| BEAR WENT TO HIS NEW HOME ON JUNE 2ND SEE PICS BELOW |
MY NAME IS BEAR AND WELCOME TO MY STORY
| PLEASE KNOW THAT AS I SIT AND WRITE BEARS STORY, IT IS IN NO WAY TO MAKE ME A HERO. IT IS TO EDUCATE AND LET EVERYONE KNOW WHAT REALLY GOES ON OUT THERE, THAT WE ALL TEND TO SHUT OUR EYES TO. PLEASE READ THE WHOLE PAGE........ I WAS AT MY COMPUTER FRIDAY FEBRUARY 17, 2006 AND AN E-MAIL CAME THREW WITH THE FOLLOWING NOTE THAT WAS FORWARDED TO ANNA MULDOON OF WHO THEN BLESS HER HEART FORWARDED IT TO THE ARC ADOPTION COMMITTEE, WHICH I, ALONG WITH LEW OLSON, BRIDGET MORAN, ANNA MULDOON, TRACIE FOWLER, MARY STRAUS, AMY RUFF AND RACHEL ANDERSON VOLUNTEER ON FOR THE FRIENDS OF THE URGENT! PLEASE READ! PLEASE HELP! JUST IMAGINE... Your taking a scenic drive through rural Kentucky and come upon a gravel road leading off the main road. You decide to turn onto it, to see where it leads. Winding through over a 100 acres of abandoned farmland, you come to the end, about a mile down. There standing at the end of this overgrown drive is a handsome Rottweiler, bolted to a logging chain. No one around for miles, he wags his stubby tail in excitement at the sight of another living being. Standing next to the dilapidated wood shed he calls his home, he eagerly waits for you to notice him. This is Stone and welcome to his world. Stone is a purebred Rottweiler of about 5 years of age. He is a large handsome fellow, who lives a life of total isolation. You see, Stone has always lived on this empty farm, chained to a shed, sleeping in a hole in the dirt. Why his owners sentenced him to solitary confinement, is a mystery, but the fact that he is no longer wanted, is not. Stone now relies on the kindness of a neighbor to make the 2-3 mile drive out to the desolate farm to feed him. This friendly boy is totally isolated from the world and is desperate for any companionship. He loves food and treats and will sit and take them ever so gently from your hand. He adores attention and will sit on your feet for a pat on the head. His days are filled with silence and loneliness and when you get back in your car to drive the mile back up the dirt road to leave, Stone follows to the end of his logging chain and tilts his head, as if to ask "why are you going?" His eyes and stubby tail plead to go with you. As you drive away, his butt stops wiggling, his wide smile disappears and he hangs his head, as he drags his heavy chain back to his shed in the woods. Alone again, Stone sits and waits till tomorrow, when once again someone will come out to "his home" in the middle of nowhere and feed him. He looks forward to the few pats on the head and the few kind words he will receive and imagines that maybe tomorrow, he too, can travel to the other end of this dirt road. And as he lays back down in his hole of dirt and listens to his only companion, the wind whistling through the trees, Stone closes his eyes and dreams. He dreams of the day when some special person will come along and instead of leaving him alone once more, they will instead lead him up that dirt road to what he can only imagine awaits.... A REAL home. Stone is located in S. Central KY. and desperately needs to be rescued. We are overflowing with rescued dogs and unfortunately, have NO PLACE to house him. No telling how much longer Stone can rely on strangers to feed him, or evade predators or the end result...being shot I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO CRY AND MY DEAR HUSBAND JUST HAPPENED TO WALK INTO THE OFFICE AT THAT POINT, AND WANTED TO KNOW WHAT I WAS CRYING ABOUT. ... AFTER HE READ THE STORY AN SAW THE PICTURES THAT I WILL POST BELOW, HE SAID " GO GET HIM NOW!!!! " INSTANTLY I CONTACTED ANNA AND ASKED HER TO PLEASE HELP ME GET THIS POOR BOY. SHE SENT OUT WORD TO THE NUMEROUS RESCUES AND CONTACTS SHE KNEW IN KENTUCKY, IN HOPES THAT WE COULD GET HIM A LITTLE CLOSER TO ME IN ILLINOIS. KNOWING THAT NO MATTER WHAT THE OUT COME I WOULD DRIVE THE ENTIRE TRIP MY SELF GET HIM. ( KENTUCKY'S FORECAST AS THAT DAY WAS SNOW BETWEEN 1-3" AND BITTERLY COLD ) WITH HELP OF JESSICA IN LEXINGTON KY., SHE WAS ABLE TO GO AND RELEASE HIM OF HIS LIFE OF SHACKLES THE FOLLOWING MORNING SATURDAY FEBRUARY 18, 2006. AS SOON AS I HEARD SHE HAD HIM IN HER POSSESSION, I HOPPED INTO MY TRUCK AND BEGAN THE JOURNEY TO LOUISVILLE, KY. TO BRING HIM HOME. WITH THE EXTREME HELPFULNESS,GENEROSITY,KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES OF LEW OLSON, ANNA MULDOON AND JESSICA IN LEXINGTON, STONE NOW KNOWN AS BEAR ( GENTLE BEN ) WOULD BE FINALLY SAFE AND FREE OF HIS ABANDONED LIFE. IT WAS A LONG ROAD TRIP FROM ILLINOIS TO KENTUCKY TO PICK HIM UP, BUT WELL WORTH THE TRIP. BEAR CAME TO ME COVERED IN FILTH SO BAD HE REQUIRED SIX BATHS JUST TO SEE HIS FUR. HE HAS MAJOR SCAR TISSUE AND OPEN WOUNDS AROUND HIS NECK AND CHEST DUE TO BEING TIED TO THAT HORRIFIC CHAIN HIS ENTIRE LIFE. HE ALSO HAS EXTREME REAR LAMENESS IN HIS REAR, FROM USING ALL HIS FRONT MUSCLES TO PULL THE CHAIN AROUND. HE ALSO HAS SOME OLD SCARS DUE TO BEING ATTACKED BY A PACK OF COYOTES AWHILE BACK. WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2006 BEAR ( GENTLE BEN ) FORMERLY KNOWN AS STONE TAKES HIS FIRST TRIP SINCE COMING TO ME TO THE VET. DR. RUDAWSKI ( DR. BO ) OF FOX LAKE ANIMAL HOSPITAL. DR BO DOES A COMPLETE ASSESSMENT ON HIM. DUE TO THE FACT THAT HE NEEDED TO BE SEDATED TO DO HIP X-RAYS TO RULE OUT ANY PROBLEMS, DR. BO DECIDES TO KEEP HIM WITH HIM FOR THE AFTERNOON TO NEUTER HIM AS WELL. KNOWING HOW FRIGHTENED HE WOULD BE WHEN WAKING UP FROM SEDATION, I MADE SURE I WAS THERE WITH HIM WHEN HE AWOKE. ASSESSMENT AS FOLLOWS: HIPS ARE GOOD, NO BROKEN BONES. EXERCISE AND THE FACT THAT HE IS NO LONGER TIED TO A CHAIN WOULD CORRECT HIS LAMENESS IN HIS REAR. HE RECEIVED HIS FIRST RABIES SHOT AND BLOOD WORK. I ALSO TOOK IN A STOOL SAMPLE FOR HIM. NOW FOR THE BAD NEWS: BEAR IS DEFINITELY HW +. HE HAS AN EXTREMELY HEAVY LOAD ALONG WITH WHIP, ROUND, HOOKS AND TAPEWORMS. FOR THOSE OF YOU NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE ABOVE AND THE TREATMENTS PLEASE CLICK ON LINKS BELOW: TAPEWORMS: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?articleid=769 http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?articleid=1467 http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?articleid=778 WHIPWORMS: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=1668 http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?articleid=778 http://www.greatlakesbcrescue.org/HealthNTraining/Whipworm.htm http://www.missionmedvet.com/encyclopedia/whipworms.htm HOOKWORMS: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?articleid=747 http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=1530 AND FINALLY, THE MOST SERIOUS AND DEADLY HEARTWORM: THE ABOVE AND BELOW INFORMATION WAS SENT TO ME BY MARY STRAUS, A GOOD FRIEND WHO ALSO HAS A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION AT DOG AWARE SINCE WORKING WITH THE HURRICANE KATRINA ROTTWEILERS I HAVE LEARNED HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE UNEDUCATED ABOUT HEARTWORM AND JUST HOW DEADLY IT CAN BE. PLEASE READ BELOW ARTICLE AND LINKS: Heartworm Treatment Whether or not you choose to use conventional heartworm preventatives, there is always the possibility that you may one day find yourself with a heartworm positive dog, and be faced with the decision of how to treat it. Unfortunately, there is no one right answer when it comes to heartworm treatment. Decisions must be tailored to the individual dog, taking into account both the extent of the heartworm infestation, and the dog’s overall age, activity level and health. This article will talk about the various treatment options, and the pros and cons of each, in the hopes that it will help those who are faced with these decisions make the best possible choice for their dog. There are a number of reasons why someone may have a dog that is heartworm positive. One of the most common is adopting a dog from a rescue organization. Especially in the South where heartworm is ubiquitous, most dogs that are not given heartworm preventative regularly will be heartworm positive. If you choose to time your use of heartworm preventatives, or give less than the recommended dose, or if your dog should vomit up the pill without your realizing it, there is always a small chance that your dog could