Is Your Pet Protected from Heartworms?

If you haven’t started thinking about a heartworm preventative for your pet, now is the time! Spring has arrived and so have those pesky mosquitos. You may be asking, why is she mentioning mosquitos and what does that have to do to with heartworms? The mosquito plays a critical part in the development of heartworm disease. Canine and Feline heartworm disease develops when a dog or cat is bitten by a mosquito caring microscopic heartworm larvae. As a mosquito feeds, these microscopic larvae are deposited on your pet and quickly penetrate the skin to begin their migration into your pet’s bloodstream. Adult heartworms can grow 10-12 inches in length and make their home in the right side of the heart and pulmonary (lung) arteries, often causing lung disease and heart failure.

Fortunately, preventing heartworm disease is easy. Heartworm preventatives are effective when given properly and on a timely schedule. All approved heartworm preventatives are highly effective, safe, easy to use, relatively inexpensive, and provide treatment for additional parasites. Prevention is always more safe and affordable than treating your dog with adult heartworm infections. And prevention is the only choice for your cat since no approved treatment exists for affected cats.

If you have not been protecting your dog with a heartworm preventative, a heartworm test would be the first order of business. A small amount of blood is drawn from your pet and the test results are available in a matter of minutes. When a negative result is determined, then the doctor will discuss which heartworm preventative will be best for your dog. If the test determines that heartworms are present, the doctor will recommend heartworm treatment before starting your dog on preventative.

Heartworm testing is not always needed for cats. Since only 1 or 2 worms can cause serious or fatal disease in cats, it is recommended that heartworm prevention be started immediately. The best way to eliminate the risk of heartworm infection in your dog or cat is to start a year-a-round prevention program. Giving your dog or cat their heartworm preventative once a month all year long and annual heartworm testing for your dog will protect your pets from heartworm infection and disease.

Heartworms: What They Do

Restrict blood flow and cause organ damage. Symptoms include coughing, labored breathing, and heart failure. Untreated, heartworm disease can kill a dog.

From the Doctor:

Don’t forget, heartworms and mosquitos are not the only parasites to worry about. Fleas and ticks can also plague our pets. Proper application and usage of flea and tick products will keep your pet safe and comfortable all year round.