The Dangers Of Heartworm Disease For Your Pet
The Signs of Heartworm in Dogs and Cats and How to Prevent It
Apr 25, 2009
Dogs and cats are susceptible to many types of intestinal worms, but heartworm is also a great risk and can be life threatening.
What Is Heartworm?
Heartworms are parasitic round-bodied worms, able to grow up to 30cm in length that live in the heart and pulmonary arteries of dogs and cats. Mosquitos spread heartworm, so any dog or cat that can potentially suffer a mosquito bite is at risk of heartworm disease.
How Can My Pet Get Heartworm?
When an infected mosquito bites a dog or cat, young worms enter the blood vessels of the animal. The young worms then migrate to the heart and lungs where they grow into adult worms. This takes approximately 6 months.
The adult worms produce offspring called microfilaria, which is what the mosquitos suck up when they bite and infected animal, and then pass on to another dog or cat.
What Does Heartworm Do to Dogs?
If your dog is infected with heartworm, the effects would begin as coughing and shortness of breath, then progressing to lethargy and inactivity. Your dog would become breathless after exercise and suffer more coughing.
In severe cases of heartworm disease, fluid leakage can occur in the lungs and abdomen causing a pear-shaped look. Severe cases can also result in sudden collapse after times of breathlessness or extreme weakness.
What Does Heartworm Do to Cats?
In cats heartworm can be serious even with just one worm (dogs can sometimes tolerate one or two worms). Breathlessness and coughing may be seen but sadly cats often die suddenly if they have heartworm disease.
The heartworms block blood flow and causes damage to the heart, lungs and liver. Heartworms can also travel to a cat’s brain and spinal cord.
How is Heartworm Disease Prevented?
There are several products available from your veterinarian available, such as:
- Monthly chewable heartworm tablets
- Tablets that prevent heartworm as well as intestinal worms
- Ampoules that you place on the back of your pets neck, many also include flea control
- A yearly injection
Depending on the product you use will depend on when you start prevention, but it should be done sooner rather then later. Some products are safe to use for puppies and kittens from 8 weeks of age, the injections are usually used for pets over 3 months old. You may wish to start on one type of prevention early on and then switch to a more convenient one (such as a yearly injection) later on.
It is important for your pet to be tested for heartworm before heartworm prevention is administered, unless your pet is young and your veterinarian is sure he or she doesn’t already have it, because giving heartworm prevention in a pet that already has heartworm can cause severe side effects.
Heartworm disease is difficult to treat in cats, and can be more severe than in dogs, so early preventative measures are the key. The risk of heartworm is more prevalent in warmer climates (where mosquitos are present), so speak to your veterinarian about the risks in your area. Your vet can also advise you on which product is best for you and your pet.
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