Be negative. Stay negative.

We would like you to be and stay negative.

That seems like a step backwards for a rescue who tries our best to remain positive, even when the odds are stacked against us. But it’s very important this time that we all be negative …. for heartworms, that is.

Every month tends to deal us one little medical blow or another with our dogs. It’s exhausting, but it comes with the territory. In September alone, we found out that three of our babies tested positive for heartworm: Dixie, Diamond and Jax. And poor Hannah still needs help.

We would like to tell you this is the first time we’ve had a heartworm positive dog. It’s not. In fact, we have at least a couple a year who need to go through treatments. Sam and Millie just completed theirs a few weeks ago and, heartbreakingly, we lost Clarisse because of heartworm earlier this year.

We are blessed that these three are not as bad as some of the cases we’ve had in the past; cases whose stories we will be sharing over the next week or so. Jax is in the early stages and still very young; we will take the natural route with him. Dixie and Diamond are a little more advanced and will require the slow-kill process. We have had to take the quick-kill route before – and we hope we never have to do that again.

The Myths

Many dog owners still believe that heartworm testing and preventative is not a necessity. Some folks are convinced that it’s just a ploy by the big drug companies and veterinarians to sell us on stuff we don’t need. Even those who do give their dogs preventative often think that it’s OK to take a break from it in the colder months when mosquitoes are not prevalent. And, of course, everyone thinks: “It won’t happen to our dog.”

We’re here to tell you that it’s definitely necessary. We have no drugs to sell you and nothing to gain. We just have the heartbreak of dealing with the aftermath of people who believe the above and, sadly, people who, when they inevitably find out their dog is heartworm positive after all, abandon them at the shelter because it’s cheaper to euthanize them that way than to treat them.

How to Help

Help us spread the word about the plight of our dogs and many more. Please, feel free to share the stories in this series with others.

If you would like to help more, please feel free to donate towards our heartworm treatment fund. Just click the Donate button below and enter an amount of your choice. Please, know that every penny counts.

We hope the series is educational and personal; it’s not designed to be negative in anyway … except for heartworm, of course. 😉