Keeping Dogs Calm During Heartworm Treatment

The American Heartworm Society does state that exercise restriction should begin the same day the diagnosis is confirmed.  

• Keep dogs from running up and down stairs
• Stop brisk, long walks and replace with shorter, leisurely walks
• Put away the fetch ball
• Crate all dogs before answering the door
• Do not allow games of chase
• Minimize how much jumping up/down off furniture happens
• Prevent zoomies or quick bursts of running often!

Your heartworm positive dog, after receiving melarsomine treatment will be instructed to remain caged, crated or penned for the duration of this phase of treatment except when they need to go outside to potty. The duration of this phase may be as short as 30 days, or as long as 120 days, but most of my foster dogs were under cage rest for 60 days.  

• Stop all walks except for potty strolls in the back yard. 
• Stop all play and active training that will encourage excitability. 
• Do not allow the heartworm positive dog to have any free reign in the home or yard.
• Restrict the activity of the other dogs in the home.

During exercise restriction:

• Give several; short leash walks during the off-temperature times of the day. These are SHORT walks, 10 minutes max at a leisurely pace.
• Provide more exploration and sniffing activities than actual walking. Sniffing is an enrichment activity, good for the dog’s nose, brain, and mood! Check out how to make a snuffle mat here!
• Practice carefully chosen obedience training skills indoors, or if outdoors, controlled. This works! As long as your dog is not becoming overly excited about food rewards, you can really wear your dog out by a 15-minute training session.
• Teach impulse control work. An example is, teaching a dog to hold a sit or a stay for longer and longer periods of time until it’s released.
• Use enrichment toys, such as Kongs, West Paw Qwizl toys, and lick mat.

During cage rest for non-symptomatic dogs:

• Continue to use enrichment toys 
• Training sessions should be very controlled and very stationary. 
• Make sure heartworm positive dogs are crated near other calm dogs. Cage rest does not have to mean isolation, they need to feel connected, not alone.
• Allow for short breaks for a stroll around the yard and continue to encourage sniffing and gentle exploration. 
• Allow the heartworm positive dog to join you on the sofa or on the floor for quiet time. Keep the dog on a leash and tethered to you. If there are other dogs in the house, they should also be in a calm state of mind. 

The information shared here is not a replacement for the advice and direction of your veterinarian. Every heartworm-positive dog is different, and may require a very specific protocol.