This is the story of Zeva, a little Pug, rescued by Heartworm Treatment For Dogs reader, Kathy.
I think when you read it you will agree that this story is a modern miracle.
We hope that Zeva’s story will be found by other worried owners searching on line for information available on the safety of heartworm treatment with Immiticide in pregnant dogs.
Read Zeva’s amazing story below.
The miracle of this heartworm treatment story begins before Kathy rescued Zeva:
A man was mowing his pasture with a Bushhog and almost ran over her as she was in the grass and so weak, that all she could do was to hold her head up. The little dog was starving and the man kept her for two weeks and tried to “fatten her up”.
When Kathy rescued this little stray pug, she was found to have a bad eye, was missing part of an ear, was covered in fleas and ticks and was positive for heartworms.
Kathy takes up the story here:-
“We immediately treated her heartworms, got antibiotics for her eye and also used Panacure. After 21 day aspirin treatment, we returned to the vet for a recheck and found out she was pregnant!
I couldn’t find any information as to the safety of using the Immiticide on a dog that was pregnant. On October 3, 2011 Zeva gave birth to 5 puppies, three girls and two boys. I did have to break all the sacs and tie the umbilical cords as pugs are unable to do that.
Zeva and her puppies at two weeks old
Our sweet little Zeva is doing well and is a wonderful mommy it is a huge miracle that she’s alive, let alone delivered five healthy puppies! This was quite an experience for me as I’ve never been around a dog when it was giving birth!”
Lack of information about the safety of Immiticide treatment for pregnant dogs
Zeva’s story gives hope to other dog owners who might find themselves in a position where a stray dog is found to be pregnant after treatment with Immiticide as the only information online about heartworm treatment in pregnant dogs was just this one sentence:-
“Safety For Use In Breeding Animals And Lactating Or Pregnant Bitches Has Not Been Determined.”
Kathy updated me on Zeva’s story on 13th October, ten days after the puppies were born – “Three girls and two boys were born October 3 and one opened her eyes today and another is trying to walk! Three have some markings of a pug, and the other two are black with white on their chest. Right now they all have a pretty flat face with wrinkles. I don’t know if we will ever be able to tell who their dad is, but maybe by the time we place them in homes, we will be able to make a good guess.”
At the time of publishing this article, complete with the pictures Kathy and her daughter sent to me (taken October 18, 2011), Zeva and babies are doing great, the pups and growing leaps and bounds. All of them now have their eyes open and several are already walking – no wonder Zeva is yawning in the picture below!
Zeva and her puppies are a modern miracle - there is almost no information available on the safety of immiticide treatment on pregnant dogs and their unborn puppies
Latest update on Zeva and the puppies
Kathy sent me an update on the 30th November 2011, the puppies were all eight weeks old on the 28th. As you will see from the pictures, Zeva is a wonderful mother and you can see how much the pups have grown since the earlier pictures – but I am sure she is glad that the TV seems to provide some of the entertainment so she gets a rest sometimes!
Kathy ends by saying:-
“My prayer is that all five puppies live a long, happy and safe life. Needless to say, after all that Zeva and I have been through, I will be extremely careful deciding who will get the pleasure of adopting one of our babies!”
In Kathys November update, she says:-
“They are so precious, but so feisty! They are still trying to nurse and my vet won’t let me give them away til they are done, so we are working on that.”
I think you would have to agree that this story is a real miracle! Zeva must be a very special little dog with a tremendously strong will to survive all that she has gone through – and what a blessing that she now has a wonderful home with Kathy.
Thank you, Alison for printing Zeva’s story. The puppies continue to do well and are 16 days old as of this post. They are becoming more active every day. Zeva is a good mommy and she will never live the life she had before, we will see to it that she lives like a queen!
Please adopt not buy and spay/neuter your new family pet!
Kathy Crownover
Kathy, thank you for sharing Zeva’s story and the lovely pictures – and please keep us updated on how she’s doing – and the puppies too.
I was so very happy to find this article. I currently have a pregnant boston terrier that I rescued from a shelter, treated for heart worms with immiticide, then found out was pregnant. She has “at least 4” pups with hearts beating and we’re praying all goes well. Like you we had no idea she was pregnant and we have no idea what type of dog she has been bred by. Please pray for our precious Ruby that all may turn out as well as your sweet story of Zeva.
Wendy, thank you so much for getting in touch, we really do hope and pray that Ruby too will have a safe delivery of healthy pups and hope you will let us know how her story turns out. ~Alison
I work in our shelter’s clinic. On 12/23/11 we started Heartworm treatment on a stray that was malnourished (body scale 2/9), had hookworms, whipworms and heartworms. The intestinal worms had been treated prior to treatment. Then a week later it became obvious she was pregnant. On 1/11/12 she delivered 4 apparently healthy pups. Now 7 weeks of age and so far no known problems. As I have personally adopted one of the litter I’m saying my prayers, and have my fingers crossed, because we really do not know.
Kathy, thanks so much for sharing this story, hope your little pup continues to do well – it would be great to get an update from you in a month or so. Thanks again for sharing, Alison