become infected with heartworms. You also run the risk of heartworm infection if you choose not to use preventatives, or if you use alternative methods that have not been shown to be effective. It is important to understand that heartworm infections do not show up immediately. It is not possible to do a heartworm test monthly and only give the preventative if an infection is found. Blood tests generally will not show heartworm infection until the larvae have matured into adult worms, which takes about six months following initial infection. Symptoms, such as coughing, lethargy and difficulty breathing, will not show up until the infection is advanced. Judy Wilds, of Corpus Christi, Texas, adopted her dog, Taffy, in September 2004, just before she was scheduled to be put down by the shelter she was rescued from. Taffy tested negative for heartworms when adopted, and was started on a regular heartworm preventative schedule. Six months later, a routine heartworm test showed that Taffy was heartworm positive. “Thankfully, a holistic vet had suggested that I have her rechecked six months after her first test, as it was possible (though unlikely) that she could have heartworms,” says Judy. In this case, Taffy was obviously infected when she was adopted, but had not had the infection long enough for it to be detectable. For anyone adopting a dog whose heartworm preventative history is unknown, or if there is a lapse of more than two months in any dog being given heartworm preventatives, it is a good idea to test for heartworm at least six months after the dog is adopted or the preventatives are restarted, in order to know for sure whether or not the dog is infected with heartworms. Heartworm tests Heartworm antigen tests, the most commonly used tests for detecting heartworm infection, are extremely specific and have almost no false positives, but it is still a good idea to confirm any positive test results with a second test. There are a number of different heartworm antigen tests, so it is best to confirm using a different test than the one that gave the initial positive result. If the dog has not been given heartworm preventative recently, then a test for circulating microfilarae can also be done, which will confirm the presence of adult, breeding heartworms in the body. However, a negative microfilarae test cannot be used to rule out heartworm infection. To start with, all heartworm preventatives also kill the microfilarae, so any dog that has been given heartworm preventatives recently may be negative for microfilarae, but could still have a heartworm infection. There are also cases of single sex heartworm infection where no microfilarae are produced, and in any dog with a very low heartworm burden, the microfilarae may not be detected (this can also cause a false negative on the antigen test). Once heartworm infection has been confirmed, additional tests should be done to try to determine how bad the infestation is. X-rays will show inflammation and damage to the arteries and the heart, and blood work will show whether the liver and kidneys have been affected. Heartworm infection is divided into 4 or 5 stages, based on the severity of the infestation and the age and health of the dog. Stage 1 (mild) consists of young, healthy dogs with no symptoms and minimal changes evident on x- rays. Moderate (stage 2) infection will show heartworm disease that is evident on x-rays, but symptoms are minimal, mostly coughing. Stage 3 is a severe infection, with weight loss, coughing, difficulty breathing, more damage visible on x-rays, along with liver and/or kidney damage. Stage 4 and 5 are considered critical, with the dog often collapsing in shock. These dogs will not survive ordinary heartworm treatment, and must have the worms surgically removed if they are to have any hope of survival. Heartworm Treatments There are three conventional methods of treating heartworm: fast kill using Immiticide (melarsomine), slow kill using Heartgard (ivermectin), and surgical, where the worms are surgically removed from the arteries. In addition, there are so-called "holistic" treatments, such as Paratox homeopathic or herbal preparations. In each case, and indeed even if no treatment is done, there is a risk of the dog dying from a pulmonary embolism caused by worm die-off. In addition, there is risk while the worms are present of damage to the heart, the arteries, and the rest of the body, due to inflammation and immune reaction. When deciding which method to use, you need to take into account the age of your dog, the level of activity, and how severe the infestation is. Immiticide (fast kill) Standard treatment with Immiticide consists of giving two injections 24 hours apart, then keeping the dog strictly confined for the next month. A safer protocol, called a “split-dose”, “staged-kill” or “three- dose” protocol, consists of giving one injection, waiting one month or more, then giving two more injections 24 hours apart. This has the benefit of reducing the worm burden by about 30-50% with the initial treatment before the rest of them are killed, with the downside that the dog must be kept strictly confined for two months rather than just one. This split-dose protocol over two months is recommended for dogs with heavy worm burdens or other health problems (Stage 3), but is also considered safer for dogs with a lower worm burden, though it is more expensive. To reduce the risk of pulmonary embolism during worm die-off, dogs treated with Immiticide are kept as quiet as possible during the treatment period, as any increase in heart rate can increase the risk. This generally means that the dog must be kept crated or penned and allowed out only on leash to potty. Aspirin may also be prescribed to lower the risk of blood clots, though this is controversial. Remember that it is dangerous to combine aspirin with any other NSAID, such as Rimadyl or Deramaxx, or with prednisone, and give it only with food. Judy treated her dog, Taffy, using the fast kill method with Immiticide. She was in a unique situation, as her dog had to be left outside during the day. In her case, her vets were concerned that crating the dog in the garage might be more dangerous than allowing her to run loose in the back yard. Excess stress and constant barking might be more likely to cause lung problems from the worms dying than allowing the dog to be loose. “Naturally, I didn't want to give her the opportunity to run after squirrels (or to succumb to any similar temptations)”, said Judy. “So, here's what I did. After checking with the vet who administered the heartworm treatment, I decided to leave her loose in the yard for the first few days because the danger point doesn't occur until the heartworms start dying. Several days after her treatment, I started penning her up outdoors. Because she's such a cooperative pup, I was able to butt up a crate against her Dogloo; that way she had plenty of shelter...and more room to move around in than if she'd just been stuck inside a crate. I absolutely hated having to keep her confined, so I tried to give her a couple of hours of freedom every day. Whenever I let her out of "jail," I stayed outside with her.” Judy continues, “Taffy handled the heartworm treatment quite well. One evening, however, she gave me quite a scare because she began gagging. Later, I realized that this was related to her heartworm treatment.” Some coughing or gagging is considered normal in dogs being treated for heartworm. However, it is important to understand that, whatever method of heartworm treatment is used, any respiratory difficulty in dogs receiving therapy should be considered a life-threatening emergency. If the coughing/gagging is very heavy or seems uncontrollable, or is causing the dog distress, get them to the vet right away. Vomiting or any bloody discharge combined with lethargy, fever and/or pale gums should also be considered an emergency and the dog should be taken to the veterinary or emergency clinic immediately. Corticosteroids, IV fluids and oxygen may be needed at this time to help the dog survive. Christie Keith, whom I talked about in the last article on heartworm preventatives, had two dogs that were heartworm positive. “Raven had some obvious clinical changes, and was showing some symptoms (coughing). Due to her hyper-reactive immune