Again?

--->Immiticide Unavailability<---

Mila headed back to the vet for her second and third injections. She was so happy to go somewhere again. Mila tends to get quite excited in the car. Crating and restraining ramps her up more. It is interesting (to us anyway) that Bella, who we imagine may be her sister, has the same car behaviors, though a little less raucous and a little more nervous than Mila's. Bella seems to be imagining going to terrible places where she is the center of attention, whereas Mila seems to be imagining going to wonderful places where she is the center of attention. 

So with list in hand, Mila and I headed out. The list just has some information that we state and restate even though we know the vet office knows it already - Mila needs to be kept quiet, the bag with the food in it is her food, please leash walk Mila, as if they would just open the door and let her run wild after her injections. Well, it makes us all feel better, I guess. And the vet office gets treats for putting up with the compulsive herding behaviors of some foster people!

Once there Mila puts on her best "the scale is hot" show, jumping all over while we all tell her she needs to be quiet. We sign off on the paperwork, and the receptionist takes Mila back to the kennels and tries to find her the quietest one for the day.

As you saw in Mila's previous post, she was lucky enough to get some acupuncture treatments before her first injection. We picked her up late in the afternoon, and returned the next morning for injection #2. Or injection #3 if you count the first one a month ago. Mila showed no signs of discomfort after the first injection the previous month, and again with the first one this time.

However, the second (third total) injection was a different story. These injections, deep into the back, can really cause some pain for dogs, and Mila was uncomfortable for a few days after. Going up and down the four deck stairs was difficult, and her hind end was a bit saggy and weakened by the pain (not giving out - which would have been an emergency visit). It actually helped to keep her quiet. However, even with some medications to help with the discomfort, Mila was not feeling so hot. It is difficult to see a very spirited animal struggle as she was.

Once again, we offer these photos, taken by her vet office with our thanks, to remind people that heartworm infection can happen anywhere and that preventing the infection by giving your pet medications that will kill the heartworms before they can become adults, is so much better, easier, cheaper than allowing this to happen to your dog. If you haven't had your dog on heartworm meds, please get them tested and started on them.

All shaved and lining up her final injection

That is one big needle

So lucky that they ordered her Immiticide early

This picture helps to show how deep that needle goes

All the way. Into. Her. Back. Ouch.

These injections, this part of treatment, has been harder on Mila than her first was. Any good thoughts would be appreciated for her. Next time we will talk about the caval syndrome and treatment and then will update on her progress in the post after that.