Heartworm Initiative

SQ Rescue has participated in the H.E.A.R.T Program by saving many dogs from being euthanized.  Although our rescue efforts do not go unrecognized, many of the rescues that we save from the program need veterinarian care.   Our newest additions most commonly test positive for Heartworm disease.

This disease can get very expensive to treat,  here is a brief explain about the disease from the Heartworm Society;

When a mosquito carrying infective heartworm larvae bites a dog and transmits the infection, the larvae grow, develop and migrate in the body over a period of several months to become sexually mature male and female worms. These reside in the heart, lungs and associated blood vessels. As mature adults, the worms mate and the females release their offspring (microfilariae), pronounced: (micro-fil-ar-ee-a), into the blood stream.

Heartworm disease may cause a combination of medical problems in the same dog including dysfunction of the lungs, heart, liver and kidneys. The disease may have an acute onset but usually begins with barely detectable signs resulting from a chronic infection and a combination of physiologic changes. Dogs with a low number of adult worms in the body that are not exercised strenuously may never have apparent signs of heartworm disease. However, in most dogs, the heart and lungs are the major organs affected by heartworms with varying degrees of clinical signs.

So as you can see the disease attacks vital organs if not treated immediately, the rescue dogs fate does take a turn for the worse.  SQ Rescue's efforts fortunately come with a cost that we need help with.  Access to vet care is so crucial to our efforts. SQ Rescue is dependent on people who share the same mission and believe in what we do.  We believe that every pet that enters our doors deserves love and care, regardless of their physical condition.  We work hard to get them healthy and happy so that they to can find  a forever home.