My dog is in pain after heartworm injections, what meds are safe?

The injection can be very painful. This could be why she is shivering. If it persists, contact your veterinarian and ask about pain management. If she becomes extremely lethargic or extremely painful, have her rechecked by your veterinarian or at the nearest veterinary ER.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. Poor Boots! If he won't let you touch his back, I'd be concerned he may have some pain there. Rest him tonight. Take him out to potty on a leash, and bring him right back in when he's done. First thing in the morning, have him checked out by a vet. The vet can diagnose what is causing his pain, and can treat him. Now if he's extremely painful, having trouble breathing, and/or is lethargic, I would rush him into a vet immediately. In that case, please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. I hope this helps!

I'm sorry Aria has heartworms! The fact that she is lethargic and has a decrease in appetite is concerning, and this can be due to the sudden death of a large number of worms from the treatment. When a dog becomes lethargic as well as has a significant decrease in appetite, it's recommended to have them seen by a vet right away. I would take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. She needs to be checked out by a vet to make sure everything is ok. I hope this helps and that she feels better soon!

Both doxycycline and prednisone can cause vomiting and diarrhea. I am not sure of the dose that your dog is on but maybe your vet could adjust the dose so he has less gastrointestinal problems. Feeding the medication with a meal can sometimes help with the gastrointestinal side effects so make sure to give with food. Your vet could also prescribe an anti-vomiting medication, probiotic, and GI protectant which may help, too. At this point, If he is just going to vomit the medication than it doesn't make sense to give it. You should wait and see if your vet can prescribe additional medications to help with the vomiting and diarrhea. If the vomiting and diarrhea has stopped, you could try to give one medication at a time with food and see how he does.

Some veterinarians treat heart worms with a slow kill method by giving heartworm prevention monthly which will kill the adult worms over time and prevent new ones. The more common treatment is with injections to kill the worms quickly. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages. Doing it with a slow kill method is much less expensive. The shots are expensive, can be painful and you would need to keep your dog very quiet for six weeks. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Duke.

These medications are safe to give together and do not negatively interact with each other in any way. The heart worm medication is very safe to give with most conditions, so I would not be concerned about giving it unless your vet specifically advised not to give it. Heartworm medication tends not to have any noticeable side effects, but Rimadyl may have some adverse effects. The biggest concern with Rimadyl is that it can cause stomach/intestinal damage. If you notice that Jenny has a decrease in appetite, vomiting and/or diarrhea, then it's best to stop the Rimadyl and contact your veterinarian for further advice. Otherwise, these two medications normally have no noticeable side effects and are relatively safe. I hope that helps and Jenny feels better soon.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, sometimes as the worms are dying off that can result in respiratory issues as they dislodge. Paleness and cold extremities can sometimes be seen in patients that have abnormal oxygen delivery which can happen in these cases. Usually the first 2 weeks are critical when treating for heartworms. I recommend that you him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment. It would be good to check if he is having any issues with oxygen delivery. Good luck!