Side Effects of Immiticide
Immiticide is a treatment used in veterinary medicine to treat dogs with heartworm. Heartworm is caused by an infestation of the parasite dirofilaria immitis. The disease is most often contracted via a bite from a mosquito infected with the parasite. After the bite, the still-developing heartworms dig into the animal's skin and eventually make it into the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, the parasite eventually reaches the heart of the animal. Heartworm must be contracted via a mosquito bite--it cannot be passed via contact with an animal infected with heartworm.
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Pain at the Injection Site
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Your pet may show signs of pain at the injection site where the Immiticide was administered. The amount of pain caused by the Immiticide will vary animal to animal. The pain may be characterized by swelling around the injection site, or the animal may consistently scratch or bite at the area. If your pet experiences these issues from an injection of Immiticide, ask your veterinarian if your pet can be placed on an anti-inflammatory to help ease the pain.
Restlessness
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Immiticide may cause your pet to develop restless behavior. This may be characterized by the animal pacing back and forth or moving around more than usual. This is a common side effect of an Immiticide injection. The animal should become less restless once the Immiticide treatment is completed. If the restless behavior continues after the Immiticide treatment is over, contact the veterinarian who administered the treatment as soon as possible.
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Breathing Issues
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After an Immiticide injection, your animal may develop difficult or belabored breathing. This often occurs because heartworm can cause damage to the lungs. The parasites that cause heartworm often burrow into the lining of the lungs. While Immiticide kills off the parasites, it is also an arsenic compound, and itself a poison. Your pet should be able to breath freely once the parasites are killed by the Immiticide and the Immiticide is completely metabolized by your pet's body.
Change in Demeanor
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Your pet may become more agitated and temperamental than usual after receiving an injection of Immiticide. This is because your pet is dealing with the presence of parasites in its body. In addition, the pet's body is getting used to the presence of Immiticide. After the parasites that cause heartworm are eradicated and the Immiticide is completely metabolized by your pet, its demeanor should return to normal. If it does not, contact your veterinarian.
Organ Failure
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Immiticide is an arsenic compound and as such is a poison. If the heartworm infection is diagnosed early enough, the animal with the infection should be able to withstand the Immiticide injections. However, Immiticide injections may cause organ failure if they have already been severely damaged by the heartworm infection. If an organ fails and is not replaced via transplant, the animal's chances of survival are low.
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