'tis The Season...for Heartworms?

As spring has started in full force, with it comes the wonderful return of our parasitic friend, the mosquito. Along with them comes the return of the threat of heartworms for our furry companions.

If aren't familiar with what heartworms actually are, here's a brief explanation from PetsMD.com:

"Heartworms are a species of roundworms and live in the arteries of the lungs and heart and the blood vessels surround both.

Needless to say, this is a nasty little parasite that can potentially be extremely serious to our dogs.

Heartworm Transmission

Heartworms are transmitted through mosquito bites. Here's the process:

A mosquito bites an infected dog, and receives heartworm larvae with the blood.
Those larvae being to mature, and are passed to more dogs the mosquito attacks.
The heartworm larvae travel in the circulatory system to the heart and lungs where they fully develop, leading to an infestation of heartworms.

Prevention Kills Heartworms

Heartworm disease can be very difficult to treat once an infection has started. Treatment often entails multiple visits to your veterinarian, which includes a bill as large as the problem. There are several preventative treatments available, but must be obtained from your Vet. Options for treatment include a traditional pill (typically given with some kind of food), a chewy bar, and even a topical treatment.

Your chosen method of prevention will determine how often treatment is required; it is imperative to follow the prescribed schedule of treatment to keep your companion safe and healthy.

As a boarding, grooming and doggie daycare provider, we have assisted clients with getting their dogs to the Vet for check-ups. Unfortunately, we have seen more than a few cases where the heartworm prevention regiment wasn't maintained, and we had to deliver the news their dog is infected with heartworm disease.

Detecting the Undetectable

Unfortunately, once a dog is infected, heartworms can be very difficult for the owner to catch; the symptoms mirror those of other canine ailments. These symptoms include:

Dry chronic cough
Lethargy
Weakness
Loss of appetite
Low energy levels

CAUTION: If your dog exhibits any of these symptoms for more than 72 hours, be sure to see your veterinarian.

Before your veterinarian will start a prevention regiment with your friend, he or she will do a blood test to ensure your pet doesn’t already have an infection. This is the only way to effectively diagnose heartworm disease.

A regular grooming routine is a critical piece of catching a heartworm infestation early. More than just bathing, regularly brushing your dog's coat and keeping a watchful eye for insect bites will help you connect the dots if your dog’s behavior changes compared to when he or she received a bit. If you have a hard time seeing through your dog’s coat, consider enlisting the services of a professional dog groomer who can point out when these appear.

By: Ann M Stewart

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Owner of Advantage Pet Center, Ann Stewart has the pleasure of working with dogs, cats, lizards, and guinea pigs, just to name a few, by offering doggie daycare, cat and dog grooming, and pet boarding for all varieties of pets. Ann is continually looking for ways to help the owners of these animals maintain a happy home for the entire family.