Heartworm disease is caused by a parasite called Dirofilaria immitis, which lives in the right side of the heart and the adjacent blood vessels. Its presence in these blood vessels causes cardiovascular weakness, compromised lung incapacity, and eventual death. Heartworm disease occurs primarily in dogs but can occur in cats and other animals on rare occasions.
Heartworm is transmitted from dog to dog (and cat to cat) by mosquitoes. Over 70 species of mosquitoes have already been implicated. Transmission of the parasite occurs as follows: when a mosquito draws blood from a dog or cat infected with heartworm, it takes with it a number of small immature worms called microfilariae. Once inside the mosquito, the microfilariae develop into larvae. Later, when the mosquito bites a new victim, the larvae are injected and that dog or cat becomes infected.
It takes about six and a half to seven months for the larvae to mature and start producing thousands of new microfilariae inside the circulatory system. The adult worms end up occupying the right chamber of the heart and the pulmonary arteries, while the microscopic microfilariae circulate throughout the bloodstream.
All these worms within the blood vessels produce an increased workload on the heart, along with restricted blood flow to the lungs, kidneys, and liver, eventually causing multiple organ failure. At first, pets may exhibit a chronic cough and reduced exercise tolerance, followed by sudden collapse and death.
Once infected, one pet can easily become a "carrier" or reservoir of infection for an entire neighbourhood. Sometimes, a dog or cat may have heartworm disease but show no symptoms. By the time symptoms do occur, the disease is well advanced.
What are the signs of Heartworm Disease?
When a dog is infected with heartworm, it can suffer one or more of the following symptoms:
1. Coughing: can be occasional or severe
2. Exercise intolerance
3. Weight loss
4. Fluid retention in the abdomen
5. Breathing difficulties
6. Deaths in severe cases
Prevention is preferred to treatment. While there are effective treatments available, most veterinarians prefer to promote prevention of heartworm disease. Oral and topical medications that are administered monthly and have shown to be highly effective in preventing heartworm disease are available from your veterinarian.
How do I know if my dog has heartworms?
If you have a medium to large sized dog and it spends most of its time outdoors, it is strongly recommended that you put your dog on HEARTWORM PREVENTION. This is usually a monthly prevention (either topical application or oral medication) for the rest of its life. However, before you start any form of heartworm prevention, you must bring your dog to the veterinarian for a blood test which will confirm if your dog has heartworms or not. It is important to pursue the blood test before any heartworm prevention is initiated.
Can I start the heartworm prevention without blood tests?
Yes. Only if your dog is between 3-6 months, you can start the heartworm prevention without any blood tests. But if you dog is older than 6 months, it is important and essential to test for heartworms. You CANNOT start any form of prevention without a blood test. This is because, if your dog is positive for heartworm, it is necessary to treat the disease first before embarking in any form of prevention.
Starting heartworm prevention regime
As long as your dog is between 3 - 6 months of age, you can start the prevention now. But if your dog is already older than 6 months, then you have to bring it to your veterinarian today and he/she will explain to you the tests required and the types of prevention that is most suited for your dog.
Alternatively, You may starts your dog on revolution too.
Heartworm is transmitted from dog to dog (and cat to cat) by mosquitoes. Over 70 species of mosquitoes have already been implicated. Transmission of the parasite occurs as follows: when a mosquito draws blood from a dog or cat infected with heartworm, it takes with it a number of small immature worms called microfilariae. Once inside the mosquito, the microfilariae develop into larvae. Later, when the mosquito bites a new victim, the larvae are injected and that dog or cat becomes infected.
It takes about six and a half to seven months for the larvae to mature and start producing thousands of new microfilariae inside the circulatory system. The adult worms end up occupying the right chamber of the heart and the pulmonary arteries, while the microscopic microfilariae circulate throughout the bloodstream.
All these worms within the blood vessels produce an increased workload on the heart, along with restricted blood flow to the lungs, kidneys, and liver, eventually causing multiple organ failure. At first, pets may exhibit a chronic cough and reduced exercise tolerance, followed by sudden collapse and death.
Once infected, one pet can easily become a "carrier" or reservoir of infection for an entire neighbourhood. Sometimes, a dog or cat may have heartworm disease but show no symptoms. By the time symptoms do occur, the disease is well advanced.
What are the signs of Heartworm Disease?
When a dog is infected with heartworm, it can suffer one or more of the following symptoms:
1. Coughing: can be occasional or severe
2. Exercise intolerance
3. Weight loss
4. Fluid retention in the abdomen
5. Breathing difficulties
6. Deaths in severe cases
Prevention is preferred to treatment. While there are effective treatments available, most veterinarians prefer to promote prevention of heartworm disease. Oral and topical medications that are administered monthly and have shown to be highly effective in preventing heartworm disease are available from your veterinarian.
How do I know if my dog has heartworms?
If you have a medium to large sized dog and it spends most of its time outdoors, it is strongly recommended that you put your dog on HEARTWORM PREVENTION. This is usually a monthly prevention (either topical application or oral medication) for the rest of its life. However, before you start any form of heartworm prevention, you must bring your dog to the veterinarian for a blood test which will confirm if your dog has heartworms or not. It is important to pursue the blood test before any heartworm prevention is initiated.
Can I start the heartworm prevention without blood tests?
Yes. Only if your dog is between 3-6 months, you can start the heartworm prevention without any blood tests. But if you dog is older than 6 months, it is important and essential to test for heartworms. You CANNOT start any form of prevention without a blood test. This is because, if your dog is positive for heartworm, it is necessary to treat the disease first before embarking in any form of prevention.
Starting heartworm prevention regime
As long as your dog is between 3 - 6 months of age, you can start the prevention now. But if your dog is already older than 6 months, then you have to bring it to your veterinarian today and he/she will explain to you the tests required and the types of prevention that is most suited for your dog.
Alternatively, You may starts your dog on revolution too.
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