The importance of heartworm protection
Almost every pet owner has heard of heartworms. But did you know that it only takes one mosquito bite for your pet to become infected with heartworm disease?
This life-threatening disease affects pets all over North America and, due to the warming climate, it’s becoming more prevalent in areas previously considered low risk. While treatment for heartworm disease is possible, it’s costly, complicated and requires complete rest for dogs. Cats were once thought to be immune from heartworm disease, but they can get it too, and there are no approved drugs for treating heartworm in cats.
Luckily, heartworm disease is preventable! Learn more about heartworm and the importance of preventing this potentially life-threatening disease with these 10 facts.
- When an infected mosquito bites a pet, it transmits the blood-borne parasite that causes heartworm disease into the animal. Immature heartworm larvae move to the heart and adjacent blood vessels, where they mature into adults. They can mate and produce microfilariae (baby worms) within six to seven months.
- Over time, adult heartworms clog a pet’s heart and major blood vessels, reducing the blood supply to the body’s organs and causing them to malfunction. Microfilariae block the blood flow in small blood vessels, especially in the liver and lungs.
- It can take several years for an infected pet to show signs of heartworm disease.
- In areas with high mosquito populations, there are more species of mosquitos that can transmit the disease.
- Adult heartworms can grow up to 12 to 14 inches in length.
- Heartworms can’t be transmitted from one cat to another, or from a dog to a cat. Their larvae must live in a mosquito before they can be transmitted to another animal.
- Heartworm disease is a growing problem and has been diagnosed in all 50 states.
- Regular testing is important for two reasons: giving preventive medication to a pet infected with heartworms can lead to complications; and if a pet tests positive, but was negative the previous year, it means the infection was caught early, making treatment easier and lower risk.
- Prevention is easy! Heartworm disease preventives are strongly recommended and can be given topically, orally or as an injection.
- Heartworm preventives often kill the larvae of some intestinal worms, like roundworms and hookworms, making them a double threat to internal parasites!
Talk to your veterinarian about the best heartworm preventives for your pet. Find a hospital near you. >>
