belgavin Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 hi all, I'm not particularly worried that our JRT has heartworm as he is regularly given Interceptor Spectrum, but I read online that for people who get new dogs the vet can do a simple test to see if it is present? Just curious, what sort of test is this? I would have thought it'd be at least a blood test that would take a while for results to get back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Yep, it is a blood test and from memory it took a couple of days to come back with the results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belgavin Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 ok thanks. does it cost anything or is it just part of a standard consultation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kayne's Mum Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 something for free .. wouldn't that be nice. No, it's an extra. Can't remember how much it was. But I do know that although it's another expense, it is important to get it done BEFORE putting your dog on heartworm if he 1. Has never been tested before or 2. if he has been off heartworm meds for several months or years. Someone here with more info may be able to explain why but I know that only heartworm free dogs can take heartworm meds otherwise, it will kill the dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisovar Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 An in house Heartworm test is the usual method of testing, small amount of blood is taken and the Vet is able to test it immediately using a special test kit. You have the result straight away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Anne~ Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 It is done on the spot. In simple terms, they will extract some blood, squirt it through a special 'sieve' mat. The seive is very fine but not fine enough for the microfilarae (baby heartworm) to pass through. The sieve mat is put under the scope and if there is mircrofilarae present then they will be seen as little wiggly wormies under the scope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caesars mum Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 I had one tested last month and it was extra the vet took a small amount of blood and put into what looked like a pregnacy test kit and after 10 minutes the colour had not changed so all clear. having Mega tested tomorrow when we go back for a checkup and more meds so will find out how much as I cant remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Anne~ Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 I had one tested last month and it was extrathe vet took a small amount of blood and put into what looked like a pregnacy test kit and after 10 minutes the colour had not changed so all clear. having Mega tested tomorrow when we go back for a checkup and more meds so will find out how much as I cant remember. Sounds like the testing method has changed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belgavin Posted February 5, 2008 Author Share Posted February 5, 2008 I am only slightly worried as, although he has been on Interceptor since whatever age they usually start (6 months? can't recall), there has been 1 or 2 instances when both myself and my partner thought the other person had covered it for that month and he has missed a dose. Hasn't happened for a while as I make sure to be rigid with it now. I'm sure I'm just being paranoid but thanks for the replies. Am off to the vet in half hour anyway will ask if he thinks it is worth doing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Someone here with more info may be able to explain why but I know that only heartworm free dogs can take heartworm meds otherwise, it will kill the dog. Just in answer to this part...if the dog already has heartworm, the prevention medication will kill the heartworm causing them to move through the pulmonary artery into the lungs. That's also why treatment for an infected dog is so complex...you have to kill the worms very slowly so as not to kill the dog in the process Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisovar Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 [quote name='Puggles' date='5th Feb 2008 - 07:58 AM' post='2392922 Sounds like the testing method has changed? Quite some years ago actually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kayne's Mum Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Someone here with more info may be able to explain why but I know that only heartworm free dogs can take heartworm meds otherwise, it will kill the dog. Just in answer to this part...if the dog already has heartworm, the prevention medication will kill the heartworm causing them to move through the pulmonary artery into the lungs. That's also why treatment for an infected dog is so complex...you have to kill the worms very slowly so as not to kill the dog in the process Makes sense. Thanks for that devil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Anne~ Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Quite some years ago actually. Really. How long ago and how does the new test work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena GSD Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 There a few different brands and types of the new tests. Basically a small amount of blood is put in a device similar to a pregnancy test kit. Normally a line or dot appears on part of the window on the test to say it is working and another line or dot will appear if there are heartworm present in the blood. To be precise most of these devices test for mature female antigens. Heart worm take 6 months from when they are aquired from mosquitoes in their microscopic form until they become mature adults able to be detected. Just for interests sake they can grow up to 20cm and live in the heart for 8 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krankypuss Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 (edited) A dog I owned 10 years ago had that test on the spot for heartworm. Just looks like a pregnancy test. Edited February 5, 2008 by krankypuss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I am only slightly worried as, although he has been on Interceptor since whatever age they usually start (6 months? can't recall), there has been 1 or 2 instances when both myself and my partner thought the other person had covered it for that month and he has missed a dose. Hasn't happened for a while as I make sure to be rigid with it now. I'm sure I'm just being paranoid but thanks for the replies. Am off to the vet in half hour anyway will ask if he thinks it is worth doing It doesn't matter as long as you treat for 6mths continuously and religiously on the date after the missed dose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belgavin Posted February 5, 2008 Author Share Posted February 5, 2008 While Yoshi was out for surgery on his torn nail yesterday I asked the vet if it would be worth doing a heartworm test. He told me that, in regards to my missed dosages, as long as 60 days hadn't gone by in between tablets the likelihood of worm infection drops from something like 99% to 97%. Don't know how spot on that was but I suppose if he was after extra money he would have lied and said it was needed so I trust him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillypilly Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 (edited) .. Edited December 15, 2010 by lillypilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mushiemum Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 A big thanks to all on this thread, we have a new rescue dog so I don't know anything about his history other than he's been abused and neglected, dumped and ended up at the pound. We also got another dog about 6 months ago and we were not totally sure about his history, we took the owner's word for it that he was okay and the vet went ahead and gave him Heartgard. Until I read this thread I might have gone ahead with it in my new dog too but I won't, will wait until we see the vet on Monday and I'll insist on a test for heartworm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muttaburra Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 Athena GSD To be precise most of these devices test for mature female antigens. Heart worm take 6 months from when they are aquired from mosquitoes in their microscopic form until they become mature adults able to be detected. Does that mean the presence of microfilae would not be detected by this method? I thought the problem was with adminsitering heartworm prevention to a dog that had microfilae was that it caused the microfilae to migrate to the lungs or heart? Can anyone clarify further please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now