Stopped off at the vet clinic to take cinnamon rolls to Dr. Grosch and Colleen and we had time for a good, long conversation. From what Dr. Grosch tells me, JoLee basically has the human equivalent of pneumonia right now. The white blood cells, which are breaking down the heartworms, are clumping together like pustules and Jo will either cough them out, or they will break down even further and be eliminated in some other fashion. We’ve noticed JoLee coughing a little, but he doesn’t seem to be in any distress.
Apparently, this is the way it works: when the dog is injected, the worms die. It isn’t a gradual thing - they die and then whoosh, the blood stream sends them straight to the network of blood vessels in the lungs. White blood cells are alerted to the clumps of foreign bodies and come to get rid of them; they eat ‘em up and then either get coughed out or shed by whatever means the body disposes of used up white blood cells.
I was told not to take Jo off the Vetprofen altogether, even though he seems to be pain-free - the inflammation the worms have caused in his blood vessels is still there, and the sluffing-off process causes more inflammation.
Dr. Grosch guaranteed me that Jolee won’t get adult worms before we recheck, and at the recheck we can give him heartworm protection again.
Jo was cranky tonight, growling at both me and at Harry. Not feeling well? Dunno.
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