The Prognosis.  Heartworm

I was diagnosed with a significant care of heartworm.  I'd like to tell everyone how important it is to have your dog checked for heartworm every year and to provide preventative.  I didn't have to suffer in this way.  It was human neglect that caused this condition.  To learn more about what causes heartworm and how to treat it, visit http://www.heartwormsociety.org.  Or, for those that aren't faint of heart, click to see a picture of what an infected heart looks like when it is full of heartworms.

The Treatment.  Ivermec.

After undergoing several heartworm treatments, I am still testing heartworm positive.  These treatments are very hard on my body.  I am basicallly given a very high dose of the same drug found in heartworm preventative.  As the heartworms begin to die, there is a very high risk of developing fatal clots as these worms die off and start to overpopulate your bloodstream.   For 30 days after each treatment I have to remain almost completely still.  Can you imagine how hard that is for my foster family and for me? 

The Reaction:  Yowzah!

One recent evening, my foster mom noticed that I was acting strangely after a treatment.  Thank goodness she is a smart bully owner.  She rushed me to the vet and saved my life.  I was having a reaction to the strong medication that was given to me.  Instead of leaving me at the animal clinic where nobody would have been watching me over night, she decided to take me hom and administered intravenous medication and hour-by-hour TLC to get me through the night.  Thanks to her, I am still here to tell my story.

The Reality.  Heartworm Isn't the Only Issue.

Heartworm is certainly the most life threatening of the many ailments that plague me.  However, I am struggling with my eyes every day.  Until I am healthy enough to undergo surgery, I have to deal with lack of vision due to thse huge cherry eyes.  The official name for this condition is "nictitans gland prolapse."  Click to learn more.  This condition is quite common in bulldogs.  Because I have had this condition for so long, my the surface of my ear is scratched and damaged from the constant rubbing and friction.  We're hoping that through specific types of eye drops, and surgical tacking of each cherry eye,  that I will regain some health to my eyes. 

I still struggle with ear infections and skin conditions too, but I can handle that for now.  I put on 5 pounds since I came into CEBR's care and I continue to fatten back up to an acceptable, healthy bully weight.

Won't you help CEBR pay for my care?  They are so generous in their support, and so gentle and kind in their care.