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Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease in dogs and cats, but it can be prevented with a little understanding! Today, we’ll talk about what this disease is, how it spreads and the preventative products you can use.
If you want to read more about pests like fleas and ticks and the prevention you can use to treat and control them, read my article here.
Disclaimer: While I do have experience with animals and working in the veterinary field, I am not a medical professional and this should not be construed as medical or professional advice. This is simply a guide to help you understand the importance of heartworm protection. I recommend that you seek advice from a veterinarian.
WHAT IT IS AND HOW YOUR PET BECOMES INFECTED
Heartworm disease is a parasitic disease spread only through the bite of a mosquito. Mosquitoes pick up microfilaria — or baby heartworms — from an infected dog, fox, coyote or wolf. The microfilaria live in the mosquito for about 10-14 days until it becomes infective larvae. This larvae is then transferred into your pet when they are bitten by the mosquito.
The larvae travel through your pet’s blood vessels to their heart and lungs. It takes about 6-7 months in dogs for the larvae to mature into adult heartworms. The adults then mate and produce more microfilaria. These newly produced microfilaria in your infected dog are what mosquitoes are picking up and transferring to other uninfected animals, continuing the cycle.
Heartworm disease has been reported in all 50 United States and can happen even in the colder temperatures, so it is important to have your pet on year-round prevention no matter where you live!
HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR PET HAS IT
The simplest and best way to know if your dog is infected is to have your veterinarian run a heartworm antigen test. It requires a small blood draw and only takes a couple of minutes to receive results. This test is required annually in order to purchase heartworm prevention.
Symptoms of heartworm disease in dogs include a dry cough, decreased appetite, shortness of breath and loss of stamina, though symptoms and their severity varies from pet to pet. Some dogs may develop congestive heart failure, a heart murmur, enlarged liver, fluid in the abdomen, anorexia or weight loss.
Cats can also have heartworm disease, but it’s a little bit different! While cats are not normal hosts and the heartworms don’t often survive long enough to become adult heartworms, it is still a very serious issue for them due to the small size of their hearts. It can lead to life-threatening cardiac or respiratory problems and since there is no drug to treat heartworm disease in cats, prevention is key!
TREATMENT
If your dog receives a positive result during the antigen test, your vet will likely run a full blood panel and x-rays to confirm the presence of heartworms and assess the damage to the heart and lungs before starting treatment. From there, your vet should go over the treatment and recovery plan for your dog with you and all costs associated.
A brief overview of the typical treatment process: Your dog will be started on an antibiotic called doxycycline to combat potential infection with bacteria that inhabit the heartworm. They will also likely be given a monthly heartworm preventative that contains ivermectin to prevent your dog from getting a new infection, as well as keeping your dog from being a source of larvae for mosquitoes to spread to other dogs.
After 30 days, the first melarsomine injection is given to kill adult heartworms. 30 days after the first injection, the second and third injections are given 24 hours apart to kill the remaining heartworms. Your vet may prescribe other medications depending on the severity of the disease.
Your dog’s activity needs to be completely restricted from the initial diagnosis until one month after the final injection. As the worms die, they decompose and are carried to your dog’s lungs where they lodge in the small blood vessels and are eventually reabsorbed by the body. Not following your vet’s rest and restriction guidelines may cause severe respiratory problems!
Six months after treatment is completed, your vet will run another antigen test to confirm all heartworms have been eliminated from your dog and year-round prevention will need to be administered to avoid your pet from contracting this disease again.
Treatment for heartworm disease is costly and stressful for your dog. It may even lead to other complications like blood clots in the lungs. You can easily prevent heartworm disease by giving your pet a monthly preventative!
HEARTWORM PRODUCTS
Consult your veterinarian before administering any medication! Always use medication as directed and only for the pet it is prescribed for. Never use a medication that is meant for dogs on a cat or visa versa. Your veterinarian can direct you to the best treatment for your budget and your pet’s health, age, weight and lifestyle.
PRODUCTS FOR DOGS
PREVENTIONS THAT ARE ADMINISTERED ORALLY
Heartguard Plus Chewable Tablet – This monthly heartworm preventative kills heartworm larvae in the tissue stage and helps control and treat hookworms. Requires a current heartworm test result on file with your veterinarian.
Interceptor Plus Chewable Tablets – Prevents heartworm disease and additionally treats and controls adult roundworm, hookworm, whipworm and tapeworm. Given monthly. Requires a current heartworm test result on file with your veterinarian.
Tri-Heart Plus Chewable Tablets – A monthly chew that kills heartworm larvae and controls and treats adult hookworms and roundworms. Requires a current heartworm test result on file with your veterinarian.
Trifexis Chewable Tablets – Trifexis is a monthly medication prescribed to prevent heartworm disease and treat and control adult hookworm, roundworm and whipworm infection. It also kills fleas and prevents flea infestations. Requires a current heartworm test result on file with your veterinarian.
Sentinel Spectrum Chewable Tablets – A monthly preventative that guards against heartworms, adult roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and prevents the development of flea eggs. Requires a current heartworm test result on file with your veterinarian.
PREVENTIONS THAT ARE ADMINISTERED TOPICALLY
Revolution Topical Solution – Applied directly to your pet’s skin monthly to protect them against heartworms, fleas and ear mites. Revolution also treats and controls sarcoptic mange and American dog tick infestations. Requires a current heartworm test result on file with your veterinarian.
Advantage Multi Topical Solution – Helps to alleviate symptoms caused by parasites. Applied monthly to kill adult fleas, as well as treat and control flea infestations and sarcoptic mange. It also treats and controls intestinal parasites like roundworms, hookworms and whipworms. Advantage Multi may also prevent heartworm disease in some dogs. Requires a current heartworm test result on file with your veterinarian.
PRODUCTS FOR CATS
PREVENTIONS THAT ARE ADMINISTERED ORALLY
Heartguard Chewable Tablet – Kills feline heartworms and helps to control and treat hookworms. This chewable table is given monthly. Requires a current heartworm test result on file with your veterinarian.
Interceptor Tablets – A monthly tablet that helps prevent heartworm disease and protects against intestinal parasites. Requires a current heartworm test result on file with your veterinarian.
PREVENTIONS THAT ARE ADMINISTERED TOPICALLY
Revolution Topical Solution – Applied directly to your pet’s skin monthly to protect them against heartworms, fleas and ear mites. Revolution also treats and controls roundworm and intestinal hookworm infections in cats. Requires a current heartworm test result on file with your veterinarian.
Revolution Plus Topical Solution – Monthly topical for cats that prevents and controls flea infestations, prevents heartworm disease and the treatment and control of ear mite infestations. Additionally, it treats and controls roundworm and intestinal hookworm infections in cats AND kills ticks! Requires a current heartworm test result on file with your veterinarian.
Advantage Multi Topical Solution – Helps alleviate symptoms caused baby pesky parasites. Applied monthly to kill adult fleas, treat and control ear mites, roundworms and hookworms. It also may help to prevent heartworm disease in some cats. Requires a current heartworm test result on file with your veterinarian.
Bravecto Plus Topical Solution – Bravecto Plus for cats provides two months of protection against fleas, ticks, heartworm and intestinal parasites. Applied to the skin at the base of the skull. Requires a current heartworm test result on file with your veterinarian.