system, I was concerned that the presence of the worms in her pulmonary arteries, with their known ability to stimulate auto-immune reactions, would further worsen her existing allergies, so I opted to do conventional heartworm treatment on her, with the thought that it would be best to get the worms out of her more quickly.” Christie originally intended to treat Raven with the split dose schedule. “A couple of weeks after the first dose, Raven, despite having been completely confined and kept from activity more strenuous than going out into a tiny potty yard on a leash, threw a series of pulmonary emboli (clots), and nearly died. We rushed her to the ER and when we got there, my mom, who was with her in the back of the van, thought she had died. She was blue.” Emergency treatment saved Raven’s life. As it turns out, she became heartworm negative after only the single treatment, so no more had to be done. Immiticide (melarsomine) is considerably safer than the older drug, Caparsolate (thiacetarsemide sodium), that was used in the past to kill heartworms. Although both are arsenic compounds, Immiticide has a much lower risk of complications, does not damage the liver and kidneys, and kills a higher percentage of worms, so that fewer treatments are needed. Immiticide will cause muscular pain and soreness for a few days following the injections. It is important that the injections be done properly, in order to minimize this effect. This includes changing needles after filling the syringe before injecting, choosing the site with care, putting pressure on the site after injection, and alternating sites for future injections. In addition, corticosteroids (e.g., dexamethasone) can be given at the same time to lessen the reaction. Combination painkiller and sedative drugs, such as xylazine, may also be used to reduce the pain of the injection. Pain medications, such as NSAIDs, are also often prescribed for a few days following the injection. Heartgard (slow kill) The "slow kill" method, which is a newer approach, consists of giving the dog Heartgard on a monthly basis. This heartworm medication has some effect against the adult worms and should gradually eliminate them over a period of one to two years (without treatment, the worms can live up to five years). The earlier treatment is started after infection, the more quickly eliminate the adult worms will be eliminated. Note that only Heartgard (ivermectin) should be used, as Revolution (selamectin) has much less affect on adult worms, and Interceptor (milbemycin oxime) almost none at all. Although this method is gentler than the use of Immiticide, the danger from the dying worms is still present, and for a much longer period. A recent Italian study showed that pet dogs (as opposed to the caged laboratory dogs this method had been tested on before) did get pulmonary emboli and some of the dogs died of it. The more active the dog, the higher the risk is thought to be. In addition, damage is being done to the arteries leading to the heart, and possibly to other areas of the body due to inflammation and immune response, as long as the adult worms are present in the body. Most vets recommend using the fast kill method to treat heartworms, unless the dog’s health will not permit it or the owners cannot afford it. In those cases, or in the case of a very mild infection, the slow kill method may be used instead. Janice Adams adopted Pepper, a Border Collie/Chow mix in June 2000. “A blood smear in the vets office at the time of adoption was positive for microfilaria,” says Janice. “Pepper didn't seem to have any symptoms of HW disease, no coughing or shortness of breath, so I elected to start her on Heartgard [plain] monthly at the recommendation of my regular vet after confirming that quite a few rescue organizations in Florida routinely do this for HW positive dogs. She is a very calm dog. Although she looks most like a BC, her temperament is very laid back like a Chow. She didn't have any activity restrictions or special treatment for the HW. ”I kept her on Heartgard monthly for about 18 months then switched her to Safeheart [HW only dose of Interceptor] on a 45 day schedule. We live in Florida, so I give HW tablets year round. All subsequent HW tests have been negative. She didn't seem to have any problems related to the HW disease or treatment.” Christie Keith’s second dog, Bran, had no radiographic changes and no allergies. “I opted not to do the Immiticide treatment on Bran,” she said. “I put him on Heartgard monthly. At the time I did this there was less research on "slow kill" with Heartgard than there is today, but there was enough that I felt confident it would be effective. And it was, as within a few months or a year, he tested heartworm negative.” Other heartworm treatments Surgical methods of heartworm removal require specialized training and instrumentation, and are generally reserved for very high-risk patients that would not otherwise be expected to survive the treatment. The surgery is followed up with one of the more standard treatments a few weeks later to kill any remaining worms. Alternative methods to kill heartworms, such as Paratox, are not really holistic and are no safer, since they rely on the exact same action as allopathic drugs, which is, they kill the larvae/worms in the bloodstream, and it is the death of the worms that causes the greatest danger to dogs during treatment. In addition, no studies have been done to show that alternative treatments are effective. If these treatments do have any effect, they would be comparable to the slow kill method, with the same drawback of continued damage to the body while the worms remain present. In addition, some of the herbs used to treat heartworm are considered dangerous and may be toxic in the amounts used to try to kill the worms. Additional information Once the adult worms have been killed, there may still be circulating microfilarae in the bloodstream. Although these microfilarae will not develop into adult worms (they must first mature into third stage larvae inside a mosquito), they can be a source of transmission of heartworm disease to other dogs, so it is best to treat the dog with heartworm preventative 4-6 weeks after heartworm treatment in order to kill the microfilarae. Normal monthly preventative doses of Interceptor (500 mg/kg) or high doses of Heartgard (50 mcg/kg, approximately 8 times the preventative dose) will eliminate most microfilarae immediately. Normal monthly doses of Heartgard or Revolution will also work for this task, but more slowly, over a period of several months. Because heartworm treatments can cause an allergic reaction due to the death of the worms and the microfilarae, vets will usually give dogs Benadryl and/or corticosteroids prior to each treatment. Monthly Heartgard (ivermectin), at preventative doses, should not be strong enough to cause this kind of reaction, although it would still be a good idea to plan to stay home the day you give it. If Interceptor (milbemycin oxime) at normal doses, or Heartgard at high doses, is used to kill microfilarae following heartworm treatment, anaphylactic shock can occur, especially in dogs with high microfilarae counts. This treatment is best done at the vet’s office under close observation for any adverse reaction. Rescue dogs with heartworm Rescue groups, especially those located in the South, often deal with large numbers of heartworm positive dogs. Darryl Bitter is the dog coordinator for the Frisco Humane Society, an all-breed rescue near Dallas, Texas. She estimates that 30% of the adult dogs that they rescue are heartworm positive, but a colleague who does boxer rescue in the same area says that 75% of their rescues test positive for heartworm. Darryl says, “In the last 18 months we have treated 20 heartworm+ dogs. All have survived with no ill effects, as far as we know.” These dogs are treated with Immiticide, either the standard two injections in two days, or the split-dose schedule 2, 4 or 6 weeks apart, depending on the health of the dog. The dogs are confined to a crate for a month following each injection, and taken outside only on leash. Prednisone and antibiotics are usually given during the treatment. “Four of these dogs have had bad reactions to the shedding of the worms, coughing blood and unable to breathe. Typically