Ivomec/heartworms

[MargePiwowarski <MPiwowarski@compuserve.com>]

<<  Nope. Ivermectin  is ineffective as an adulticide. It *is* used at a
higher dose during treatment of infected dogs to kill an intermediate
stage, but it does not get the mature parasite.
             --CMNewell, DVM>>

Thanks, I needed to know that in the event we rescue any more dogs (stopped
doing it on a regular basis a couple of years ago).  We checked (or
rechecked) ELISA/occult tests until we got a negative and didn't test them
again.  We did keep them on preventative.  The dogs with s/s of CHF became
asymptomatic and never evidenced symptoms again (most of them are now dead
of old age).  Gotta see if I can track down one of the younger dogs we
treated, get a new ELISA?  Not at all good to proceed as if the adults were
dead, if they weren't but why did the CHF s/s go away and why did they ever
get a negative occult test?  Strange!

We live where the mosquito is the state bird so a reservoir of infection
isn't a concern, any dog not on preventative will be positive in short
order even if there doesn't appear to be another dog around for miles
<sigh>.  I am concerned at what the ever growing adults can do to a
critter.

Marge