Heartworm disease is a serious illness that affects dogs and cats. It is caused by tiny worms called heartworms that live in the heart and blood vessels of the infected animal. These worms can cause damage to the organs and can be fatal if not treated.
Full definition
At this time, there is not a commercially available vaccine for the prevention
of heartworm disease in dogs or cats.
There is no treatment for
heartworm disease in cats, therefore we recommend monthly heartworm prevention year round for all cats.
With spring around the corner, it is important to discuss preventative measures
for heartworm disease for your animal companion.
Now is the best time to talk with us about a safe, easy and convenient way to protect your dog
from heartworm disease with just two doses a year.
It's the only heartworm product that provides six months of continuous protection
against heartworm disease with a single veterinary - administered dose.
Dogs can
develop heartworm disease by getting bit by a mosquito that has had contact with a heartworm infected mammal (which includes a large assortment of wild animals besides just dogs).
The mosquito spreads
heartworm disease by biting an infected dog, drinking in the heartworm and then passing on the worm by biting another dog.
It's tempting to cut preventative heartworm care for pets, but the cost of prevention is still relatively low compared to the cost of treatment
if heartworm disease is diagnosed.
While heartworm disease treatments are available for canines, the process of treating an infected dog is much more costly and dangerous than preventative measures.
Because heartworm disease is increasing in frequency and is a serious and deadly disease, we recommend that your dog be tested annually and take preventive medications at least during mosquito season.
That's why it's so important to make sure your pet is fully protected against
deadly heartworm disease each and every day, without ever missing a dose.
A dog that is much more active may develop
severe heartworm disease with fewer worms present than a dog that is not as active.
-LSB-...] 60 % of dogs are protected from mosquito transmitted
heartworm disease which means the other 40 % is susceptible to heartworm.
We have had several dogs test positive for
heartworm disease when clients have used online prescription preventative products.
It is important for your veterinarian to assess your dog's heartworm status prior to initiating a monthly
heartworm disease preventive, or changing from one brand of preventive to another.
And that's the good news — managing feline
heartworm disease doesn't require piles of money or fancy equipment.
The bottom line: if you live in an area
where heartworm disease in dogs is prevalent, your cat should get preventive medication, too.
It is generally recommended that all dogs and cats be tested for
heartworm disease prior to administration of a heartworm preventive.
Understanding
what heartworm disease looks like in your region is an important step in understanding why protecting your pet should happen year - round.
A blood test can
confirm heartworm disease but early infection may yield a false negative result so repeating diagnostic testing months later is sometimes recommended.
Once heartworm disease is severe, signs include coughing, exercise intolerance, difficulty breathing, abdominal swelling, collapse and even sudden death.
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