Crate rotation schedule?

1811 Views 7 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Heidibu, Jul 26, 2008

Emoore

Discussion Starter · Jul 24, 2008

Just got Cash home from getting his Heartworm shot and the vet says he needs to be kept quiet for a month. No running, no playing, no jumping, I can't even take him for walks. I'll need to keep him separated for my foster girl Meika because they love to play and roughhouse.

Meika has to be crated when I'm gone and at night because she's still a pup and likes to eat the pillows. I don't think it's fair for her to be crated pretty much all the time though, so I imagine I should crate Cash part of the time while I'm home. I work from home so I'm here most of the time.

I've never had to keep dogs separated before so I'm a bit new at this. For those of you who have done it, what crate rotation schedule do you use? I've got one crate.

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WVGSD

· #2 · Jul 24, 2008

If the only reason that you are considering crating Cash is the recent heartworm treatment, I can tell you from personal experience that I have not found it necessary with three foster dogs that went through heartworm treatment. I just kept them in the house and used baby gates to keep them restricted from my young dogs who like to rough-house and play. My fosters got to mix and mingle with my older adults and did superbly. They got to walk around in my fenced backyard and did fine. I did not find that I needed to subject the three foster dogs to crating after heartworm treatment as long as I used a baby gate to keep my youngsters from playing to roughly.

Shannon

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Mr. Nixie

· #3 · Jul 25, 2008

Sorry to butt in here...but was this a shot for prevention or due to heartworm issues?

I just find it odd that as a preventative measure that you would have to keep your dog inactive for a month. I would just stick to Heartguard tabs 1x a month...

I am not familiar w/ the shot, so you will have to pardon me for asking

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kbigge

· #4 · Jul 25, 2008

Originally Posted By: Mr. NixieSorry to butt in here...but was this a shot for prevention or due to heartworm issues?

I just find it odd that as a preventative measure that you would have to keep your dog inactive for a month. I would just stick to Heartguard tabs 1x a month...

I am not familiar w/ the shot, so you will have to pardon me for asking

I think she means the dog received an injection (in the spine is how they used to do it - not sure about now) to treat the dog because it already has heartworms. Is that correct?

I worked for a vet a few years ago, and I know the treatment is dangerous, because as the heartworms die, they can break off and cause a blockage (just like a blood clot would) in the heart or lungs, brain, etc. If the dog was just treated, then I think keeping him/her from moving too much would make sense. If memory serves, one of the ingredients in the medication is arsenic.

If she's not talking about treatment, then I have no idea why you'd have to keep a dog still that much.

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JeanKBBMMMAAN

· #5 · Jul 26, 2008

HW treatment dog in crate or leashed to me (while I was sitting) at all times. As little movement as possible.

My dogs out as usual. Gated where I could see them if the foster dog was attached to me.

But I really used the crate-I was scared poopless the whole time she was under restriction. You could also use an x-pen if you want him to have more room and he won't crash out of it.

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Emoore

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 26, 2008

Originally Posted By: KodeeGirlI think she means the dog received an injection (in the spine is how they used to do it - not sure about now) to treat the dog because it already has heartworms. Is that correct?

I worked for a vet a few years ago, and I know the treatment is dangerous, because as the heartworms die, they can break off and cause a blockage (just like a blood clot would) in the heart or lungs, brain, etc. If the dog was just treated, then I think keeping him/her from moving too much would make sense. If memory serves, one of the ingredients in the medication is arsenic.

If she's not talking about treatment, then I have no idea why you'd have to keep a dog still that much.

That's correct. He's being treated for an existing heartworm infestation that he had when I adopted him at the shelter. He got an injection of an arsenic-based drug in muscles of the low back and has to be kept extremely quiet to keep the dead worms from clotting the blood vessels to the heart or brain and killing him. So far he's feeling pretty bad and doesn't want to do much except lay around and sleep. The injection site is very sore and he has a hard time getting up and down-- I was told to expect that for a few days but to make sure he does get up occasionally so the muscles don't stiffen. I've been rotating him and Meika through the crate every 2-3 hours. My poor baby.

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fourdogsrule

· #7 · Jul 26, 2008

He needs to be crated except for going out for potty breaks. I know of a foster family that had a hw+ dog and didn't confine the dog for 1 month and he passed away. This was due to not being kept down and quiet because the more active the dog is the more chance of the worms moving and clotting and killing the dog.
You need to get another crate for the other dog, so they can both be crated.

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Heidibu

· #8 · Jul 26, 2008

If purchasing a second crate is an issue right now, can you borrow someones crate during the treatment?

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