Newsletters

APRIL NEWSLETTER

What is heartworm disease?

• Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease caused by worms that can live in the heart, lungs, and pulmonary blood vessels – resulting in damage to these organs, that can last even after the infection is treated. It can affect domesticated dogs, cats, and ferrets – and can even potentially affect humans!

How are heartworms transmitted?

• Heartworms are spread by mosquitos. Wild animals, such as coyotes and foxes, as well as infected domesticated dogs, serve as carriers of heartworm disease. Mosquitos bite an infected animal and picks up larvae of heartworms (called microfilaria) from their blood stream. Inside the mosquito, it continues to develop; the mosquito can then bite another animal (your dog or cat!), and they can become infected. The larvae then develop into adult worms inside the infected animal.

Is my pet at risk for infection?

• Heartworm disease has been diagnosed in all 50 states. Of course, the areas of the country with a higher mosquito presence are more affected, but due to pets being relocated to other areas of the country, heartworm disease is relevant everywhere.

What are the clinical signs of heartworm disease?

• There are rarely symptoms that appear early in the course of disease. Once the larvae grow into adult worms, and those worms reproduce into more worms, it is more likely symptoms will develop. Signs of advanced infection may include coughing, exercise intolerance, weight loss, and decrease in appetite. If left untreated, heartworm disease leads to heart failure, which can be fatal.

Why test? Especially if my dog is on heartworm prevention?

• The longer the infection lives in the body, the more likely symptoms will develop. So, it is important to catch early! Dogs should be tested every year during their annual wellness examination.
• No prevention is 100% effective. Even if your dog is on monthly prevention, there is still a chance of becoming infected. For example, if you missed a dose, were late giving monthly prevention, or if your pet spit out their medication without you knowing, there is a possibility of infection.

Prevention

• It is better to prevent heartworm disease than to treat it!
• Types of prevention that we carry at Parks:
  • Ivermectin products – Heartgard Plus, Iverhart Max
  • Milbemycin products – Sentinel Spectrum
  • Selemectin products – Revolution
  • Moxidectin products – Simparica Trio, Preheart6
• Breed sensitivities
  • Generally the low-doses of parasiticide in these products are not a problem for any breed (including those with MDR1 mutation).
• Repelling mosquitos is also beneficial in preventing heartworm disease, especially in high-risk areas.
• Other good news about being on a monthly prevention is that many other parasites may be covered depending on the product you choose (i.e. intestinal parasites, fleas, ticks, mites).

Treatment

• If your dog does test positive for heartworm disease, we will likely confirm the diagnosis with follow up testing. There is a treatment regimen for the disease, but it is not easy or inexpensive.

Cats

• Heartworms often go undiagnosed in cats.
• Treatment used in dogs cannot be used in cats.
• Prevention is the only means of protecting cats.

Ask us about preventing heartworm disease in your dogs and cats!