Today we gave Kirby his monthly dose of Interceptor -- this time as part of the heartworm treatment. The goal is to kill all the larvae and stop the adults from making any more. The instructions we're always given when putting our dogs on heartworm preventative is that if you are more than a month late with a dose, you should have your dog tested prior to starting up the treatment again. Apparently this is because there is some risk of complications from the die-off of the larvae if they have accumulated over time.
Our vet told us to watch Kirby closely for the first 24 - 48 hours, just to make sure he doesn't show any signs of trouble, and to keep him from exertion. Small walks are supposed to be OK, so I thought I'd at least take the boys for a little stroll in the sunshine this afternoon. But poor Kirby, having been cooped-up for days, started jumping and frolicking like a puppy. He walked the better part of a block mostly on his hind legs, pulling on his harness and hopping like a bunny.
"This can't be good," I said to myself. I tried to get him to calm down, but he was so full of enthusiasm it was quite obvious that this walk was going to be an aerobic affair for Kirby. So I took him back in and handed him to my husband. He was crestfallen.
I'm glad he's not showing any reaction to the medicine, but today was just a preview of what's ahead of us trying to keep him calm when his youthful exuberance needs an outlet. I remember that feeling of boundless energy I had as a youth. It passes too quickly. I hope that Kirby will adapt to the new reality fairly well and that, in a few months time, this will all be behind us and he'll be running with his friends at the dog park once again.
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