these reactions take place 2-3 weeks after the injection. All of these four were hospitalized and placed in oxygen tents for at least two days. Immediate treatment is required as soon as the dog has this reaction otherwise they could die. “Two of the four dogs stand out particularly,” Darryl continues. “Bear, a Great Pyrenes, had a particularly bad reaction. His foster came home to find pools of blood in his crate and Bear was coughing blood. Fortunately she was able to rush him to the vet and he survived after a week in hospital. The other, Dusty, a small Heeler mix, just collapsed as her foster was taking her outside on the leash. She was rushed to the vet as well and spent 3 days in hospital. Fortunately, she also recovered.” Another issue that may come up with rescue dogs is when to spay/neuter if they are heartworm positive. Heartworm infection increases the risk of anesthesia. Although low worm burdens lessen the risk, it is usually considered best to treat the dogs for heartworm first, before proceeding with spay/neuter surgery six weeks or more following the final heartworm treatment. “Dogs with pulmonary arteries blocked by adult heartworms are at greater risk for anesthetic death at the time of surgery or during recovery. The adult worms are effected by the anesthetic and will plug up distal branches of the pulmonary artery particularly the right branch,” says J. Theis, DVM, heartworm specialist from the University of California at Davis. If a dog is pregnant at the time of rescue, it may be reasonable to spay the dog immediately, particularly if the heartworm infection is not severe. One additional issue is that excess bleeding can cause problems during heartworm treatment. Dr. Mike Richards, DVM, on his VetInfo.com web site, says “Anything that might lead to bleeding should be avoided during a heartworm treatment. For this reason, if spaying is contemplated, we do the surgery prior to the heartworm treatment, because even going into heat can really complicate a heartworm treatment.” If a dog’s heat cycle is unknown, it may be best to either spay her first, or wait until after she comes into heat before proceeding with heartworm treatment. Whenever heartworm treatment is delayed, for whatever reason, it is usually a good idea to start the dog on monthly Heartgard in the meantime, which will help destroy the microfilarae and weaken the adult worms. Because there is a small chance of an adverse reaction to this treatment, it should only be done on a day when you are home to observe the dog and seek treatment if necessary. Do not use Interceptor (milbemycin oxime), which is much more dangerous to a dog with heartworms, due to its greater efficacy against microfilarae. Heartworm damage When deciding which method of heartworm treatment to use, you must keep in mind the damage that the worms can do inside the body. The adult heartworm is fairly large, growing up to 12 inches long. Most heartworms actually live in the pulmonary arteries, rather than in the heart itself, though when the infestation becomes severe, the worms will start to back up into the heart and eventually fill it. Heartworms cause an extreme inflammatory response in the arteries that may also affect other parts of the body, including the kidneys and liver. They can also cause blood clots, and they make the heart work extra hard to pump blood through the clogged arteries. Juli Thompson, who lives in Central Florida, has put two dogs thru heartworm treatment, both rescues. The first dog, Oakley, was a year old when she was adopted. She was treated with Immiticide using the split-dose schedule, one month apart. She was kept crated and walked on leash, and recovered without a problem. The second dog, Bo, was 5-6 years old and had a more severe infestation. “He was coughing at any exertion. He went through the same treatment and then had to spend almost two months afterwards hand walking and low key because vet was very worried about clots. He survived and is still alive and very happy. He still coughs after heavy exercise due to damage done to the heart.” Conclusion Heartworm treatment can be dangerous, regardless of which method is used. It is important to know as much as possible about your dog’s level of infestation and overall health before deciding how to treat. You should be aware of the possible signs of pulmonary embolism and other complications during treatment, and be prepared to get your dog to the vet immediately if needed. Although slower kill methods, including the split dose of Immiticide, or the prolonged, slow action of monthly heartworm preventatives, may be safer in terms of an immediate reaction, they also require that the dog be kept quiet for longer periods and prolong the time when the dog is exposed to danger both from the worms themselves, and from the die-off. This decision is not an easy one, and is best made after consulting with your veterinarian regarding the safest method to use for your individual dog. Mary Straus does research on canine health and nutrition topics as an avocation. She is the owner of the DogAware.com web site, and co-moderator of the K9Nutrition email list. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her dog Piglet. What You Can Do . . . Confirm any heartworm positive test before doing treatment Do additional tests, including blood work and chest x-ray, to determine the stage of heartworm infection before deciding how to treat Restrict your dog’s activity and stress levels during treatment Be aware of the danger signs and get your dog to the vet immediately if any are seen during treatment For More Information Heartworm Treatment -- www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=610 Heartworm treatment Aftercare -- www.houstonsheltiesanctuary.com/heartworm_treatment_aftercare. htm Heartworm-positive dog requires tailored treatment -- www.dvmnewsmagazine. com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=49076 AHS Treatment Guidelines -- www.heartwormsociety.org (see Veterinary Information) Canine Heartworm Disease: Prevention and Treatment -- www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings.plx? CID=WSAVA2004&PID=8583&O=Generic Emerging Issues in Heartworm Disease – http://dvm.adv100.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=32691 PLAN OF TREATMENT: BEAR WILL RECEIVE PAN-CUR TO TREAT THE WHIPS, ROUND AND HOOKWORMS. IT IS A 3 DAY DOSING SCHEDULE AND WILL REPEAT IT IN 30 DAYS, AND THEN FOLLOWING UP WITH ONE LAST TREATMENT 75-90 DAYS AFTER THE FIRST DOSE. I WILL THEN GIVE HIM A 2 DAY BREAK, AND THEN GIVE HIM DRONTAL FOR THE TAPEWORMS, WHICH WILL ALSO BE REPEATED IN 3 WEEKS. BEAR WILL START HIS HEARTWORM TREATMENT WITH IMMITICIDE INJECTIONS ON WEDNESDAY MARCH 8, 2006. WE WILL BE DOING THE SLOW KILL, STAGED KILL METHOD DUE TO THE LEVEL HE IS AT WHICH IS BETWEEN A STAGE 2-3 STATUS. DR. BO AND I CHOOSE TO WAIT 2 WEEKS AFTER THE NEUTER TO ALLOW HIM TO BUILD UP HIS IMMUNE SYSTEM. AS FOR THE LAMENESS IN THE REAR I AM SUPPLEMENTING WITH L-GLUTAMINE, AND DOING SOME MUSCLE BUILDING EXERCISES THAT DO NOT INVOLVE STRESS OR EXERTION. AS FOR BEAR AND HIS MENTAL STABILITY, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN. WE ARE WORKING ON BUILDING TRUST AND HE IS LEARNING TO BE LOVED FOR WHO HE IS. AFTER ALL HE HAS BEEN THREW, HE IS THE MOST LOVING, KIND AND DETERMINED DOG. HE HAS SO MUCH SPIRIT THAT NO-ONE WAS ABLE TO TAKE AWAY FROM HIM. HE IS QUICK TO PLEASE AND A FAST LEARNER. HE LOVES TO GIVE KISSES AND JUST BE WITH MY FAMILY. FOR NOW I ASK THAT YOU KEEP HIM IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. HE IS NOW SAFE AND ON HIS ROAD TO FULL RECOVERY AND EVENTUALLY FINDING HIS FOREVER HOME. ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING: LEW OLSON, ANNA MULDOON, JESSICA AND MARY STRAUS FOR HELPING ME GET THIS WONDERFUL ANIMAL HOME. IT NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT YOUR LOVE AND DEVOTION TO OUR BREED. AND THANK YOU BRIDGET FOR THE CHAT TO KEEP ME AWAKE ON THE WAY HOME. |
| BEAR PICTURED BELOW AFTER BEING WITH ME FOR A WEEK |
MONDAY MARCH 6, 2006
BEAR CONTINUES TO THRIVE AND GROW BOTH PHYSICALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY. HE NEVER
SEEMS TO AMAZE ME AT HOW SMART HE IS. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE, NOTHING IN LIFE
IS FREE PROGRAM. HE HAS MASTERED THIS DOWN PAT.
