Faust Animal HospitalHeartworm Disease
By Faust Animal Hospital
Heartworm disease is actually a parasite that can infect dogs and cats of all ages and breeds. This parasite is called Dirofilaria immitis. Dirofilaria is actually a worm that can grow reach 12-14 inches in length and lives in the heart and major blood vessels surrounding the heart. Symptoms of heartworm infestation are the same as symptoms of heart failure and include lethargy, coughing, and exercise intolerance.
How does my pet get Heartworm?
Dogs and cats get heartworm from the bite of an infected mosquito. This mosquito has already bitten an infected animal and carries the larval heartworm, or microfilaria, to next animal it bites. Since it nearly impossible to protect your pet from mosquito bites, it is difficult to prevent infection on your own.
How can I prevent infection?
Dogs and cats can be tested for heartworms after the age of 6 months, although prevention can be started as early as 7 weeks. This is because heartworms take 6 months to grow into adults and be found by testing. Your pet can be protected from heartworm disease through the use of preventive medication. This often comes in the form of a tablet given once a month. These work by killing any microfilaria that have been injected in your pet by infected mosquitoes in the last 30 days.
Is the medication safe?
The dose of medicine needed to prevent heartworm disease is very low, and safe to use in even very small dogs and cats. To ensure protection, it is necessary to test for heartworm as soon as your pet is old enough, or in older pets, prior to prescribing the preventive medication. As long as your pet is continuously on the preventive and does testing as required by the manufacturer, the medication is guaranteed to be 100% effective.
What if my pet has heartworm disease?
Treating an infected pet is difficult and expensive. Heartworm is usually treated by administering a drug called melarsomine as a series of injections. These injections can be very painful, and treatment usually requires a few days of hospitalization with intravenous fluids. Blood testing may also be necessary as the treatment can damage the kidneys. As the worms are killed by the treatment, their passing through the system can cause severe physiologic effects, including death. These treatments can run from $1000 to $1500 for a 50 lb dog, depending on any side effects that may occur. On the other hand, the prevention costs only a few dollars a month and side effects are rare. This is why we strongly recommend preventing heartworm disease- it's just a better investment for your veterinary dollar and the quality of life for your pet.
Heartworm Disease in Arizona
Although the incidence of heartworm disease in Arizona has been lower than other parts of the country, it has been on the rise over the years. This is because mosquitoes are becoming more common due to irrigation and plant-life not native to the climate. Heartworm prevention is not mandatory, but we strongly recommend it to give your pet a long, healthy, happy life. To learn more about heartworm, go the Heartworm Society at www.heartwormsociety.org
If you have any questions, please contact us!