Can someone give me the pros & cons of heartworm treatment versus not treating? My vet informed me my dog has heartworms & I don't know what to do. The cost is very expensive which I don't have.

You need to get your dog treated.
Heartworms can kill a dog if left untreated.

They live in the ventricles of the heart and if they multiply then they can block the bloodflow.

Talk to your vet about working out a payment plan for the medication. This day and age a lot of vets are willing to take money in installements.
You should also buy preventative medicine for your dog from now on.

You need to get your dog treated.
Heartworms can kill a dog if left untreated.

They live in the ventricles of the heart and if they multiply then they can block the bloodflow.

Talk to your vet about working out a payment plan for the medication. This day and age a lot of vets are willing to take money in installements.
You should also buy preventative medicine for your dog from now on.

What about the fact that the treatment can kill the dog to?

There is a risk with any medication, overdose, allergies etc
As long as your vet administers the correct dosage the risk of not using the medication is far more dangerous.
I personally would rather take the small chance of an allergic reaction than an almost definite fatally with having the worms.

The heartworm can move during treatment and infect the lungs but if you make sure you keep your dog rested for several days after treatment and limit all exercise this should decrease the risk dramatically.

Check out this site for heartguard.

Heartworm Treatment: Heartgard Plus and other Dog Heartworm Medicine (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/general.cfm?c=9547&gid=262)

I am trying to search for a site detailing the risks of heartworm but have yet to come across anything useful :rolleyes: (darn Google is useless)

This is probably the best information I have come up with, it details the side effects of using heartworm treatments.


Some patients are very tired and sleep a lot for two to four days; some have temporary difficulty getting up because of the muscle soreness. Though some dogs do not experience the muscle soreness, it is particularly important not to pick up the dog or put any pressure on the back for 2-4 days after the injections. Even a gentle dog might cry out and snap in pain if that area is touched. You will know the dog is feeling better when the eyes brighten, tail wags, and the dog resumes interest in the caretaker and home activities, usually in just a few days. Let the dog sleep in a crate or on a preferred doggy bed or blanket, wherever she is most comfortable, while you watch her and keep her quiet; some dogs think they're feeling well and may even want to play, but it is imperative that no heartworm patient exercise during the recovery period. The dog may not run, play, or go for walks during the four-week period. Even after heartworm treatment is successfully completed, the patient should not go for long walks or engage in strenuous play for another month: each patient should be allowed to gradually build his or her strength. Go out in the yard with him to make sure he doesn't run but just eliminates and comes back in. If he wants to run or chase squirrels in the yard, then take him out on a leash. The most important observations are the following: (1) Keep an eye on the gums; they should be pink. If they get very red or white, along with listlessness, call us and take the dog to the vet: the dog may have a secondary infection (red gums) or anemia/shock (white gums) and need quick intervention (2) Pay close attention to combination of lethargy, increased respiration, restlessness, and coughing; if you note these symptoms after treatment, call us and take the dog to the clinic. She will probably be put on Prednisone and will respond quickly (3) Watch for vomiting or any bloody discharge combined with listlessness, fever, rapid breathing/heart rate, and pale gums. Although extremely rare, also watch for hindquarter paralysis and urinary incontinence. With the symptoms in (3), which are life-threatening, the dog goes immediately to the nearest HSS Clinic because the signs point to embolism (worm clot from the die-off of the parasites during treatment); the doctors will keep her overnight, possibly a couple of days or even a week, put her on IV to hydrate her, sometimes oxygen if she's in distress, and give her cortisone injections to break up the clot. If hindquarter paralysis, which we have only seen twice and seems to be caused by muscular 'grip' or possible embolism pressing on the nerves, the doctors will treat with injections of corticosteroids and antibiotics. In both of our cases, the paralysis eased within a few days, and the dogs fully recovered. We will assist with all decisions for treatments in the clinics and cover the medical expenses.
Taken from this site:
Heartworm Treatment Aftercare (http://www.houstonsheltiesanctuary.com/heartworm_treatment_aftercare.htm)

Feel free to wait for more replies from other memebers but my personal feeling is that the dog must be treated.
I don't avoid eating peanuts just because some people have an allergy.
Same with this, not all dogs have such severe side effects, it is a treatable disease and the risk of treatment outweighs the risk of leaving the worms in the dog.

You are in a tough situation. The treatment is basically to poison the heartworms until they die without poisoning your dog. Your dog will have a toxicity reaction, as the treatment basically is poisoning. However, without the treatment, your dog will probably die. I would be sure to do a liver detox after the treatment, and to support the dog throughout the treatment with fluids, etc. If the dog were mine, I would get a second opinion from a holistic vet about possible alternative safer treatments. I don't know of any, but a holistic vet could give you suggestions about how to make sure your dog survives the treatment. This treatment is not a trivial thing. Your dog is at risk either way.

Do the treatment.

