My dog has heartworm. Can he walk down stairs after his shots?

Coughing can occur from the damage the worms are doing to the lungs. It could also be caused by the worms dying off and causing inflammation, although I'm not sure how likely that is with the slow kill method. I would recommend keeping him crated and resting (no walks, no running, no excitement -- basically no getting his heart rate up) until he can get to the vet for evaluation, which will likely include chest x-rays and a discussion of if he needs anti-inflammatory medication and cage rest to get through this treatment. Wishing you and Bug (love his name!) the best of luck.

I'm so sorry to hear that Buford has contracted heartworms. I adopted a dog with heartworms and it can be challenging to decide on the right treatment protocol for a high energy dog. First, let's clarify that at some point the adult worms are going to die. That can occur from us killing them with the medications that we call an "adulticide" or it can occur when the adult worms reach the end of their life expectancy. At that point. if Buford is exercising, the worm dying can results in a clot to the lungs. An adult worm can live up to 5 years, so you really should keep Buford exercise restricted until his heartworm disease has resolved regardless of how you treat it. Second, a higher dose of ivermectin does not result in the adult worms dying faster. It only keeps Buford from getting any more adult worms which will make his infection worse. I am attaching the following information from the American Heartworm Society ( https://www.heartwormsociety.org/images/pdf/Canine-Guidelines-Summary.pdf ). "In cases where arsenical therapy is not possible or is contraindicated, the use of a monthly heartworm preventive along with doxycycline at 10 mg/kg BID for a 4-week period might be considered. An antigen test should be performed every 6 months and the dog not considered cleared until two consecutive NAD (no antigen detected) heartworm antigen tests, 6 months apart, have been obtained. If the dog is still antigen positive after one year, repeat the doxycycline therapy. Exercise should be rigidly restricted for the duration of the treatment process." So, their recommendation is just to do regular heartworm prevention monthly (not higher doses of ivermectin) combined with Doxycycline for the first 4 weeks, then recheck a heartworm test in 6 months. At some point, if you keep Buford on heartworm prevention monthly, we expect that the worms will die and he will clear the infection. The worry is that the longer the worms are there, the more damage they can potentially do to the blood vessels. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using PetCoach.

No. I don't think that would be wise. When they have been treated for heartworms and rested for 2 months, it is recommended to GRADUALLY increase their exercise. After they have been cleared to start exercising it is best to start out with like a 5-10 minute leash walk and then every few days increase the time by about 5 minutes. I know that outwardly she seems fine and healthy and I'm sure she'd love the hike but I wouldn't risk it. Hope this answers your question. Best wishes to you and Stella in the new year!

Activity restriction is paramount during treatment as worm death is occurring. I have attached a website link that can provide much more in depth information than can be written here. There is a pet owner information link there. I hope this helps and thank you for using PetCoach! https://www.heartwormsociety.org

Hello. For the most part, you want to institute a level of exercise reduction so as to decrease the strain on the heart. This should start on the day of diagnosis, & continue with even further reduced exercise when heartworm treatment is started. Once Julius has been properly treated for the heartworms, he can resume normal activity levels. Thank you.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your potential new dog. The biggest issue with a heartworm positive dog is she will need strict rest throughout her treatment especially after she is given the medication to kill the adult worms. She should have x-rays of her chest as well as blood and urine testing prior to starting treatment to determine the extent of her disease. Because she will need to be kept quiet, it may make introductions with your current dog easier. She should be used to a crate coming the the shelter, so she will be able to kept separate. This will allow them both time to get used to each other. You can allow them to meet on neutral territory and keep them separate in the home until they are more comfortable with each other. Good luck!

This can be normal after the first round of heart worm treatment. As the adult heartworms die, they cause an inflammatory reaction in the lungs. It is VITAL to keep Charlie under strict confinement during this time. This means he needs to stay in a confined area or crate and then only to be taken outside on a least to go to the bathroom a few days per day. If they are too active the cough will only get worse. You can try to give him some Benadryl twice a day to help with the sniffles/sneezes. See link below. I would also contact your vet just to tell them what is going on to make sure they don't want to add any meds or change any meds for him. Of course, if he stops eating, the cough gets worse, you notice labored breathing, or he is coughing up blood then I would have your vet take a look at him immediately. I hope this helps! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/#!