Heartworm testing explained
Heartworms are no joke! They are life-threatening worms spread by mosquitoes, and they cause serious disease within the heart and lungs. Mosquitoes pick up the heartworm larvae when they bite infected dogs, coyotes and foxes, and then pass the larvae along to other animals they bite.
In dogs, signs of infection include fatigue, coughing and a round potbelly look. It typically takes several years before these symptoms appear. Unfortunately, by the time clinical signs are seen, heartworm disease is usually well advanced, and treatment of an advanced infection can have serious complications.
In cats, heartworm disease is tricky to diagnose, partly because there are no unique clinical signs that set it apart from other common diseases. Many cats will suddenly start coughing and breathing quickly, while others lose weight and vomit. Occasionally, a cat that is infected with heartworms will die suddenly, with no warning signs.
Testing your pet regularly helps ensure early diagnosis and treatment if they have contracted the disease. And luckily, the heartworm test is very simple—just a straightforward blood draw.
Since treatment can be risky in dogs and since no good treatment exists for cats, prevention is the best medicine—that way your pet is never at risk to contract the disease.
But giving a heartworm preventive to a dog already infected with adult heartworms can cause allergic complications. So routine heartworm testing is also important in dogs to make sure that administering a preventive is the right choice as opposed to treatment.
Heartworm prevention is also quite simple. Heartworm preventives come in different forms, so you can choose what is most convenient for you and your household. Monthly chewable pills and topical “spot on” medications are available, as well as an injectable medication for dogs that is given every 12 months by your veterinarian.
Many of these heartworm medications also protect against intestinal parasites like roundworms and hookworms, and some may also treat fleas and ticks, so you can do double duty with one preventive.
The one catch is that preventives must be given on time, every time, year-round to be effective against heartworms. This is another good reason to test regularly—in case of a missed or late dose.
Can’t remember when your pet’s next heartworm test is due? Easily find out by logging into your myVCA Patient Portal. >>
