Goose’s Story
This adorable girl is Goose, the 7-year-old Beagle. She was adopted in August of 2022 through Seattle Beagle Rescue, which partners with various rescue organizations to find homes in the Seattle Area for hounds. Goose’s fur-mom, Chelsi, put herself on the waiting list with them to be considered for possible foster and adoption opportunities after her senior beagle passed away in May of 2022. She was expecting it to be several months or even a year before they found the right match for her, but she got the call a month later about Goose, who would be coming from Villalobos Rescue Center in Louisiana. She was a little hesitant because of how soon it was, but Chelsi knew she was going to be her dog the second she saw her photo. She can’t imagine her life without her now!
After almost a year in Chelsi’s life, Goose has shown how incredibly affectionate she is. She loves her plush squeaky toys and attention, and she’ll be sure to let you know if you’ve stopped petting her before she’s ready. She also gets really excited about food and her feet do a little tippy-tappy dance while she waits.
In May of 2023, after a series of exams, x-rays, lab work, infectious disease panel, and an echocardiogram with her primary veterinarian, it was discovered that Goose had heartworm, despite being on preventive medication. Heartworm disease is caused by a blood-borne parasite known as Dirofilaria immitis. It is a serious and potentially fatal disease. She had been heartworm positive in the past as well, while in Louisiana, where heartworm is much more prevalent than it is in Washington.
In July of 2023, Goose was transferred by her primary veterinarian to the Animal Medical Center of Seattle Emergency department for further assessment of hemoptysis (bloody cough) and for monitoring after initiation of melarsomine therapy to treat her heartworm infection. Melarsomine is an antiparasitic medication derived from an arsenic compound medication to treat dogs that are suffering from heartworm disease. Because this medication kills both adult and immature heartworms using arsenic, toxic side effects are possible. She was also started on a tapering dose of a steroid (prednisolone) that is used to minimize the chance of a severe inflammatory reaction in her lungs as the worms are killed off. Goose did very well for her injection with no immediate complications and was able to go home.
A month later, after she completed her heartworm therapy treatment, Goose was seen by our Internal Medicine department and we are happy to report that Goose is doing great, and no further diagnostic tests were recommended! Goose’s fur-mom Chelsi is appreciative of the Animal Medical Center of Seattle team and happy that we were able to work seamlessly with Goose’s primary veterinary team to get records, her treatment protocol, and all the pertinent details on Goose to ensure they were doing everything possible for her. Way to go, Goose!
