You may have heard recently about a dog named Beaumont. He was found as a stray, emaciated and dumped in front of a dog park before it opened. The woman who found him took him from vet to vet, including her own, but they all refused to help him, but American Bulldog Rescue couldn’t turn their backs on him. Beaumont was a very sick pup. He had severe upper & lower entropion in both eyes. That’s where the eyelashes rub against the eye itself, causing major discomfort & infection. Think about how it feels when you get one eyelash caught in your eye, and multiply it by all of your eyelashes, for your entire life! He also had touch of pneumonia as well as pulmonary and abdominal edema, probably as a result from heartworm infestation.
Heartworm is a parasitic worm that lives in the heart and pulmonary arteries of an infected animal. It is transmitted to uninfected dogs from the bite of a mosquito that has ingested the larva from an infected dog. The worms multiply and travel through the bloodstream, harming arteries and vital organs as they go, ultimately completing their journey to the vessels of the lung and the heart chamber about six months after the initial infection.
Symptoms of heartworm infestation can include labored breathing, coughing, vomiting, weight loss, and listlessness and fatigue after only moderate exercise. That said, some dogs may exhibit no symptoms at all until late stages of the infection. As the cough worsens, the dog may actually faint from exertion; he tires easily, is weak and listless, loses weight and body condition, and may cough up blood. Breathing becomes more difficult as the disease progresses. The progression is traumatic; the dog’s quality of life diminishes drastically. Simple things like chasing a ball or taking a long walk are accompanied by respiratory distress. Congestive heart failure ensues, and the once-active, outgoing pet is in serious danger.
Heartworm infestation is dangerous and the treatment is expensive, and dangerous as well. An untreated dog will die and treated dogs go through weeks of discomfort while the worms are killed and expelled from their bodies. In extreme cases such as Beaumont’s, their bodies are too damaged and weak to withstand treatment, and they die.
On the other hand heartworm prevention is simple, and first involves a blood test done by your veterinarian to determine whether the parasite is present, followed by regular dosing with preventive medication. A small price to pay for your best friend.
Since mosquitoes can easily slip through cracks around windows, doors or screens, any dog can be at risk without stepping foot outdoors. All it takes is one bite from an infected mosquito for your dog to become infected. Some areas have higher incidences of heartworm, but unfortunately the prevalence of infection has been on the rise and NO state is entirely heartworm-free. I want to stress the importance of talking with your veterinarian about heartworm, and having your dog checked with this one simple test.
Beaumont’s story was one of many that I receive on a daily basis, that moved me to tears. Over the weeks we have been kept up to date on Beaumont’s recovery progress; the ups and downs, and celebrated jubilations when he did something as simple as eat or rolled in the green grass! It was touch and go, and an army of people cheered him on with loving thoughts, and hearts full of compassion. But despite the outpouring of love, and the tremendous love & care that Beaumont received from his foster family, he passed away on Saturday due to complications from heartworm disease. This makes me more than sad, especially to know that a simple test and one monthly pill could have saved his life, had his previous owner cared enough about him. On that note, I’ll also add, please don’t turn you head when you see any form of abuse and neglect. Beaumont may have had a better chance at life had his abuser been reported, and his condition discovered sooner.
There are many who miss you Beau. There are many who cried tears for you, and there are many who prayed you would have the strength to pull through. There are many who won’t forget that beautiful face, and the love that you brought to our lives in the short time we were blessed to have known you. 
Fly free handsome Beau, knowing that you were loved.
