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You guys have answered a lot of questions for me to try to help me figure out what's wrong with my Cashdog, so I thought you deserved to know what we found out. I was having problems with very soft stool and an inability to put on weight no matter how much I fed him or what type of food. At the suggestion of a few board members, I made him an appointment on Monday to see the vet.
On Saturday we met up with a friend and her GSDs for a playdate. After a few minutes of hard playing, Cash staggered over to the corner of the yard, lay on his side, and became unresponsive to any petting, calling his name, or even treats put in front of him. My husband and I picked him up, put him in the car, and rushed him to the vet.
Several hours and multiple tests later, we had the diagnosis: Cash has a severe heartworm infestation, which led to a systemic infection, which set off a mild case of pneumonia. The playing and excitement with those factors had caused him to pass out.
When I adopted Cash from the shelter back in October, they told me he was HW-negative and I put him on prevention right away. The vet explained to me that there is a 6-9 month window after infestation that the heartworms may not show up on a test, and if prevention is begun after the adult worms are already present, it will not eliminate the infestation.
He is now on antibiotics for the infection and pneumonia; as soon as he is well enough we will begin heartworm treatment.
I'm so upset about this; I can't help thinking it's somehow my fault, that I should have known or been able to do something. If you don't mind, your thoughts and prayers are appreciated.
On Saturday we met up with a friend and her GSDs for a playdate. After a few minutes of hard playing, Cash staggered over to the corner of the yard, lay on his side, and became unresponsive to any petting, calling his name, or even treats put in front of him. My husband and I picked him up, put him in the car, and rushed him to the vet.
Several hours and multiple tests later, we had the diagnosis: Cash has a severe heartworm infestation, which led to a systemic infection, which set off a mild case of pneumonia. The playing and excitement with those factors had caused him to pass out.
When I adopted Cash from the shelter back in October, they told me he was HW-negative and I put him on prevention right away. The vet explained to me that there is a 6-9 month window after infestation that the heartworms may not show up on a test, and if prevention is begun after the adult worms are already present, it will not eliminate the infestation.
He is now on antibiotics for the infection and pneumonia; as soon as he is well enough we will begin heartworm treatment.
I'm so upset about this; I can't help thinking it's somehow my fault, that I should have known or been able to do something. If you don't mind, your thoughts and prayers are appreciated.