HE HAS LEARNED TO WALK NICELY ON A LEASH, HEEL & SIT. HE KNOWS DOWN. I WILL CONTINUE
TO WORK WITH HIM ON STAY AND COME. HE ONLY NEEDS TO BE SHOWN SOMETHING ONCE AND
HE PERFECTS ON IT.
BEAR WILL BEGIN HIS FIRST IMMITICIDE INJECTION THIS THURSDAY. I AM FRIGHTENED AND
SCARED FOR HIM AT THE SAME TIME. ALTHOUGH I KNOW THAT IT WILL BE A HUGE RELIEF FOR
HIM AND HE WILL BE ABLE TO BREATHE MUCH EASIER ONCE THE HW LOAD IS LESSENED. IT IS
DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW FOR HIM TO EVEN ROLL OVER ON HIS BACK FOR BELLY RUBS.
MY HUSBAND ASKED ME LAST NIGHT IF AFTER BEAR IS HEALTHY AND READY TO GO TO HIS NEW
FOREVER HOME IF I WOULD BE CRYING BECAUSE WE HAVE BONDED SO MUCH.
MY ANSWER TO HIM WAS, OF COURSE I WILL. BUT NOT ONLY WILL THEY BE TEARS OF SADNESS,
BUT TEARS OF JOY FOR HIM. TO HAVE BEEN HONORED WITH WATCHING HIM GROW AND BECOME
WHOLE.
BEAR CONTINUES TO THRIVE AND GROW BOTH PHYSICALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY. HE NEVER
SEEMS TO AMAZE ME AT HOW SMART HE IS. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE, NOTHING IN LIFE
IS FREE PROGRAM. HE HAS MASTERED THIS DOWN PAT.
HE HAS LEARNED TO WALK NICELY ON A LEASH, HEEL & SIT. HE KNOWS DOWN. I WILL CONTINUE
TO WORK WITH HIM ON STAY AND COME. HE ONLY NEEDS TO BE SHOWN SOMETHING ONCE AND
HE PERFECTS ON IT.
BEAR WILL BEGIN HIS FIRST IMMITICIDE INJECTION THIS THURSDAY. I AM FRIGHTENED AND
SCARED FOR HIM AT THE SAME TIME. ALTHOUGH I KNOW THAT IT WILL BE A HUGE RELIEF FOR
HIM AND HE WILL BE ABLE TO BREATHE MUCH EASIER ONCE THE HW LOAD IS LESSENED. IT IS
DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW FOR HIM TO EVEN ROLL OVER ON HIS BACK FOR BELLY RUBS.
MY HUSBAND ASKED ME LAST NIGHT IF AFTER BEAR IS HEALTHY AND READY TO GO TO HIS NEW
FOREVER HOME IF I WOULD BE CRYING BECAUSE WE HAVE BONDED SO MUCH.
MY ANSWER TO HIM WAS, OF COURSE I WILL. BUT NOT ONLY WILL THEY BE TEARS OF SADNESS,
BUT TEARS OF JOY FOR HIM. TO HAVE BEEN HONORED WITH WATCHING HIM GROW AND BECOME
WHOLE.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 15, 2006
WELL, TOMORROW IT WILL BE 1 WEEK SINCE BEAR RECEIVED HIS FIRST INJECTION OF
IMMITICIDE. I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TELL YOU THAT IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN WITH A DOG AFTER
THE TREATMENT, IT IS THE MOST FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE EVER. BEAR WENT FROM BEING A 10
IN SPIRITS, DOWN TO A 1 IN A MATTER OF HOURS. I REALLY THOUGHT THAT I WAS GOING TO
LOSE HIM. I SLEPT AT HIS CRATE FOR 4 NIGHTS STRAIGHT IN THE KITCHEN.
HE HAD LOSS OF APPETITE AND WAS SO LETHARGIC. MONDAY DR. BO PUT HIM ON SOME
PREDNISONE WHICH MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. BEAR IS BACK TO BEING
HIMSELF, BUT MOST DEFINITELY NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET. PLEASE KEEP HIM IN YOUR
THOUGHT'S AND PRAYERS.
WELL, TOMORROW IT WILL BE 1 WEEK SINCE BEAR RECEIVED HIS FIRST INJECTION OF
IMMITICIDE. I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TELL YOU THAT IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN WITH A DOG AFTER
THE TREATMENT, IT IS THE MOST FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE EVER. BEAR WENT FROM BEING A 10
IN SPIRITS, DOWN TO A 1 IN A MATTER OF HOURS. I REALLY THOUGHT THAT I WAS GOING TO
LOSE HIM. I SLEPT AT HIS CRATE FOR 4 NIGHTS STRAIGHT IN THE KITCHEN.
HE HAD LOSS OF APPETITE AND WAS SO LETHARGIC. MONDAY DR. BO PUT HIM ON SOME
PREDNISONE WHICH MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. BEAR IS BACK TO BEING
HIMSELF, BUT MOST DEFINITELY NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET. PLEASE KEEP HIM IN YOUR
THOUGHT'S AND PRAYERS.
SATURDAY MARCH 18, 2006
WELL, BEAR WAS OK FOR ONE DAY. HE WAS ONLY TO BE ON THE PREDNISONE FOR 3 DAYS
WHICH ENDED WEDNESDAY. AS OF THURSDAY HE STARTED TO GO DOWNHILL AGAIN AND BY
FRIDAY HE PLACE THE FEAR IN ME AGAIN.
I SPOKE WITH DR. BO AND EXPLAINED THAT HE WAS ONCE AGAIN LETHARGIC AND HAD NOW
STARTED COUGHING. HE WAS PLACING HIM ON PREDNISONE AGAIN WITH A ROTATION SCHEDULE
OF 20MG ONE DAY AND 10MG THE NEXT FOR THE DURATION OF THE TREATMENT. I WAS TO ALSO
CHECK HIS HEART RATE EVERY FEW HOURS AND WAS NOT TO FALL BELOW 120 BEATS PER
MINUTE.
BY LATE AFTERNOON, HE WAS STILL NOT DOING WELL AND COUGHING HAD INCREASED AND
HEART RATE WAS IN THE NINETY'S. CALLED DR. BO ONCE AGAIN AND WE STARTED HIM ON
HEPARIN 2 CC TWICE A DAY AND ATROPINE 2 CC 3 TIMES A DAY. HE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE
PREDNISONE ALONG WITH THE ASPIRIN EVERYDAY. HE HAS BEGUN TO COUGH UP BLOOD ALSO.
I FEEL PRETTY HELPLESS RIGHT NOW AND AM BACK TO SLEEPING ON THE KITCHEN FLOOR WITH
HIM.
HE IS A VERY SPECIAL BOY AND I KEEP TELLING HIM, HE HAS TO FIGHT THIS WITH ALL HE HAS.
WELL, BEAR WAS OK FOR ONE DAY. HE WAS ONLY TO BE ON THE PREDNISONE FOR 3 DAYS
WHICH ENDED WEDNESDAY. AS OF THURSDAY HE STARTED TO GO DOWNHILL AGAIN AND BY
FRIDAY HE PLACE THE FEAR IN ME AGAIN.
I SPOKE WITH DR. BO AND EXPLAINED THAT HE WAS ONCE AGAIN LETHARGIC AND HAD NOW
STARTED COUGHING. HE WAS PLACING HIM ON PREDNISONE AGAIN WITH A ROTATION SCHEDULE
OF 20MG ONE DAY AND 10MG THE NEXT FOR THE DURATION OF THE TREATMENT. I WAS TO ALSO
CHECK HIS HEART RATE EVERY FEW HOURS AND WAS NOT TO FALL BELOW 120 BEATS PER
MINUTE.