Heartworm is very serious, it's not something to mess around with.

Like Shaz said, there are risks with treatments but those risks are small in comparison to the risks of not treating.

Without treatment you're looking at a very high fatality rate.

I hope you get the treatment.

Good luck.

Why, why, why do they make it so expensive? 500.00 is a lot of money especially when the treatment could kill them as well. It's so sad.

why, why, why do they make it so expensive? 500.00 is a lot of money especially when the treatment could kill them as well. It's so sad.

It's a cash cow and it is sad. I agree.

I often question why vets make life saving procedures so costly. My neighbors cat got sick, she was told that there was only a 20% chance of survival, but still she went ahead with the surgery and other procedures. To date that cat has cost her $12,000 and is still sickly.

What am I trying to say? Oh you. $500 is a lot, but it's better then $12,000. ;)

Shop around for another vet, you may find a better price. Also check the local humane society, they may offer treatment at a considerable savings.

Good luck to you and your pup.

Fyi, we love pictures. Just a hint. :)

I'm not trying to sound harsh but dogs are expensive.
When buying one you need to factor in emergencies and unforseen circumstances.
I have an emergency dog fund of $1000, it is not to be touched unless to dogs need a vet visit or treatment. You never know when something bad will happen.

I'm not trying to sound harsh but dogs are expensive.
When buying one you need to factor in emergencies and unforseen circumstances.
I have an emergency dog fund of $1000, it is not to be touched unless to dogs need a vet visit or treatment. You never know when something bad will happen.

I do agree Shazzy, I really do, but sadly, times are really tough right now.

There are so many people that are out of work, looking every day and not being able to find something. There are so many people that have been laid off and are now working for less then minimum wage just to put food on the table.

No, the dogs shouldn't suffer, but right now a lot of people don't even have 2 cents in their pocket much less an emergency fund.

I love my dogs, I would never let them go without care. Heck, I'd give them away to someone else before I let them suffer. But, if I have $1000 tucked away for emergency vet care and my family has no food, I'll take that money to buy food. Of course, that's when the vet emergency will happen, it's just he way fate works. ;)

Right now, in most countries, there simply isn't extra money to put away for a rainy day. Right now most people are barely living paycheck to paycheck.

It's a horrible time right now. It sucks.

I do agree with you Alty.
However we almost lost our house a month back and had to beg the bank to stop our payments for as long as we could (not able to make payments) but we still had that dog fund.

Maybe we aren't in as bad of a position as I thought :)

if I have $1000 tucked away for emergency vet care and my family has no food, I'll take that money to buy food. Of course, that's when the vet emergency will happen, it's just he way fate works. ;)

Ahhh yes but that is where bulk buy 2 minute noodles come in very handy!!
We have a box of 40 in the bottom of the cupboard :D

I do agree with you Alty.
However we almost lost our house a month back and had to beg the bank to stop our payments for as long as we could (not able to make payments) but we still had that dog fund.

Maybe we aren't in as bad of a position as I thought :)

We don't have the $$, I don't have 1000.00 set aside for my ownself. Im stuck between a rock & a hard space. I don't have even have the extra $$ to make pmts, due to fact that one party no longer has his job.

We dont have the $$, I dont have 1000.00 set aside for my ownself. Im stuck between a rock & a hard space. I dont have even have the extra $$ to make pmts, due to fact that one party no longer has his job.

That's the same position I was in except neither of us had a job.
It is stressful and very hard.
I know you have probably done everything you can but have you tried talking to your bank. That is what saved us being able to suspend payments until we were back on our feet.

I'm not sure about America but here we have job agencies that also have training coarses. They have a list of industries that need workers and offer the training for free in those jobs.

I'm not trying to sound harsh but dogs are expensive.
When buying one you need to factor in emergencies and unforseen circumstances.
I have an emergency dog fund of $1000, it is not to be touched unless to dogs need a vet visit or treatment. You never know when something bad will happen.


True. I found my cats abandoned in a parking lot. They cost me over eight-hundred bucks in the first four weeks I had them, because of blood work done to look for FIV, Feline leukemia, spays, ear-mite treatments... you get the idea.

Animals are expensive. When you take on the responsibility of owning a pet, you must be willing to part with some serious $. The longer your dog's condition goes untreated, the more dangerous the cure will be. Find a vet who will work out a payment plan with you, or who will take the dog, cure him, and re-home him. My vet does this when people ask for their animals to be euthanized in order to avoid paying for treatment.

Heartworm treatment may kill a dog, but the heartworms left untreated will dramatically impact the dogs quality of life and eventually kill the dog.

Heartworm treatment is expensive and stressful as well as painful for the dog.

How old is your dog? How severe is the problem? What is your vets out look on how well your dog will be able to handle this treatment?

I'm 100% behind all of you. Yes, animals are a responsibility, one you promise to take on when you bring that animal home. But stuff happens.

