This serious condition can result in heart failure, organ damage, severe lung disease and even death for pets in Novato. The disease is typically found in dogs, cats and ferrets. In this post, our vets explain why prevention is key.
What is heartworm disease?
Spread through mosquito bites, heartworm disease is mainly caused by a parasitic worm called Dirofilaria immitis.
Definitive hosts may include cats, dogs and ferrets, meaning that worms reside inside the animal, grow into adults, mate and produce offspring. This serious condition is referred to as heartworm disease because the worms live in the heart, blood vessels and lungs of an infected pet.
What are the symptoms of heartworm disease?
Symptoms of heartworm disease typically don't appear until the disease is advanced. The most common symptoms of heartworm disease include swollen abdomen, coughing, fatigue, weight loss and difficulty breathing.
How does my vet check my pet for heartworms?
Your vet can complete blood tests to detect heartworm proteins (antigens), which are released into the animal's bloodstream. Heartworm proteins can't be detected until about five months (at the earliest) after an animal is bitten by an infected mosquito.
What if my pet is diagnosed with heartworms?
Keep in mind that treatment for heartworm disease may cause serious complications and be potentially toxic to your pet's body. Not only that, but treatment is also expensive because it requires multiple visits to the veterinarian, bloodwork, hospitalization, x-rays and a series of injections. This is why we say prevention is the absolute best treatment for heartworm disease.
However, if your pet is diagnosed with heartworms, there are treatment options available. Melarsomine dihydrochloride is an FDA-approved drug that is administered via injection into a pet's back muscles to treat the disease. It contains arsenic and kills adult heartworms.
Topical FDA-approved solutions are also available. These can help to get rid of parasites in the bloodstream when applied directly to the animal's skin.
How can I prevent my pet from getting heartworm disease?
It's important to keep your pet on preventive medication to prevent heartworm disease. Even if they are already on preventive heartworm medication, we recommend that dogs be tested for heartworms annually.
Heartworm prevention is safer, easier and much more affordable than treating the progressed disease. A number of heartworm preventive medications can also help protect against other parasites such as hookworms, whipworms and roundworms.