We are home:):):) Will post more more tomorrow but wanted everyone to know your pawsitivity worked!!! Off to make evening and midnight pancakes:):):) Love you all very much. (And a special shout out to the generous and intrepid Holly and Purrkins for posting pics alllllll day long:)

Awwwwww shucks everyone:) Again, huge hugs to all of you from us!!!

EmmaRose had a very long day as they said get there at 8 but we were unable to start the procedure until @ 11:30. She spent the wait in a/c eating deli meat so , really, in her eyes GOOD PLAN!!!

Head of Neuro really, really pleased with her overall! She has gained 11 pounds since her thyroid (cancer) tumor surgery and is off all meds except for her heart meds and prednisone:):):) Head of Neuro really almost did not want to treat for her heartworms as she is not really showing any clinical signs and he only sees very complicated cases that do not end well...and he wanted maybe to hedge our bets as what happens if EmmaRose develops an embolism? So....I elected to treat as I would rather do this knowing I tried everything and as she is very strong right now. We are following the American Heartworm Society Protocol which is fascinating as it came about after a shortage of the primary drug. So this is a fairly new protocol and it is MONTHS long versus the old method of one shot. The safety margin is now much larger:):):) We will have 60 days of worry ahead of us but am super lucky in that I have the summer off:):):)

At this point, she is supposed to be crate rested for 60 days BUT we all sat down and discussed her life, lifestyle, strong will, and self containment and self preservation. We have decided to set up an x-pen in the pasture next to her stall and dog house in the stall and one in a separate old mule shed that has been converted to an efficiency apartment as well ( for the a/c) as we believe it would stress Emma out MORE at her age to change her patterns than to just work with what she would want us to do for her. We will adjust as needed and also know not everyone would make the same choice. Emma being Emma, she just LOVES being outside. Even the Vet School notices it when they take her outside. She is a corker!

So far all is well!!! Will update again and if anyone has any thoughts or advice, please feel free to share as we would love to hear it. 

Over and out from DaBear HQ!!!

P.S. CharlieBear's top secret exam: Head of Neuro could not be more pleased and although CharlieBear may now have a permanent limp, no other plan needed other than his meds! YEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

THANK YOU EVERYONE! MUCH LOVE TO ALL!!!

Thank you all!!! EmmaRose is now a week out from her first melasormine shot treatment and doing exceptionally well. Her BFF"nemisis" Head of Neuro checked in with her yesterday and said we can modify the post shot treatment plan so great news: EmmaRose is now back to just her regular heart med for arrythmia and her regular dose of prednisone for her BST. And, we may even get to adjust those!!!! EmmaRose is also back to regular pasture duty! LIFE IS GOOD:)***Caveat: Kids, don't try these modifications at home. This is a highly tailored plan just for EmmaRose due to her very specific age and circumstances.*** 

There is confusion- even among vets- of the names of protocols/methods of treating heartworms. And, sadly, dogs can still get them- although rarely- despite being on a preventative. Thanks, Global Warming, etc 😉 The American Heartworm Society site is filled to the brim with detailed information and has an app whereby you type in your loved one's weight and date of diagnosis and a day by day detailed treatment plan magically appears! (And, Sally, had to chuckle because,as you know, I live in a VERY rural area and my vet is a 30 year plus practicing one but we happened to just have lucked out! Still nearish the Vet School and local vet is a gem who always wants to learn more and has not one iota of ego:) ( And thank you Sally and Linda for the compliments but the app and site have done all the research for me!!!) 

Bottom line is that if testing positive, the old slow kill protocol ( giving the heartworm preventative once monthly and waiting for a slow die off) and the old standard treatment protocol ( one shot of melasormine) are no longer the standard of care. But, both my regular vet and Head of Neuro found this out after I gave them the AHWS treatment plan for EmmaRose. She was their first patient using the "new" plan:):):) So, once again, EmmaRose leads the way in teaching us young dogs new tricks! ( Vet School cardio team, however, knows all about it and highly recommends treating all dogs even if non clinical and showing no to very early signs). We hope NO ONE will ever need this information but if you do, " there's an app for that"! Also, although the AHWS has no phone contact information, you CAN email the any of the 6 active board members and they will reply:):):) 

THANK YOU AGAIN TRIPAWD NATION and everyone who sent pawsitivity to Da Bear HQ and to EmmaRose:) It worked:):):) We are forever grateful to all of you.