Heatrworm disease vs Heartworms

Heartworms live in the right side of the heart and the large arteries running from the heart to the lungs (the pulmonary arteries).

Heartworm disease causes damage to the pulmonary arteries which eventually leads to heart failure. If you have any acquaintances with chronic heart failure, ask them how much joy there is in their lives. Heart failure robs the dog of its ability to play comfortably. Eventually it becomes difficult to just participate in normal activities. Serious damage begins to occur in other organ systems affected by the heart failure. Treatment of the symptoms alone fails to resolve the problem over the long term and the dog eventually dies -- after having been miserable for some time. Some dogs do manage to live almost normal lifespans despite infection with heartworms but they are very lucky. A rough estimate from our practice experience: 80% of dogs affected with heartworms probably die from the heartworm disease before something else causes them to die and 90% eventually show some or all of the symptoms of the disease.

Encyclopedia of Canine Veterinary Medical Information

Toxins and Your Pet

FDA Definitions:

Died: Total number of animals represented in ADE reports that died.

(NOTE: Not all animals that died were necessarily associated with an adverse experience that was subsequently determined as "possibly" drug related.)

Missing: This means the person who submitted the report did not fill in the route.

Number: Number of submitted ADE reports that contained this specific clinical manifestation.

(NOTE: Not all clinical manifestations represented in this total were necessarily determined as "possibly" drug related.)

Percent: Percent of submitted ADE reports that contained this specific clinical manifestation. Denominator is total number of ADE reports submitted for category of (1) drug; (2) species; and (3) route of administration. Reports are ONLY represented that included at least one adverse experience that was determined as "possibly" drug related. Numerator is number of submitted ADE reports that contained this specific clinical manifestation.

(NOTE: The clinical signs represented were not necessarily uniformly determined as "possibly" drug related.)

Reacted: Total number of animals represented in ADE reports that exhibited a drug-associated adverse experience.

Reviews: The number of reports of which the reporter submits number of animals treated, reacted and died.

(NOTE: A person (reviewer) may turn in more then one pets adverse reactions at one time)

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Other Details Explained:

DVM Magazine is copywrited, I can only direct you how to find article, not link to it.

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February 17, 2004

Dear Laurryn:

Ms. Maria Velasco, FDA Public Affairs Specialist in Dallas, asked me to respond to your inquiry about ProHeart® 6.

ProHeart® 6 is no longer approved for use in heartworm positive dogs.

I hope that this information is helpful.

Sincerely yours,

Linda A. Grassie
Public Information Specialist
FDA/Center for Veterinary Medicine

Linda.Grassie@fda.gov

TO LOSE ONE DOG IS HARD ENOUGH. BUT JOANN PLUMER DIDN'T EXPECT TWO OF HER PETS WOULD DIE WITHIN MONTHS AFTER GETTING THEIR HEARTWORM SHOTS.

(OH, WE WERE DEVASTATED WITH APRIL, WITH APRIL WE WERE TOTALLY DEVASTATED.)

DONNA SADOSKI SAYS HER 11 YEAR OLD DOG BECAME BLIND AFTER GETTING THE SHOT.

(I WONDER HOW MANY MORE ANIMALS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE PUT TO SLEEP HOW MANY WILL HAVE LIFE THREATENING PROBLEMS THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE REST OF THEIR LIVES BEFORE SOMEONE STOPS THIS MEDICINE FROM BEING GIVEN TO THEM)

DOCTOR AVAY IN OAK LAWN BELIEVES DOGS UNDER 10 POUNDS ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH PROHEART 6. AND ALTHOUGH SHE HASN'T HAD LIFE-THREATENING PROBLEMS WITH THE DRUG, SEVERAL DOGS HAVE REACTED NEGATIVELY:

(I'VE SEEN ONE CASE OF FACIAL EDEMA, HIVES, IN A SCHARPE, SWELLED UP IN THE PARKING LOT, TREATED SIMILAR TO ANY OTHER ALLERGIC REACTION. I'VE HAD CASES OF VOMITING AND DIARRHEA TWO AND THREE DAYS POST)

THE MAKERS OF PROHEART 6 ---FORT DODGE ANIMAL HEALTH ---SENT THIS LETTER TO DR. AVAY, WARNING OF THE "RARE OCCURRENCE OF DEATH" IN "LESS THAN 1-PERCENT OF THE DOSES SOLD IN VET CLINICS. " IN FACT, THE FDA HAS RECEIVED 4-THOUSAND REPORTS OF ADVERSE REACTIONS TO PROHEART 6.

(I THINK THIS IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG. ")

VETERINARIAN BOB ROGERS WONDERS WHY THE FDA HASN'T TAKEN THE DRUG OFF THE MARKET.

(I HAVE SEEN VETERINARY DRUGS PULLED OFF THE MARKET WHEN THERE WERE LESS DEATHS INVOLVED THAN THIS. )

DR. AVAY SAYS SHE WON'T REFUSE TO GIVE THE PROHEART 6 SHOT . BUT PREFERS NOT TO:

(RIGHT NOW AS LONG AS I HAVE GOOD SAFE PRODUCTS USED MUCH MUCH LONG MY OWN DOGS GET INTERCEPTOR (LAUGHS))

SHE PREFERS "INTERCEPTOR" BECAUSE IT COVERS MORE VARIETIES OF PARASITES.

PROHEART 6 OFFICIALS SAY 80-PERCENT OF OWNERS FAIL AT SOME POINT TO GIVE HEARTWORM PREVENTATIVES. SO, MANY VETS AGREE A LONG-LASTING INJECTION OF PROHEART 6 MAY BE OKAY FOR FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T REMEMBER TO GIVE THEIR DOGS A MONTHLY PILL....AND MUCH BETTER THAN DOING NOTHING AT.

ALL. MARY STEWART FOR CBS NEWS.
 
Herschel Pollard
NewsChannel5.com
WTVF-TV, Nashville