Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) is a fairly large worm up to 14 inches long that, in adulthood, lives in the heart and pulmonary arteries of an infected dog. Dogs aquire this infection through mosquito bites as mosquitoes readily pick up larval heartworms from infected dogs and carry them to new dogs. Some geographic areas have severe heartworm problems while other areas have none. In order for the parasite to establish its presence in an area, the following conditions must be met:
Types of mosquitoes capable of carrying larval heartworms must be present
The weather must be warm enough to allow heartworm larval development within the mosquito
There must be infected dogs (or coyotes) in the area
There must be vulnerable host dog in the area.
When these conditions come together, an area becomes endemic for heartworm disease.
How do you know if your pet has a heartworm?
Pets infected with the heartworm parasite will almost always demonstrate a marked decrease in their levels of activity. Active dogs and cats, in particular, will start showing signs of the parasite right away, including coughing, fatigue, weight loss, fainting, and coughing up of blood.
In less active animals, these symptoms will not appear as readily, which poses even more of a risk to your pet. Missing the active signs such as decreased activity means that the worm(s) has grown bigger and the more severe symptoms are now being demonstrated, and heart failure might be just around the corner.
How Expensive is it to treat?
Make no mistake about it, if your family pet has heartworm(s) you are going to have to decide whether you are going to part ways or spend a lot of money in treating the animal. Often surgery will be needed, although you may opt for oral treatments. The arsenic based compounds used to treat heartworm(s) will make your pet extremely sick, cost a lot of money, and are a hazard to children. In addition, your pet will still be at risk and must have restrained activity for many weeks after treatment.
The best procedure is prevention!
The best way to keep your pet healthy is to prevent heartworm(s) from becoming active in the first place. There are several different drugs available for both dogs and cats that can ensure that your pet stays heartworm free. They include ivermectin, milbemycin, and moxidectin. They are given to your pet monthly in seasons where mosquitoes are active, and result in a protection rate of 99%.
Resources:
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