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Home » Long Term Weight Loss » Year-round heartworm prevention critical to your pet’s health – Chicago Daily Herald

April has been designated National Heartworm Awareness Month.

Heartworm disease is a serious disease caused by long, spaghetti-like worms (Dirofilaria immitis) that live in the pulmonary artery next to an animal's heart. If left untreated, heartworm disease can spread into the animal's heart and lungs, causing lung disease, heart failure and even death.

A variety of animals can be affected by heartworm disease, including dogs, cats, ferrets, coyotes and foxes.

Heartworms are passed from one animal to another by mosquitoes. When a mosquito takes a bite of an infected animal, microscopic baby worms (microfilaria) are in the blood the mosquito ingests. The baby worms mature into an infective larval stage while inside the mosquito.

When the infected mosquito bites another animal, the larvae enter the animal through the bite wound, where they develop into adult heartworms.

In a newly infected dog, infective larvae travel through the bloodstream to the heart and lungs, where they grow into adult heartworms, mate, reproduce and release more microfilaria into the dog's bloodstream. Now, mosquitoes that bite the infected dog pick up more heartworm disease to distribute.

Heartworms live five to seven years in dogs. Adult heartworms grow up to 6 inches long; female heartworms can reach up to a foot. The average number of heartworms in untreated dogs is 15, although there can be hundreds.

When a dog is first infected, he may not exhibit any symptoms. As the worms mature and reproduce, symptoms include coughing, fatigue and weight loss that worsen as the disease progresses. Heart failure is common in later stages.

Cats are affected differently by heartworm disease. Although they can be infected just like dogs, most worms do not become adults in cats. Cats typically have just one or a few worms, and the life span of worms is shorter. However, even immature heartworms can cause severe damage and death in cats.

Symptoms are sometimes rare and at other times extreme. They may include coughing, vomiting and weight loss. Unfortunately, sometimes the first sign something is wrong is sudden death.

It is also unfortunate for cats that the medication available to treat heartworm disease in dogs is not safe for cats. Cats with heartworm disease must develop a plan with their veterinarian for long-term therapies.

Dogs with mild to moderate cases of heartworm disease can be successfully treated with a series of a drug that kills adult heartworms. Additional medications may also be prescribed by your veterinarian. During the treatment period, dogs must reduce activity to minimize damage caused by dying heartworms. It is not a pleasant experience for the dog and is expensive for the owners.

The best way to treat heartworm disease is to prevent it from happening in the first place.

There are many methods available, with a product to suit every lifestyle. Your veterinarian can help you sort through the options before prescribing the medication. Tablets, topicals applied on the skin and injections are all available.

The American Heartworm Society recommends giving your pets year-round prevention.

A heartworm test -- a simple blood test performed by your veterinarian -- should be done for dogs more than seven months old and then repeated once every year after that to confirm the prevention program is working. Missed doses or doses given later than directed opens an opportunity of infection.

Testing in cats is not commonly completed annually and should be discussed with your veterinarian. Dogs and cats should be started on heartworm prevention by 8 weeks of age.

Heartworm disease has been reported in all 50 states, and veterinarians in this area have already seen several new cases of heartworm disease this year. It only takes one bite of just one infected mosquito to give your pet heartworm disease. Please protect him from this preventable disease -- it's easy.

Diana Stoll is the Practice Manager at Red Barn Animal Hospital with locations in Hampshire and Gilberts. Visit redbarnpetvet.com, or call (847) 683-4788 (Hampshire) or (847) 422-1000 (Gilberts).

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Year-round heartworm prevention critical to your pet's health - Chicago Daily Herald

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Home » Long Term Weight Loss » Year-round heartworm prevention critical to your pet’s health – Chicago Daily Herald