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Heartworm in a puppy?

Species: Dog
Breed: Pomeranian
Age: Less than 3 mon
I recently sold an 11 week old pomeranian on January 24, 2010 due to allergies. I had to re-sell the pomeranian, but was the puppy had already been dewormed and had his first shots.

Unfortunately, the person that I allowed to take the pomeranian without payment despite a signed agreement informed me that the "dog is dead" and that it died almost a week ago meaning that would place his death at or arounfd February 1, 2010. She stated that " the vet said that he had been sick for awhile and died od heartworms.

I am finding this extremely difficult to believe as in doing research on the web,heartworms have a long period of incubation before symptoms are even noticed; like 6-9 months and Heartworms that kill are found in dogs rather than puppies.

I believe that she indeed has the dog and that he is alive and that she is simply in breach of contract.

Never the less, can you please tell me if heartworms can kill a puppy? He was heal;thy on January 24, 2010, but all of a sudden he was dead on February 1st or 2nd. It does not makes sense that heartworms can cause that much damage to a puppy at that age.

I am heartbroken.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi Becki and thanks for your question. I am so sorry to hear that you are having this problem. It sounds like a difficult situation.

It is not possible for a dog this young to have died of heartworm. Heartworms are spread via a mosquito bite. The mosquito transmits the heartworm larvae. It then takes 6 months for the larvae to develop into adult heartworms. Depending on how many heartworms are there it usually takes a few years for a dog to get sick enough so that they die.

So, something is not right.

In my experience when people have contract issues like this it is unfortunately very hard to go after individuals to get your money back. The first thing I would do is to request a copy of the vet records. The vet will not be able to release them to you, but they will release them to the owner and the owner can fax or mail them to you. You can tell them that you will not release them from their contract until you have seen the vet records.

If you do get the records, feel free to post back here and I can help you interpret them.

If you feel that they are defrauding you, you may want to investigate whether you could take them to small claims court.

I hope you find out the truth and I hope your little one is ok.
Dr. Marie.


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Customer reply:

Thank you, thank you, thank you - as I know that he is alive! Thank you!


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

You're very welcome! Thank you so much for the bonus. You made my day. :)
Dr. Marie.



Customer reply:

No, you made my day and I still have hope for this little guy; although it is obvious that my decision in "new parents" for him was not the best. I have indeed filed a small claims complaint. If you would like - i can keep you informed - i would love to send you a picture of him too. You are making a difference!

My heart is overwhelmed!

Becki!


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

I'd love to see a picture! You can send it to drmarie@askavetquestion.com.

And please do keep me informed. Let me know if I can help out any more!

Dr. Marie.



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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.