BY LATE AFTERNOON, HE WAS STILL NOT DOING WELL AND COUGHING HAD INCREASED AND
HEART RATE WAS IN THE NINETY'S. CALLED DR. BO ONCE AGAIN AND WE STARTED HIM ON
HEPARIN 2 CC TWICE A DAY AND ATROPINE 2 CC 3 TIMES A DAY. HE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE
PREDNISONE ALONG WITH THE ASPIRIN EVERYDAY. HE HAS BEGUN TO COUGH UP BLOOD ALSO.
I FEEL PRETTY HELPLESS RIGHT NOW AND AM BACK TO SLEEPING ON THE KITCHEN FLOOR WITH
HIM.
HE IS A VERY SPECIAL BOY AND I KEEP TELLING HIM, HE HAS TO FIGHT THIS WITH ALL HE HAS.
TUESDAY MARCH 21, 2006
WELL BEAR IS DOING ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL. HE CAME THREW THE HARD TIMES, AS I
THOUGHT HE WOULD.
IT WAS QUITE A LOT FOR HIM TO HANDLE. HE DEFINITELY HAS THE SPIRIT IN HIM TO DEAL WITH
WHAT EVER IS DEALT TO HIM. I KNOW I SAY THIS A LOT, BEAR IS SUCH A SPECIAL BOY.
BEAR JUST LOVES EVERYONE. HE GETS ALONG WITH ALL OF MY FEMALE AND MALE DOGS AND
JUST LOVES TO BE LOVED ON.
WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED.
WELL BEAR IS DOING ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL. HE CAME THREW THE HARD TIMES, AS I
THOUGHT HE WOULD.
IT WAS QUITE A LOT FOR HIM TO HANDLE. HE DEFINITELY HAS THE SPIRIT IN HIM TO DEAL WITH
WHAT EVER IS DEALT TO HIM. I KNOW I SAY THIS A LOT, BEAR IS SUCH A SPECIAL BOY.
BEAR JUST LOVES EVERYONE. HE GETS ALONG WITH ALL OF MY FEMALE AND MALE DOGS AND
JUST LOVES TO BE LOVED ON.
WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED.
MONDAY MARCH 27, 2006
BEAR CONTINUES TO BE ON THE UP SIDE:) HE HAS A VERY HEARTY APPETITE. IT IS SO AWESOME
TO WATCH HIM LEARN AND EXPERIENCE NEW THINGS.
HE WILL MAKE SOME FAMILY OR PERSON OUT THERE ONE HECK OF A DOG.
BEAR CONTINUES TO BE ON THE UP SIDE:) HE HAS A VERY HEARTY APPETITE. IT IS SO AWESOME
TO WATCH HIM LEARN AND EXPERIENCE NEW THINGS.
HE WILL MAKE SOME FAMILY OR PERSON OUT THERE ONE HECK OF A DOG.
APRIL 12, 2006
I KNOW YOUR PROBABLY SAYING WHAT TOOK SO LONG FOR THE UPDATE. WELL WE HAD A
LITTER OF PUPS AND HAVE BEEN REALLY BUSY... BEAR CONTINUES TO DO WELL. HIS IMMUNE
SYSTEM IS GETTING MUCH STRONGER AND SOMETIMES SO IS HIS STUBBORNNESS:) HE
CONTINUES TO DELIGHT ME IN ALL THAT HE DOES.
HERE IS BEARS QUOTE :
THE MOMENTS OF HAPPINESS WE ENJOY TAKE US BY SURPRISE. IT IS NOT THAT WE SEIZE THEM,
BUT THAT THEY SEIZE US.
I KNOW YOUR PROBABLY SAYING WHAT TOOK SO LONG FOR THE UPDATE. WELL WE HAD A
LITTER OF PUPS AND HAVE BEEN REALLY BUSY... BEAR CONTINUES TO DO WELL. HIS IMMUNE
SYSTEM IS GETTING MUCH STRONGER AND SOMETIMES SO IS HIS STUBBORNNESS:) HE
CONTINUES TO DELIGHT ME IN ALL THAT HE DOES.
HERE IS BEARS QUOTE :
THE MOMENTS OF HAPPINESS WE ENJOY TAKE US BY SURPRISE. IT IS NOT THAT WE SEIZE THEM,
BUT THAT THEY SEIZE US.
WELL FINALLY SOME UPDATED PICTURES OF BEAR
AND I KNOW HOW TO SMILE
| I KNOW HOW TO SIT PRETTY FOR THAT COOKIE |
| AND I EVEN KNOW DOWN, CAN'T YOU SEE I AM THRILLED |
MAY 22, 2006
I AM SO SORRY THAT IT HAS BEEN AWHILE SINCE MY LAST UPDATE. WE HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY.
BEAR RECEIVED HIS LAST ORAL HW TREATMENT OF IVERMECTIN AND IS DOING SUPER.
THE LUMP ON HIS CHEST TURNED OUT TO BE A MUSCLE TISSUE INJURY, SO NO SURGERY.
NEEDLESS TO SAY I WAS THRILLED TO HEAR THIS.
AND NOW FOR THE GREATEST NEWS YET FOR BEAR HE WILL BE GOING TO HIS FOREVER HOME
ON JUNE 2ND. I AM SO HAPPY FOR HIM TO HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL HOME TO GO TO, BUT YET
TEARS CONTINUE TO COME. THEY ARE TEARS OF JOY AND TEARS OF LOSS.
BEAR AND I HAVE BEEN ON A JOURNEY THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET.
I LOVE YOU MY BEAR, BEAR-BUTT, BUTT
I AM SO SORRY THAT IT HAS BEEN AWHILE SINCE MY LAST UPDATE. WE HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY.
BEAR RECEIVED HIS LAST ORAL HW TREATMENT OF IVERMECTIN AND IS DOING SUPER.
THE LUMP ON HIS CHEST TURNED OUT TO BE A MUSCLE TISSUE INJURY, SO NO SURGERY.
NEEDLESS TO SAY I WAS THRILLED TO HEAR THIS.
AND NOW FOR THE GREATEST NEWS YET FOR BEAR HE WILL BE GOING TO HIS FOREVER HOME
ON JUNE 2ND. I AM SO HAPPY FOR HIM TO HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL HOME TO GO TO, BUT YET
TEARS CONTINUE TO COME. THEY ARE TEARS OF JOY AND TEARS OF LOSS.
BEAR AND I HAVE BEEN ON A JOURNEY THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET.
I LOVE YOU MY BEAR, BEAR-BUTT, BUTT
| A POEM TO BEAR I AM THE BRIDGE BETWEEN WHAT WAS AND WHAT WILL BE I WILL BE YOUR PATHWAY TO YOUR NEW LIFE I AM MADE OF MUSH MY HEART MELTED WHEN I SAW YOU SHACKLED, MATTED, SORE, LIMPING, DEPRESSED LONELY, UNWANTED AND AFRAID TO LOVE FOR A SHORT TIME YOU ARE MINE I WILL FEED YOU WITH MY OWN HAND I WILL LOVE YOU WITH MY WHOLE HEART UNCONDITIONALLY I WILL MAKE YOU WHOLE I PRETEND I AM MADE OF STEEL BECAUSE THE TIME WILL COME WHEN YOU ARE WELL AND SLEEK YOUR EYES WILL SHINE AND YOUR NUB WAGS WITH JOY THE HARD PART WILL COME I WILL LET YOU GO-NOT WITHOUT A TEAR BUT WITHOUT A REGRET FOR YOU WILL BE SAFE FOREVER To My Beautiful Bear Open your Wings and Fly |
BEAR & HIS NEW DAD RICHARD
| BEAR SMILING, GIVING ME HIS LOOK OF APPROVAL |
| I THINK YOU CAN SAY THEY ARE BOTH VERY HAPPY TOGETHER |
Hi Donna:
Just thought I would give you a Bear update. As you surmised, when he got in my car he climbed
into the front seat, however, he just curled-up and lay down riding with one paw on my leg all the way
up. It was if he knew he was going with me for a while. He is just the sweetest dog I have ever
known. Bear has loved meeting a lot of new people, most of whom came out to see him. He even
went wading in the lake, without my coaching. I think he will be swimming with a little coaxing. Also,
he has bonded with me and all of my family. They all adore him. Finally, he has quickly learned new
commands, especially "come here". He is very bright and a quick learner. Except for getting used to
eating kibble, he is doing wonderfully.
