Please Help Sitka With His Heartworm Treatment

Meet Sitka! Sitka is an incredibly sweet 3 year old Husky/Aussie mix. We adopted him a few months back from a rescue in TN. Before he arrived there he was found as a stray in Houston, TX, underweight and with another dogs canine stuck in his front right leg. This led to permanent nerve damage in the leg with muscle loss in the shoulder. He does have some arthritis and walks with a swing in his step. But he doesn’t let it slow him down too much!

 

 

Once adopting him we were also given his vet records from TX and after the fact noticed he had tested positive for heartworms. Myself not knowing enough about heartworms, just assumed the vet/the rescue had already treated him and he was good. Not the case. Another vet check up showed he tested a high positive for heartworms and that’s when I learned how serious it is.

The worms grow to be a foot long and multiply like crazy. They infect the heart, the lungs, the bloodstream and airways. If left untreated he would have a very short uncomfortable rest of his life. Sudden death is actually a symptom of the heartworms.

The treatment, and with very limited options, is just as scary. The only option we’re told that is a viable treatment are 2 injections of immiticide spaced a month apart and kept overnight at the vet after both injections. But before we can start the injection treatment, he has to be on a pill for 4 weeks that slowly kills the young worms. If he doesn’t then he could have an anaphylactic response with the injections.

As we all know there is no cheap vet visit, especially dealing with a life saving treatment.

 

The money will cover:

the immiticide injections

overnight hospital care after both injections

chest X-rays

the pills for 4 weeks along with a steroid

electrolytes and whatever else he may need during that time

 

Even after being dealt a handful of bad cards he is still such a gentle soul and all he wants is love. We understand it is a rough time for most everyone right now and we’re so grateful for whatever amount you are able to donate to help this sweet guy live many more enjoyable years.

 

Sitka’s hobbies include: belly rubs, long walks, car rides, chicken and more belly rubs. Let’s see what we can do to help Sitka live a long, happy, healthy life.

 

Much love,

Zack, Sam, Sitka, Carl Winslow, Mr. Noodle and the ducks