Pacino, a heartworm-infected dachshund mix, now safe at the Los Alamos County Animal Shelter. Pacino and his friends will receive treatment at a local vet clinic today. Courtesy/FOSSHELTER News:
Information was relayed Saturday night that there were animals in dire need. Los Alamos County Shelter staff worked hard to gather contact information, animal medical needs and transportation arrangements.
The word went out early Monday morning and Friends of the Shelter sprang into action. A shelter in southern New Mexico was going to euthanize several dogs simply because they had tested positive for heartworm disease.
Heartworms are mosquito-born parasites that lodge in the dog’s heart and cause serious and usually fatal cardio-respiratory disease. Heartworm disease has become increasingly prevalent in the last 10 years, even in the dryer climate of New Mexico. Veterinarians in New Mexico are encouraging dog owners to make sure that their dogs are on heartworm preventative in the form of an inexpensive monthly pill.
However, even dogs that have contracted the disease have a good prognosis if the disease is treated promptly. The treatment generally costs several hundred dollars and requires a six to eight week recovery process, but the dog generally recovers fully and will have a good quality of life and a normal life span.
Los Alamos County Emergency Manager Cmdr. Beverly Simpson notified Deputy Police Chief Jason Wardlow Herrera over the weekend that 11 dogs were going to be euthanized at the Las Cruces Animal Shelter. Wardlow Herrera sent out the word, and Friends of the Shelter immediately agreed to pay for treatment for three heartworm-infected dogs.
Public Safety Aide Alysha Lenderman, on her day off, agreed to drive all the way to the southern New Mexico shelter and return with the dogs. PSA Lenderman called out to Deb Vigil at Vigilant K9 to assist with the drive and do an onsite evaluation on the potential dogs. All of the Animal Control Staff, FOS volunteers and supportive individuals worked diligently together to make this life saving trip a success.
As soon as the dogs arrive in Los Alamos, they will receive a full veterinary check-up and will begin the treatment for heartworm. The dogs have good temperaments and are excellent adoption prospects once they are healthy. In the meantime, they will need to go into approved foster homes where they can be cared for in a quiet environment while they are recovering.
To help these dogs, contact Friends of the Shelter at lafos8@gmail.com. The Shelter will be looking for approved foster homes and will be accepting adoption applications in the very near future. To make a donation toward the care and treatment of these dogs, send the donation to Friends of the Shelter at P.O. Box 455, Los Alamos, NM 87544 or visit www.lafos.org for more information.