I will keep you informed.
Dick
Just thought I would give you a Bear update. As you surmised, when he got in my car he climbed
into the front seat, however, he just curled-up and lay down riding with one paw on my leg all the way
up. It was if he knew he was going with me for a while. He is just the sweetest dog I have ever
known. Bear has loved meeting a lot of new people, most of whom came out to see him. He even
went wading in the lake, without my coaching. I think he will be swimming with a little coaxing. Also,
he has bonded with me and all of my family. They all adore him. Finally, he has quickly learned new
commands, especially "come here". He is very bright and a quick learner. Except for getting used to
eating kibble, he is doing wonderfully.
I will keep you informed.
Dick
Hi Donna: Will give two hugs and kisses for you. Bear is just a gem. He is so friendly with everybody
I call him Mr. Congeniality. Also, he is very smart and sneakly. I do not encourage getting up on
furniture and have made him a bed/kennel area next to my bed. This is where he sleeps at night.
However, when I come home from work, I notice that the blankets on my bed are mussed. So he has
been up there, but, he is smart enough not to let me catch him in the act. Finally, no need to fence off
an area. Bear has been perfect gentleman whether I am around or not. He just sleeps or looks out the
windows (there is a lot of outdoor activity at the lake), when I am not there. He is such a great dog and
we have bonded already.
Dick
I call him Mr. Congeniality. Also, he is very smart and sneakly. I do not encourage getting up on
furniture and have made him a bed/kennel area next to my bed. This is where he sleeps at night.
However, when I come home from work, I notice that the blankets on my bed are mussed. So he has
been up there, but, he is smart enough not to let me catch him in the act. Finally, no need to fence off
an area. Bear has been perfect gentleman whether I am around or not. He just sleeps or looks out the
windows (there is a lot of outdoor activity at the lake), when I am not there. He is such a great dog and
we have bonded already.
Dick
Hi Donna:
Sorry I haven't written in a while, however, it proved impossible to have my e-mail hooked up at the
lake. Bear is excellent. I have had him on my proven Vitamin E program and he has a sleek shiny
coat. Also, all of the mange patches have disappeared. Tomorrow morning we are going to an AKC
training facility to check out some programs. Bear has a few rough edges I would like to deal with
through training, also, he gets time around other dogs. This is not just a training facility but also has
agility, fly ball, tracking, etc. programs. I want to see if Bear would like to do something along these
lines. He is very athletic, I don't know if you knew this? I call him the "Turbo Rottweiler". I have never
seen a rott with his speed. He has a second gear. When he kicks into that gear he is unbeatable. Last
week he smoked an English Pointer in a 100 yard dash (about).
Other than that, I do not have enough superlatives for this dog. As you told me, all he needed was a
lot of quality one-on-one time and TLC and he is a heck of a dog. Everybody has fallen in love with
him. In fact, my parents are known to kipnap him when I am at work. They say its because they think
he is lonely, however, I know they just want Bear around. Also, Bear loves going for boat rides and
just laying down on the boat while it is docked. That way he can keep an eye on all of the ducks and
geese. Bear has also make some dog friends. Especially Kirby our neighbors rescue rottweiler.
Some mornings when I take Bear for his walk, I start the walk with one rottweiler and when I look
down I have two. Bear and Kirby are about the same age and get along like litter mates. Finally, Bear
is very healthy, and happy. I also couldn't be happier with him. He and I have bonded completely. He
has lost that "haunted" look he used to get when I first go him. He used to give me a look whenever I
left as if he did not think I would return. Now Bear has learned that he has a "Forever Home" and that
myself and the other people he sees will always come home and he will always be with me. (He is
laying on my feet as I write this.)
I hope to have some pictures to send you in a week or so. Then you can see what I am saying about
his coat. Also, please come up for a visit.
Bear sends you lots of licks.
Sorry I haven't written in a while, however, it proved impossible to have my e-mail hooked up at the
lake. Bear is excellent. I have had him on my proven Vitamin E program and he has a sleek shiny
coat. Also, all of the mange patches have disappeared. Tomorrow morning we are going to an AKC
training facility to check out some programs. Bear has a few rough edges I would like to deal with
through training, also, he gets time around other dogs. This is not just a training facility but also has
agility, fly ball, tracking, etc. programs. I want to see if Bear would like to do something along these
lines. He is very athletic, I don't know if you knew this? I call him the "Turbo Rottweiler". I have never
seen a rott with his speed. He has a second gear. When he kicks into that gear he is unbeatable. Last
week he smoked an English Pointer in a 100 yard dash (about).
Other than that, I do not have enough superlatives for this dog. As you told me, all he needed was a
lot of quality one-on-one time and TLC and he is a heck of a dog. Everybody has fallen in love with
him. In fact, my parents are known to kipnap him when I am at work. They say its because they think
he is lonely, however, I know they just want Bear around. Also, Bear loves going for boat rides and
just laying down on the boat while it is docked. That way he can keep an eye on all of the ducks and
geese. Bear has also make some dog friends. Especially Kirby our neighbors rescue rottweiler.
Some mornings when I take Bear for his walk, I start the walk with one rottweiler and when I look
down I have two. Bear and Kirby are about the same age and get along like litter mates. Finally, Bear
is very healthy, and happy. I also couldn't be happier with him. He and I have bonded completely. He
has lost that "haunted" look he used to get when I first go him. He used to give me a look whenever I
left as if he did not think I would return. Now Bear has learned that he has a "Forever Home" and that
myself and the other people he sees will always come home and he will always be with me. (He is
laying on my feet as I write this.)
I hope to have some pictures to send you in a week or so. Then you can see what I am saying about
his coat. Also, please come up for a visit.
Bear sends you lots of licks.
| A JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILES, MUST BEGIN WITH A SINGLE STEP |
| I AM BEGINNING TO LEARN THAT IT IS THE SWEET,SIMPLE THINGS OF LIFE WHICH ARE THE REAL ONES AFTER ALL |
APRIL 27, 2006
SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN E-MAILING ME FOR AN UPDATE ON BEAR. HE IS DOING ABSOLUTELY
WONDERFUL.
BEAR HAD HIS LAST DOUBLE DOSE OF IMMITICIDE FOR HIS HW STATUS ON APRIL 21 & 22, OF 2006,
AND HE IS DOING GREAT WITH THIS. HE IS ONLY ON PREDNISONE AND RECOVERING WELL. HE
WILL BE RECEIVING ONE MORE ORAL DOSE OF IVERMECTIN ON MAY 19, 2006. HE WILL THEN BE
COMPLETED WITH HIS TREATMENT. OF COURSE HE WILL REMAIN ON MONTHLY HEARTGARD.
ON ANOTHER NOTE I HAVE FOUND A LUMP ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HIS RIB CAGE ABOUT THE SIZE
OF A HALF PEAR.. DR. BO IS THINKING IT MAY BE NOTHING, BUT HE WILL HAVE IT SURGICALLY
REMOVED AND SENT IN FOR A BIOPSY WHEN HE GOES IN FOR HIS ORAL DOSE OF IVERMECTIN.
