Heartworm

How Do Dogs Get Heartworm?

Mosquitoes.

The heartworm cycle begins when a mosquito bites an infected dog. The mosquito swallows the blood containing tiny larvae (baby pasrasites), and develops the larvae further inside the mozzie. The mosquito then deposits the now-infected larvae into another dog the next time it feeds.

What Does Heartworm Disease Looks Like?

The infected larvae mature slowly over six months until they reach full adult size, which can be up to 30cm long. The worms attached to the walls of major blood vessels & inside the heart itself, increasing the heart’s workload and restricting bloodflow to the lungs, kidneys and liver.

Many dogs with heartworm have no obvious symptoms. Visible symptoms may take as long as a year or more to appear when much of the damage has already been done. Dogs with severe heartworm infestations have a cough and are clearly unwell. Sudden death can also occur.

By the way cats don’t get heartworm very often but in them it causes sudden death rather than a cough.

How Vets Diagnose Heartworm?

If a dog has not been on prevention &/or has symptoms we can take a sample of blood & run a test in-house.

Can Heartworm Be Treated?

Yes, but treatment is risky, difficult and costly.

How is Heartworm Prevented?

ProHeart SR-12 is a yearly injection that takes away the need for you to remember a monthly treatment.

Other heartworm preventions include a liquid applied to the skin or a monthly chew or tablet.

 

The good news is that veterinary heartworm preventions work very, very well.