Malaysia Veterinary Forum (Archive)

aaronsalisbury · Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 1

The current recommended compund for treating dogs with heartworms is. Melarsomine dihydrochloride (Immiticide®).

Our collie/mix, named Max, was vaccinated before he returned home to us in 1999 for heartworms. He was injected in his left leg. I read that the drug Melarsomine is supposed to be administered deep within the muscles over the spine in the (epiaxial muscles), not just under the skin or into a vein. I was suprised to find that after his injection he has been limping on his leg and still not recovering after all these years.

From my dad, I gather that some of the arsenic from the Immiticide, used to treat the heartworms, had gotten on his skin when the vetrinarians of this particular clinic went to draw out the device used to administer this fluid in his leg.

I have been taking my dog Max on walks to stimulate his possibly weak muscles. I searched for a dog skeletal diagram and found that there is little bending of his carpus bone.
He just has a straight leg, it's not bending! How long should I continue my therapy?
Should I just contact the clinic that did this to him?
Should I take him to another clinic altogether?

The wound on Max's leg is small now, and the skin is tight, it still hasn't fully healed. We buy a special collar to keep him from opening his it up, but he just won't let it get better. It keeps scabbing over and I am going to try to find another collar to put on him to keep him from biting on his leg when we are not walking him.

varanus · Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 469

Sorry to say this but a bit of confusion here.

1. When is your dog's heartworm treatment? Depending on the class of HW disease, the treatment can last for 2 -3 months.

2. What wound was that? Was it the wound from the injection?

3. The wound, front leg? Back leg? Carpal bones mean front legs and quite impossible for carpal bones to bend.

Dr csh · Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 425

I must say that you are probably confused as to what was actually done to your dog.

Your first statement just said "the current recommendation" but not what was actually given to your dog. Are you sure that your dog recieved this drug?

I have never heard of a vaccine for heartworms. In general, vaccines are for viral and bacterial disease (bacterins) but not against worms. I know of several research projects trying to develop vaccines against parasites but they are not yet commercially available.

Melarsomine is used to treat adult heartworms and not as a preventative drug therefore, unless your dog was actually diagnosed with heartworm I would be hard pressed to believe that a vet would give that drug especially since it is not exactly a cheap drug.

My guess is that your dog was given a regular vaccine (Not Melarsomine) and the subcutaneous route would be the correct route.

I'm sorry but how did your dad come up with the diagnosis? It does not make sense to me and I have no idea what "device" you mean. Did you mean syringe and needle? There are some needleless devices to administer vaccines.... did you mean that?

Now your dog cannot bend his legs? To me it sounds like your dog has a orthopedic problem perhaps patellar ligament luxation. I would take him to a vet to have this probelm worked out. I cannot see the link between what the injection might or might not have done with this current problem.

Wound? Can you please describe the wound? where is the wound?

I'm sorry if I am rude but your story does not make sense. My recommendation for you is to go back to the vet and ask exactly what was done andmake sure you get all the correct information from the vet and not try to google random bits of information and make assumptions.

chrishew · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 22 Location: Johor Bahru

Dear Dr CSH,

I too are confuse as sometimes different vet gave different explanation or treatment that we layman are not too understand.

In your reply to Aaron that you have not heard of a vaccine for heartworms. However, I myself has gotten that drug for my dog. This was recommended by the vet when we asked him about some medication for heartworm prevention. I can't remember the name of the drug will try to check tonight whether the drug name is recorded in my dog medical record card.

Is a jab that the vet said will last for 1 year therefore he told me I do not need to give her anymore oral heardguard medical, just need deworm for every 6 months But my was jab on my dog's buttock. Luck she does not develop any wound as Aaron has experience with his Max.

Sorry Aaron I am of no help in your case but just curious on the reply.

May be something I should know in case the vaccine is of no help as what Dr CSH had said no such vaccine for heartworm. I do not want to endanger my puppy's health due to my own ignorant.

Jaclyn · Joined: 08 Aug 2006 Posts: 8 Location: Petaling Jaya

Quote: In your reply to Aaron that you have not heard of a vaccine for heartworms. However, I myself has gotten that drug for my dog. This was recommended by the vet when we asked him about some medication for heartworm prevention. I can't remember the name of the drug will try to check tonight whether the drug name is recorded in my dog medical record card.

Hi chrishew,

Are you referring to ProHeart?

Cheers,
J@cs

Dr Dunker · Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 463 Location: Puchong,Selangor

My dear chris....proheart, if that is indeed what you are talking about is NOT a vaccine. It is also a very different drug from the one used for TREATMENT of hartworms.

I would suggest that aaron go and see the "vet that did the damage" and get the whole story. If it is indeed proven that the vet screwed up then the vet have to know...but if it is not then we may be looking at another problem alltogether. Then again if a vet screwed up my dog it will be rather hard for me to ask him to fix it.

Dr csh · Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 425

So, proheart is a "dewormer" type drug and not a vaccine. The difference being vaccines "educate" the immune system to be able to resist infection of that type of pathogen and proheart type drugs are prophylactic drugs that do not use the animal's immune system but rather, kill the pathogen (heartworm in this case by the action of the drug itself). As far as the owners are concerned, they just want to prevent their pets from being sick so the distinction is not critical to them. Now, chrishew, I know you have bcome concerned and I would recommend the same for you. Just ask the vet what was done and have your vet explain to the level of detail that satisfies your curiosity.

I think it is just a lack of communication and hopefully you can have the conversation with the vet to find out exactly what and why things were done before jumping to conclusions.

nekochan · Joined: 18 Jun 2007 Posts: 62

vet not explaining properly,... or
owner not listening carefully.....

i hope all pet owners will spend some time e'day or
e' week to read up about their pets health issues etc, online or offline...

remember, ur pet can't talk to u in human language,
u don't know whats wrong with it.
its ur responsibility to make sure that it is fine e'day.