When fully developed, the infective larvae enter the bloodstream of the dog and move to the heart and adjacent vessels, where they grow to maturity in 2 — 4 months and start reproducing, thereby completing the full lifecycle (total 6 — 8 months). (chai-online.org)
Treating canine heartworm disease involves killing the adult worms that live in the heart and pulmonary arteries, as well as those in the larval stages (called microfilaria) that circulate in the bloodstream of the dog. (thesprucepets.com)
Treating heartworm disease involves killing the adult worms that live in the heart and the lung arteries, as well as the larval microfilariae that are in the bloodstream of the dog. (thesprucepets.com)