Heartworm Disease
Heartworm Disease is Deadly!
Dont miss a beat with your pets heartworm prevention
Heartworm disease is responsible for infecting thousands of dogs and cats every year. This disease is potentially fatal yet completely preventable. Heartworm affects both dogs and cats however dogs do have an increased risk for developing this disease especially those that live outdoors.
Heartworm disease is caused by a blood parasite that is spread by mosquitoes. These heartworms migrate through the tissue until they enter the vascular system. Once infected these nasty parasites reside and live on the right side of the lungs and pulmonary arteries where they obstruct the flow of blood to the heart affecting the rest of the body. Once these heartworm reach the lungs they are mature and can grow to be as long as 14inches and hundreds could be living at one time.
Signs of Heartworm Disease in Dogs:
- Coughing
- Unwilling to exercise
- Shortness of breath
- Weight loss
- Fever
- Abdominal swelling
Death Signs of Heartworm Disease in Cats:
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Breathing difficulty
- Weight loss Convulsions
- Sudden death
Diagnosis:
Diagnosis of Heartworm disease in dogs and cats is commonly done by a blood test. Often X-rays and ultrasounds may need to be preformed.
Treatment:
The treatment for heartworm depends on the seriousness of the disease. Many dogs need to be treated for the heart and lung disease prior to the heartworm treatment itself. To kill the heartworm a series of injections are needed to kill the adult worms. During this time the patient must stay very calm and may exhibit side effects such as coughing with blood, shortness of breath and potentially death. The side effects can last for up to 2 months. After the adult worms are killed additional drugs are used to kill the microfilaria where by the patient may need to be hospitalised.
Prevention:
Prevention is always better than cure, especially when it comes to Heartworm Disease. Heartworm is readily prevented through giving your dog & cat year-round heartworm preventative medications. Heartworm prevention for dogs and cats should be started from 6-8 weeks of age and continued for the rest of their life. There are a variety of products availble: tablets, chews, syrups, top spots and injections. Your veterinarian will be able to advise you on the most suitable product for your pet.