I ADDED A SONG TO HIS PAGE HERE RECENTLY, IT IS THE SONG I SING TO HIM ALL THE TIME AND
HE LOVES IT.
I JUST RECENTLY INTRODUCED BEAR TO ONE OF THE PUPPIES IN OUR HOME AND HE WAS SO
EXCITED. HIS NUB COULD NOT STOP WAGGING.
I WILL TRY TO BE BETTER AT UPDATING EVERYONE, AS THINGS PROGRESS. BUT AS OF NOW BEAR
IS JUST A DELIGHT TO HAVE WITH ME.
SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN E-MAILING ME FOR AN UPDATE ON BEAR. HE IS DOING ABSOLUTELY
WONDERFUL.
BEAR HAD HIS LAST DOUBLE DOSE OF IMMITICIDE FOR HIS HW STATUS ON APRIL 21 & 22, OF 2006,
AND HE IS DOING GREAT WITH THIS. HE IS ONLY ON PREDNISONE AND RECOVERING WELL. HE
WILL BE RECEIVING ONE MORE ORAL DOSE OF IVERMECTIN ON MAY 19, 2006. HE WILL THEN BE
COMPLETED WITH HIS TREATMENT. OF COURSE HE WILL REMAIN ON MONTHLY HEARTGARD.
ON ANOTHER NOTE I HAVE FOUND A LUMP ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HIS RIB CAGE ABOUT THE SIZE
OF A HALF PEAR.. DR. BO IS THINKING IT MAY BE NOTHING, BUT HE WILL HAVE IT SURGICALLY
REMOVED AND SENT IN FOR A BIOPSY WHEN HE GOES IN FOR HIS ORAL DOSE OF IVERMECTIN.
I ADDED A SONG TO HIS PAGE HERE RECENTLY, IT IS THE SONG I SING TO HIM ALL THE TIME AND
HE LOVES IT.
I JUST RECENTLY INTRODUCED BEAR TO ONE OF THE PUPPIES IN OUR HOME AND HE WAS SO
EXCITED. HIS NUB COULD NOT STOP WAGGING.
I WILL TRY TO BE BETTER AT UPDATING EVERYONE, AS THINGS PROGRESS. BUT AS OF NOW BEAR
IS JUST A DELIGHT TO HAVE WITH ME.
JUNE 3, 2006
WELL THE DAY CAME. BEAR IS NOW WITH HIS NEW FATHER RICHARD. HE WILL NOW BE
ENJOYING LONG LEISURELY DAYS AT THE LAKE, WALKING AND LOTS OF ONE ON ONE
ATTENTION FROM DAD.
NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WASN'T QUITE AS STRONG AS I THOUGHT I COULD BE WITH LETTING
BEAR GO. I FEEL SUCH AN EMPTY VOID IN MY LIFE. I KNOW THAT IN MY HEART THAT THIS
IS WHERE BEAR NEEDS TO BE AND DESERVES IT SO VERY MUCH, BUT IT DOES NOT
ALWAYS LESSEN THE PAIN. I LOVE YOU BEAR FOREVER.
WELL THE DAY CAME. BEAR IS NOW WITH HIS NEW FATHER RICHARD. HE WILL NOW BE
ENJOYING LONG LEISURELY DAYS AT THE LAKE, WALKING AND LOTS OF ONE ON ONE
ATTENTION FROM DAD.
NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WASN'T QUITE AS STRONG AS I THOUGHT I COULD BE WITH LETTING
BEAR GO. I FEEL SUCH AN EMPTY VOID IN MY LIFE. I KNOW THAT IN MY HEART THAT THIS
IS WHERE BEAR NEEDS TO BE AND DESERVES IT SO VERY MUCH, BUT IT DOES NOT
ALWAYS LESSEN THE PAIN. I LOVE YOU BEAR FOREVER.
AUGUST 14, 2006
Hi Donna: Haven't written in a while and I thought I would give you a Bear update. He is still doing
very well. His personality is really starting to come out. I think it finally sank in the last few weeks
that he is staying here and this is his home. Of course he is still always with me, however, he now
loves being with my family and friends and is not concerned when I leave him that I am not coming
back. In addition to the Bear you know-loving, friendly, etc- he is also becoming quite the clown. You
should see him do his "happy dance" whenever I say let's go out and put on my shoes. He bounces
all over the room. He is really quite a character.
Finally, we have started lessons at a AKC facility near us. We have been to 2 lessons. Bear picks up
pretty quickly and enjoys being with the other dogs. Sometimes I think he has had formal training
before and on some things it seems he was never taught. Bear is a smart guy and picks things up
after only one or two tries. He also likes our practice sessions every evening.
Only a few weeks of summer left and then Bear and I will be moving from the cottage. I will let you
know all the details soon. I should have my e-mail back on by 9/15. Again, let me know if you want to
come up for a visit some day before the summer is over.
Dick
Hi Donna: Haven't written in a while and I thought I would give you a Bear update. He is still doing
very well. His personality is really starting to come out. I think it finally sank in the last few weeks
that he is staying here and this is his home. Of course he is still always with me, however, he now
loves being with my family and friends and is not concerned when I leave him that I am not coming
back. In addition to the Bear you know-loving, friendly, etc- he is also becoming quite the clown. You
should see him do his "happy dance" whenever I say let's go out and put on my shoes. He bounces
all over the room. He is really quite a character.
Finally, we have started lessons at a AKC facility near us. We have been to 2 lessons. Bear picks up
pretty quickly and enjoys being with the other dogs. Sometimes I think he has had formal training
before and on some things it seems he was never taught. Bear is a smart guy and picks things up
after only one or two tries. He also likes our practice sessions every evening.
Only a few weeks of summer left and then Bear and I will be moving from the cottage. I will let you
know all the details soon. I should have my e-mail back on by 9/15. Again, let me know if you want to
come up for a visit some day before the summer is over.
Dick
SEPTEMBER 25, 2006
HI Donna:
Just wanted to let you know I am now connected again. Bear and I have a new house. Great area, we
are less than one mile from a great dog park and only three miles from the cottage. Bear is thriving.
He sends a thousand licks. Again, he is laying on my feet while I compose this message. He and I are
inseparable. I will send you a more complete update in a few days. There is a funny story about our
move. Also, when I figure out my new computer, I will send you some pictures. You really must see
how good he looks, shiny coat and his hindquarters have developed. He is such a strong, albeit very
loving boy.
Dick
HI Donna:
Just wanted to let you know I am now connected again. Bear and I have a new house. Great area, we
are less than one mile from a great dog park and only three miles from the cottage. Bear is thriving.
He sends a thousand licks. Again, he is laying on my feet while I compose this message. He and I are
inseparable. I will send you a more complete update in a few days. There is a funny story about our
move. Also, when I figure out my new computer, I will send you some pictures. You really must see
how good he looks, shiny coat and his hindquarters have developed. He is such a strong, albeit very
loving boy.
Dick
Hi Donna: I hope I finally learned how to send pictures with my new camera. Hear are some recent pics of Bear.
By the way, you realize it is one year ago that you saved him. Again, Bear and I thank you very much. Bear doing
very well, I hope you can see his beautiful coat from these pictures. Also, I may need some advice about another
Rott rescue. I will give you a call if I need additional information. The woman who cuts my hair, and is another
Rott lover, may need advice about an adoption and potential rescue here in Wisconsin
By the way, you realize it is one year ago that you saved him. Again, Bear and I thank you very much. Bear doing
very well, I hope you can see his beautiful coat from these pictures. Also, I may need some advice about another
Rott rescue. I will give you a call if I need additional information. The woman who cuts my hair, and is another
Rott lover, may need advice about an adoption and potential rescue here in Wisconsin