Eugene

I got to have a good visit with Eugene today and he's got such a great dog personality! He's very sweet tempered and took a treat out of my hand with a very soft muzzle (even though he didn't actually eat the treat). He loved his walk but really hated having to go back inside- he's got too much energy to just be penned up all the time! Someone come and have a look at him, he's a little hard to see through his mats and mud, but there's a truly remarkable dog under all of it! He just needs a good trim and bath and YOU!!

Eugene is such a big cuddly bear! Can you believe this guy plonked himself down on my lap?! It was sooooo cute! He just wants to be loved and the shelter is driving him pretty darn crazy. He is going bonkers being stuck on the end of a chain and desperately wants to escape. He calms down significantly when we harness him up and take him out into the sun and to stretch his legs. He also holds his pee as long as he can and releases the Niagara Falls when he gets outside. This poor guy really doesn't like sleeping in his own mess. :(((

He also has some severe mats in his fur. We spent ages cutting just one out (pics below) and plan on getting some more off this weekend. He has been neglected for so long. The mats pull at his skin so tightly. :((

Eugene was given heartworm prevention on 19th April 2014. He also went on a walk with a young volunteer (13 years old) and did wonderfully! Photos coming soon! This dog is A-MAY-ZING.

Which heartworm medication does he get (name) and will he still be getting it in the coming months?

Eugene is still looking for a foster home. A pet-free home would be ideal. He is a lovebug and loves cuddles and kisses!

Dogs with heartworm should be given preventatives to clear the microfilariae - immiticide (the injections) kills the adults in the heart, but not the babies in the bloodstream which have to be taken out too.

Dogs with heartworm should also be given one month of doxycycline BEFORE treating them with immiticide per the latest research, which unfortunately most vets in Korea don't seem to do. Doxycycline kills another (bacterial) parasite (wolbachia) which lives symbiotically with heartworms and is thought to contribute to blood clots during the worm die off post-immiticide. Pulmonary embolism is the most common cause of serious (and expensive) problems or even death during heartworm treatment. Whoever is organising his treatment (or that of any other heartworm positive dog), PLEASE get the vets to follow the American Heartworm Society protocol. Doxycycline is a generic antibiotic and very cheap, adding next to nothing to the cost of treatment and potentially saving a lot on post-treatment complications too.
http://www.heartwormsociety.org/pet-owner-resources/canine-heartworm.html

Dogs can be treated for heartworm WITHOUT the immiticide injections which, everyone knows, are extremely dangerous and toxic. There is a 'slow kill method' which involves giving dogs a combination of Ivermectin (Heartgard) monthly to kill any microfilariae in the blood stream and doxycycline for a month to kill the bacterial parasite in the heartworm. This does NOT kill the adult heartworm but it keeps things from getting worse until the adult heartworm dies naturally in a couple years. It is an option to consider.

Hi. I'm new to this site, so don't know if this is the correct place to ask questions regarding the dogs. I would like to help Eugene if I can but it depends on various things. I have two large male dogs of my own, so does anyone know how he is with other dogs? I can see you recommend that he goes to a foster with no other dogs.
And regarding the heart worm...does that mean he has to be separated from other dogs untill he is cured?
Thank you for any info you can give me.

Thank you for helping me out Karen. I have now checked my email, and it's correct.
Swi1818 please resend your email as I have not received it, sorry.
Regards Charlotte

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I don't know everyone's backgrounds here so please don't take offense, but I have to say it makes me really nervous when people who are not vets, giving veterinary advice. I don't admit to knowing a lot about the different types of treatment, but then I'm not a vet. There is a LOT of scary stuff on the Internet. People who've no idea about anything make their pages look pretty and people take it as sage advice. I always encourage our fosters or adopters to ask their VET. By all means ask about the different options and weigh up the pros and cons, but please don't make a decision based on Internet research unless you're reading veterinary journal articles.

I am lucky enough to have an exceptional vet. Whenever I'm faced with something like this I ask him, "if this was your dog, what would you do?" I always get an honest answer.

Also, I should add that having seen my fair share of dogs undergoing heartworm treatment since I began with ARK, I have seen none from our shelter die during the treatment.

Chriskaeti - please contact Stephanie or I (his adoption coordinators) and we can talk more about Eugene via email. It would be lovely if we could work something out! You will fall head over heels for him if you met him in real life. :)

The slow kill method is 'not recommended' by the American Heartworm Society or by many vets anywhere and the protocol has not been thoroughly researched. Nevertheless, it is the method I would probably choose for my own pets as immiticide is so toxic (it's essentially arsenic). I would restrict exercise since the worms live in the heart and this naturally puts it under stress. The lower the worm burden, the less stress on the heart, so more activity for lower-grade heartworm than for higher grade, but personally I would not let a dog with heartworm hike or run around whichever treatment he/she was on.

If the dog is having immiticide injections, the American Heartworm Society protocol should be followed to minimise complications. This is
One month pre-treatment of doxycycline and macrocyclic lactone heartworm preventatives (eg ivermectin)
Then ONE immiticide injection.
At least ONE MONTH LATER, a second injection
24 hours later, a third injection
(the full schedule is detailed here - http://www.heartwormsociety.org/pdf/Canine-Guidelines-Summary.pdf)
Unfortunately, most vets in Korea usually skip the doxycycline and the first injection, and simply do two injections 24 hours apart. This causes extremely rapid worm die-off, which, in combination with wolbachia (that is what the doxycycline is used to eliminate in the current recommended protocol), is what leads to blood clots (especially pulmonary embolisms), the most common complication and cause of death as well as additional costs.

Whichever treatment plan is used, please insist with the vet that the most up to date protocol is used.

ETA: Clare, you are absolutely right that there is a lot of bad information out there. That said, there are a lot of inexperienced vets in Korea as pet ownership is a recent phenomenon. I do not think every vet there is trustworthy (that's true anywhere, but more so in Korea than in Europe or North America in my experience). I believe you should always do your own research (in vet journals, not random websites) and be as well informed as possible when making medical decisions for your pets in consultation with your vet.

This discussion has veered off topic and I don't like the tone-- I'll be removing some posts.

Please let's all refocus on finding Eugene a permanent home. Thanks!

My time in Korea is coming to a close and I'd love to see Eugene go into the best home where he can get the treatment he needs. It would be such a shame for a possible adopter/foster to turn away from Eugene after reading all the comments that don't directly relate to Eugene. I know that there is a discussion regarding treatment, but perhaps the non-Eugene related comments/discussions could be had in a private conversation?
I love seeing an animal profile with lots of comments about meeting the animal, taking them for a walk, pictures of him, etc. Maybe we could all be a little more mindful of our postings.... That being said- I visited Eugene (and the other dogs in the shelter) on Saturday and yesterday. Eugene gobbled up his treats and got a good pig ear to chew on ;). He really is a sweet boy! I'll be sure to share his profile as much as possible my remaining time in Korea as well as from abroad. Good vibes going his way- we will get you placed my furry friend!!

Thank you, Karen!!

100% agreed. Thank you Karen! Eugene is a wonderful, loving, cuddly boy & the perfect foster or forever home will come along soon, I just know it!

Thanks everybody!

Additional discussion about heartworm disease / treatment can be posted under this article:
http://www.animalrescuekorea.org/articles/heartworms-an-outline-on-the-d...

Fingers crossed for Eugene!