America is in trouble. Jobs are scarce, there are so many people unemployed, barely surviving.

Normally I'd say "take the dog to the vet now!" and I'm still saying that. But, if you don't have the money, you don't have the money.

This is when the tough decisions come into play. Heartworm is not something to mess around with. This dog needs the treatment, even if it's dangerous, because no treatment is an almost certain death wish.

I'd be calling every friend, family member, bank, you name it, that I know.

Also, I'd be cancelling my internet, cable, anything I can live without just to get my dog the treatment he needs.

Would it be enough? Maybe not, but it would be a start.

Instead of wondering how, find a way. If you can't, then find someone that will take the dog and make sure it gets the treatment it needs.

I'm not being harsh, although it may sound like I am, but I am being realistic.

Treatment. No matter how you do it.

I really do wish you the best of luck. I also have to ask. Have you talked to the vet? Have you checked out other places like the humane society? Have you asked your friends and family for money? This is the next step.

Heartworm treatment may kill a dog, but the heartworms left untreated will dramatically impact the dogs quality of life and eventually kill the dog.

Heartworm treatment is expensive and stressful as well as painful for the dog.

How old is your dog? How severe is the problem? What is your vets out look on how well your dog will be able to handle this treatment?

The dog is almost 3 years old, the vet said it was moderate that no baby worms had been produced yet. What if I just treated her now with the preventive heart worm medicine? I have talked to the vet but of course they want you to do the treatment. I'm not saying I won't Im just looking for different opinions. I need information on what would happen & the life span of the dog if you don't treat.

I really don't know about the prevention treating a dog when it already was the worms.
Heartguard say that all dogs must be tested for heartworms before preventative medicine is started so my guess is the answer is no you can't.

Heartworm Treatment: Heartgard Plus and other Dog Heartworm Medicine (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/general.cfm?c=9547&gid=262)

What preventative treatment do you have? It can be very dangerous and deadly if you give prevention to a heartworm positive dog.
Ask your vet about financing. I know it's expensive and it really does suck, but treatment IS expensive. They aren't trying to gouge you, it's actually very expensive even at cost.
Edit: Sorry, just looked it up in my book. If your vet thinks that your dog has no baby heartworm, then the preventative will do nothing. The preventative kills off the baby heartworms, but does not touch the adults. Therefore it will be totally ineffective.
Life expectancy depends on how bad the infestation is, and it is NOT a good way to die. You're looking at congestive heart failure, trouble breathing, etc etc. It's a bad and painful way to go.
Also, if you keep a heartworm positive dog, you are risking the lives of other dogs, as the parasite is transmitted through mosquitoes.

I really don't know about the prevention treating a dog when it already was the worms.
Heartguard say that all dogs must be tested for heartworms before preventative medicine is started so my guess is the answer is no you can't.

Heartworm Treatment: Heartgard Plus and other Dog Heartworm Medicine (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/general.cfm?c=9547&gid=262)

Thank you for all the comments, I'm using them to make a decision & help understand. What are your thoughts on a generic heartguard heartworm preventive medicine, for his other dog. Do you think its possible that his 2nd dog (which that one stays inside) that she may have the heartworms too?

Thank you for all the comments, I'm using them to make a decision & help understand. What are your thoughts on a generic heartguard heartworm preventive medicine, for his other dog. Do you think its possible that his 2nd dog (which that one stays inside) that she may have the heartworms too?

Because it is spread through mosquitoes, it is very possible. Get the other dog tested before starting a prevention.

Every one has there limits on how far they will go to save a pet,I don't think its fair to impose you'r limits on someone else.you shouldn't feel bad if you decide to not go through with this and have the dog put to sleep.I have always said that as much as I love mine I wouldn't allow a vet bill to get out of hand either.However this turns out for you,you can learn a lesson from it,monthly heartgard treatment is a lot cheaper than getting rid of heartworms.Again though don't let ones view make you feel bad because your hands are tied financially

every one has there limits on how far they will go to save a pet,i dont think its fair to impose you'r limits on someone else.you shouldnt feel bad if you decide to not go through with this and have the dog put to sleep.I have always said that as much as i love mine i wouldnt allow a vet bill to get out of hand either.However this turns out for you,you can learn a lesson from it,monthly heartgard treatment is alot cheaper than getting rid of heartworms.Again though dont let ones view make you feel bad because your hands are tied financially

Thank you for understanding, it is actually my young adult son's dog & trust me he has learned a valuable lesson. I tried to explain the upkeep of animals when he wanted to get one, then another- of course he didn't listen. He is living on his own & lost his job & is now working odd & end jobs just to keep afloat. It's a tough call to make, I have loaned him 300.00 already just for the vet exam, I would have to go in debt & chg the treatment if that's the route we go. I just want to know how long can they live with heartworms before they start going down & their life takes a turn for the worse.

Has a decision been made?

Not yet---