Home

>

Hi, I adopted Edie a few days ago from a rescue. They got her from a small shelter down in south Texas. The shelter tested her for heartworms on 12/27/19 and she was negative. I took her to the vet today and she tested positive. The vet said the test from the shelter must have been a false negative. Is that something that happens often? And should I get a third test done to break the tie? Thank you in advance for your help.

Hi, I adopted Edie a few days ago from a rescue. They got her from a small shelter down in south Texas. The shelter tested her for heartworms on 12/27/19 and she was negative. I took her to the vet today and she tested positive. The vet said the test from the shelter must have been a false negative. Is that something that happens often? And should I get a third test done to break the tie? Thank you in advance for your help.

Updated On April 21st, 2020

Pet's info: Dog | Australian Cattle Dog | Female | spayed | 40 lbs

Image profile

Answered By Sabina Snyder, Specialty Surgery Technician

Veterinary Technician

This question includes photos that may contain sensitive content. Click to view.

View more to consider that the photos may include sensitive content.

hello and thank you for your question. It is possible but very unlikly that the shelter test was a "false negative". Heartworms can take up to 6 months to mature. It is hte mature worms that breed, have babies, which spread to the bloodstream and cause an immune reponse. It is this immune response (antibodies in the bloodstream) that make a test show up positive. So your dog was already infected but not shoing a positive result yet. There was not really a mistake by the shelter, just timing. Definitely contact the shelter with the results and they may help with treatment costs. I hope your new pup feels better soon! If you have further questions please feel free to contact me for a one on one consultaion. My fees are reduced right now due to COVID-19 and I am happy to help with any concerns!

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Other Answers

See More Answers

Related Questions

left image

I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

Read More

Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

Read More

My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

Read More

My dog has an ear infection

Sorry to hear Marley isn't doing so well with his ears. It is not possible to tell from tge picture tve exact nature of the irritation but if it is indeed infected (typically red, hot, painful and smelly), he will need prescription medication from his regular vet. In the meantime I recommend gently cleaning tge outer war with cotton wool and a pet safe ear cleaner to reduce the build up of wax/discharge

Read More

My dog vomited a pinkish colour. Does this look like blood vomit? She doesn’t have diarrhoea or anything else. Yesterday i fed her plain chicken with rice.

That is very red vomit, however, this color could be linked to a number of things including blood in the vomit, inflammation of the GI tract, having chewed on a toy this color, eaten a food item this color, or gotten into a plant or other item this color. If the vomiting continues, worsens, or other symptoms appear such as a painful or bloated abdomen, diarrhea or blood in the stool, or severe distress, I would schedule a veterinary appointment right away to rule out more severe issues. In the meantime I would continue the bland diet for 24 hours, and monitor for any additional vomiting or illness symptoms.

Read More

My dog developed a red hairless bloody mass on her skull overnight. I don’t think she bumped her head on anything.

Poor Marley! Unfortunately there are a number of possible reasons for these raised nodules and a picture cannot diagnose the underlying cause. Itis not possible to distinguish between a wound from a bug bite, cyst, benign histiocytoma or even a tumour without a physical exam and possible testing by an aspirate taken by a needle during the exam or even removal and biopsy. I recommend you follow up with your regular vet, especially if it increases in size, is painful or persists.

Read More

right image
image

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored