Heartworms in dogs

Dogs, like most living things, are prone to a variety of different parasites. A parasite is a creature that lives off of another living thing known as its host. Parasites often cause great harm to their host through their quest for survival. Heartworms are no exception. They are one of the more common parasites to effect dogs. Be sure to keep yourself educated and up to date on the latest heartworm news to protect your dog from these awful parasites.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to distinguish heartworms within your dog until six months after infection. The adult male and female heartworms make their homes literally in the heart of your dog. Their eggs hatch, lodging immature heartworms into your dog’s bloodstream. Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes. When a mosquito bites an infected dog, he takes a bit of the heartworm infested blood to his next canine victim. When the mosquito bites the next dog, the heartworms are transmitted to the dog. In recent years, heartworms have also begun to plague felines as well.

It may be difficult to notice signs of a case of heartworms in your dog, so it is important to have him tested yearly. If you are sure that he is receiving regular, on-schedule preventative medication for heartworms, you may only need to test him every other year. However, if your dog is not on heartworm medication, be sure to talk to your veterinarian about a yearly testing schedule.

When heartworms reach an advanced stage within your dog, you will surely notice the symptoms, but it will be harder to treat the worms so do not skip regular vet checks. Serious signs of heartworm infection include trouble breathing and coughing, weakness, fainting, an overall appearance of dullness, and ultimately, congestive heart failure.

Luckily, when heartworms are caught before reaching a serious stage, they can usually be treated. Though it is a long procedure to treat your dog, with proper care and attention, he should recover. However, it really is best to take great care to prevent heartworms all together. They can cause your dog great distress, and you great medical bills. Keep your dog safe and healthy through regular testing and preventative measures.