Gibson update - question about vaccinations and heartworm/tick drugs - considering his issues

[ksikelly]

I'm on the fence about vaccinations, heartworm meds and flea/tick drugs for Gibson.

For those of you that are geeky about these and their requirements what would you do?

He has a myriad of issues. Tracheal collapse, laryngeal collapse approaching stage 3 and bronchial collapse.
He is on 1mg of dexasone twice a day and weighs 17.5lbs. He is 12 months old.

He had his normal puppyhood shots but the rabies I did only the 1 year and fought them on the three year. I plan on doing titres to see if he needs the rabies vaccine.

My old dog who died of congestive heart failure at 13 - had gotten a few ticks on her the past year of her life. I have wondered about vaccination for lime. They say we aren't in a prominent lime area but they wouldn't even test the tick I found to know. I live in a subdivision that would be considered country - next to the woods and farmers fields.

I don't know what to do about heartworm and tick prevention.

What are your guys thoughts? I don't want to add to his troubles with the toxins from these treatments.

PS. I've sent the links off to my vet to download about surgical treatment of Laryngeal Collapse. Thank you so much for sharing these. I just read about Onion's experience with a tracheostomy and I am sure I won't be doing this for Gibson. It broke my heart.

[shaynapug]

I wouldn't do any shots!

Hope your little guy does well!!

[Kat]

I haven't vaccinated Ruby in over 2 years and no HW or flea and tick meds. I just spray a natural bug repellant before walks, and it literally does repel mosquitoes. I saw two fly around Oscar last night, an they just flew away. Oscar has not had any vaccinations other than his first DHPP at the breeders but I have not gotten any since then. Vaccines and meds do more harm than good to the body. Feed a natural raw diet, build the immune system, and your dog won't had any need for such harsh products.

[Suri]

I wouldn't do any shotS either. I wouldn't do any tick/frontline. Just check him and don't let him run in tall grass. I live in a big heartworm area, when I read about dogs that get heartworm It is devastating. I would ask for a recommendation from a specialist on that one. When my Maggie had a liver shunt, from diagnosis till four months after her surgery I was told not to give her anything. Then I got the go ahead from a prominent doctor of the university of Tenn. to begin her on heartworm preventative because the disease would be more deadly to her than the preventative.

[ksikelly]

Thanks guys. His liver numbers are elevated and his liver is showing some enlargement. The vet said it is probably from the dexamethasone which is supposed to be a very low dose compared to what most dogs take for steroids.

[ksikelly]

I just found the reported Canine numbers for our big county area for 2010 and 20 minutes from the City of Ottawa.
Ehrlichia 32
Lyme 99
Heartworm 14
Anaplasma 8

And for the City:
Ehrlichia 27
Lyme 306
Heartworm 23
Anaplasma 44

Have to go look up what Ehrlichia and anaplasma are.

[Nina_W]

do you have a trusted vet? Talk to them. The risk of not vaccinating is not just to your dog, but to others it may come in contact with. That said, considering the issues, I'd be really unlikely to give any shots myself.

[Wonka & Nilla]

Vaccinations are intended for healthy dogs. Right now, Gibson isn't healthy so I would be very cautious about adding anything else to his body when it's already working so hard right now. As others have said, if you trust your vet, ask what they think. Personally, I would avoid the vaccinations, do a chewable type of Heartworm preventative that doesn't stay in the body long and avoid flea/tick med's in favor of checking him frequently and bathing as needed. However, he's your pug and it's a decision you have to make on your own, hopefully with good advice from a knowledgeable vet.

Here's a blurb about how heartworm pills work:

Monthly heartworm preventive medications do not actually stay in your dog’s bloodstream for 30 days. The active ingredients work to kill any larvae that have been in the system for the past 30 days, clearing the body each month. The heartworm medication is only needed once a month because it takes longer than a month for the larvae to develop to a stage where they reach the body tissues.

From: Dogs with Heartworms | How Treatment for Heartworms Work | petMD

Thanks guys. His liver numbers are elevated and his liver is showing some enlargement.

Have you tried Denamarin? It is a vet/prescription version of Sam-e and Milk Thistle for liver support. It helped bring our Nilla's liver values back down and I've read about it helping many other dogs.

[sassismom]

Mine are not sick but I do vaccinate, if you take them to the vet and another dog comes in with Kennel Cough, Parvo or Distemper then you have exposed yours to these diseases. I have lost a dog to distemper it was awful, have treated one for heartworm also a hard road when the chew would have prevented it.

If there are mosquitoes in your area one bite from an infected one is all it takes then you have to administer POISON to cure them and it is a long hard road. Here if a dog bites someone and is not vaccinated they are quarantined then euthanized after that I give the injections myself leaving out leptospirosis since it is not prevalent here in the southern US

Ask your vet once he gets well what they suggest. IF they go to public places and sniff poo/pee spots they are exposed to any sickness that dog has so I vote vaccinate if they are going to be in public.

[Frodos mom]

Frodo and I are in the woods alot I would not take a chance of not giving him heartworm med. and the flea and tick med.