Heartworms In Dogs

Heartworms in dogs.  Really think about this for a moment.  Can you imagine anything more disgusting than having worms living and reproducing in the blood vessels running from your heart to your lungs?  Can you see where that might have some serious medical implications? Sounds like a bad science fiction movie doesn’t it. 

But that’s exactly the risk your pet faces if they are infected with heartworms.

If you pet is exposed to mosquitoes they are at risk of having these parasites injected into their body via a mosquito bite. Immature heartworms, or microfilaria, are passed into the pet’s bloodstream where the mature into adult heartworms. These adults can then reproduce and create more microfilaria who in turn will mature and continue the colonization of your pet’s blood vessels.

Left untreated this disease can be fatal.

So do you know what symptoms of heartworm in dogs that you should be looking for in your pet?

The bad news is that in the early stages there really are no symptoms and the only way to tell if your pet has the disease is to have it tested.  There are basically two blood tests involved.  One looks for the immature larvae, the other looks for specific proteins and antigens produced by heartworms.

As the infection progresses there will be a strain on the heart and your pet may show the following symptoms:

• Coughing
• Heavy breathing
• Trouble exercising
• Bloody sputum
• A build up of fluids in the belly

If you notice any of these you need to get to a veterinarian for treatment.

You may be asking yourself what the best treatment for heartworm is.  The answer is prevention.

During those months when there are mosquitoes, and that could be year round in some parts of the country, you should give your pet either a daily preventative medicine or the more convenient monthly pill.   There are two drugs, Ivermectin and milbemycin that are used as preventatives.  You need to talk to your vet before using milbemycin as some breeds of dogs can not tolerate it very well.

If your pet does come down with heartworm, the treatment is a very toxic drug that has to be administered by a veterinarian in a pet hospital setting.  There is a chance that even after this treatment the pet will not be completely normal due to the damage done by the worm and possibly by the drug used to kill it.

So the best thing you can do for your pet is prevention.  It only costs about $5 per month for a small dog and $7 per month for larger breeds. 

Heartworms are only one condition that your pet faces that fortunately we don’t.  Do your pet a favor and learn as much about pet health as you can.  Your pet will love you even more for thinking of her. 

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