), I recommend bringing him in to the vet. They'll be able to do a thorough exam and make sure he doesn't have any health concerns that should be addressed, and they can run a heartworm test and a fecal test to make sure he is not infected with parasites. Then you can get him started on a heartworm preventative medication to make sure he stays heartworm free. Hope this helps!

Hello there! Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to post your questions regarding Maxx. It looks like he is on quite the combination of medications to try and suppress the coughing. I personally do not find that the cough tabs help much. I have had great success using hydrocodone or butorphanol tablets. The albuterol is good for a bronchodilator. You might consider talking to your veterinarian about using a inhaler called flovent. Fluticasone might be a better option to use. I would talk to your veterinarian about these other options and see if this would work best for Maxx. Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available to talk with via text or phone using the consultation service

If they are small like a rice grain then they are likely tapeworm segments, however without a fecal examination or seeing the worms it is just a educated guess. I would still recommend saving some worms in a jar or isopropyl alcohol for your veterinarian to see next week. If you use heartworm prevention monthly that deworms for Many parasites, but you can request a prescription for heartworm prevents that includes tapeworm medication as well. That way monthly he gets dewormed. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

If the episodes occur in close proximity to administration of one of these products (24-48 hours) then it could be related to the medication. In these cases the product should be stopped and the pet should be transitioned to a different one. Another potential cause could be a type of seizure. You did not mention an age for Max, but seizures in dogs can be due to epilepsy (typically diagnosed at a young age but can be diagnosed later in life), metabolic cause (hypoglycemia, Addison's disease), central nervous system infections/inflammation, or an intracranial mass (typically more of a concern in older patients). If he has not had a full physical exam performed recently by his veterinarian I would recommend having it done, along with routine wellness blood work (serum chemistry, complete blood count) to rule-out organ dysfunction/metabolic cause.

I am sorry to hear about your concern for Max. With these concerns I would recommend an examination at his veterinarian. Rubbing at the face and small dots could be a sign of allergies. The cough could also be related to allergies but he should be evaluated to ensure there is not another cause. Weight loss should also be investigated by his veterinarian . They may test for parasites, discuss his diet with you, or recommend a dietary change.