A second chance for Jake

Wow, take a look at this handsome blue-eyed hunk of doggy love! We rescued Jake (fka Ranger) from the Walton Co. shelter this week when no one else stepped up for him. He's a good looking boy, but unfortunately tested positive for heartworms. So after he's neutered and vaccinated he'll spend the next 60 days with us undergoing heartworm treatment.

The treatment starts with thirty days of daily prescription medication. At the end of the thirty days he'll get a intramuscular injection in his back to kill the heartworms. After another thirty days pass he'll get two more injections within a 24 hour period. It's painful for Jake- no doubt about it - but also the quickest way to kill the dangerous heartworms and get him on the road to health again. No running or jumping allowed during the treatment period for Jake - that should be an interesting challenge for us!

Heartworm treatment for a big dog like Jake normally costs around $500, so we have to think carefully before committing to rescue heartworm positive dogs. But it was Jake's former owner who didn't bother to protect him from heartworm infestation in the first place. Dying in the shelter shouldn't be the penalty for this sweet boy.