Phase Two of Heartworm Treatment

Heartworms are awful parasites that affect canines. The heartworms are spread through the blood transferred through mosquito bites. Over time, they can cause congestive heart failure, leading to death. When heartworms make their home inside of dogs, they consume two different areas of the body with two different forms of the parasite. The mature, adult male and female heartworms occupy the dog’s heart. However, the immature, young heartworms are released into the dog’s bloodstream.

Treating heartworms takes two different stages. The first stage targets the adult heartworms, killing them and then beginning to eliminate them through the bodily systems. After the first stage, the dog must have a quiet and calm recovery to be sure to safely eliminate the heartworms. If the dog is active or stressed, the pieces of adult heartworms can get caught in blood vessels, forming clogs and health complications. Through the recovery period, the dog’s owner must watch him carefully for signs of discomfort, which indicate a trip back to the veterinarian for further inspection.

After roughly five weeks, if all goes according to plan for the first treatment, the dog returns to the veterinarian for the second stage of the heartworm treatment. Like the first time, the dog receives injection of medicine from the veterinarian. However, instead of targeting the parasites within the heart, this treatment is aimed at the immature parasites within the bloodstream.

Again, after this stage of treatment, the dog enters phase two of his recovery period. As with the first stage, the owner must keep the dog quiet and comfortable to prevent further complications. This second phase of recovery lasts for roughly eight weeks. It is important to follow your veterinarian’s advice for the entire eight weeks to avoid setting back the effectiveness of the treatment. After eight weeks, if the veterinarian and the owner find that the dog appears back to normal, everyday activity can return to the usual.

In another six months, the dog needs to return for another heartworm test to be sure the treatment was effective and the dog has not encountered more heartworm troubles. Prevent heartworms by giving your dog the recommended medicine from your veterinarian and regularly testing for the parasite.