A family from Cambridge, Ont. is raising awareness about the risks and costs of heartworm. After taking in a stray dog that had the disease, they are now on the hook for thousands of dollars to treat it. “I was driving back from Brantford to Cambridge and I saw a dog running along the street,” said Nathan Devey. He looked to see if she had a collar and she didn’t, so he took her to his truck. “She was absolute skin and bones. She’s a black dog so it was hard to see in the dark. But as soon as I lifted her up to try and get her in the vehicle, I felt ribs,” said Devey. He said she looked as though she had been abused. He took her in himself and eventually named her Juno. Devey and his wife brought the pup to Holliday Veterinary Hospital in Cambridge to get a much-needed checkup. “We got the bloodwork done, some tests done. That’s when we found out she had heartworm,” said Devey. It’s a parasite spread by mosquitoes, usually between June and November. “It affects the blood vessels in the heart as well as the blood vessels in the lungs,” said Amanda Gordon, veterinarian and owner of Holliday Veterinary Hospital. Juno’s infection came despite no obvious signs. It didn’t deter Devey from making her a part of his family. “We were concerned that if we just brought her to the Humane Society, knowing that there was a $6,000 to $7,000 bill associated with the treatment required, that she wouldn’t get adopted by another family into a loving home,” said Devey. That’s why he is taking on those costs associated with vital injections and medication to treat it. Devey is also turning to the community for help through an online fundraiser. “Patients do pass away sometimes from heartworm because the adult worms die in the heart or they just take up space in the vessels in the heart and the lungs,” said Gordon. “That can be quite painful. There is a risk of anaphylaxis.” During treatment, dogs must be sedated to receive the injections. Owners also must ensure their dogs don’t exercise too much to keep their heart rate down. It’s a tall task for a dog, which is why Devey and the veterinary hospital are raising awareness, given the potential of longer mosquito seasons. “With the change in climate, we do have to kind of keep our eye on that,” said Gordon. “Just south of the 400 series highways, we see a lot of heartworm.” The message is clear – in order to keep the cases to a minimum, owners are asked to get yearly preventative treatment to avoid getting the disease and the long road to recovery associated with it.
