Dog Adoption Network - Heartworm is a Serious Disease

Heartworm is a Serious Disease - Prevention is Easy

Warm weather presents a hidden danger to your pet: Mosquitoes. One bite can lead to a variety of diseases, including heartworm. Left untreated, heartworm causes suffering and even death. Dogs that are unprotected serve as the perfect host for heartworm parasites. The disease runs rampand during mosquito season. The disease is due to a parasite called Dirofilaria immitis. Once infected, worms reproduce rapidly in what becomes a vicious cycle. An infected mosquito bites a healty dog and deposits L3 larvaie that burrow through tissue into the bloodstream, working their way into the heart and vessels.

Infected dogs may not show signs of infection for 2 to 3 years. By then the dog's heart and pulmonary vessels may already be clogged with hundreds of spaghetti shaped adult worms up to 14 inches long. The longer it's undetected, the more deadly the disease becomes. The most dangerous scenario is pulmonary thromboembolism, or blood clots traveling to the vessels in the lungs.

Dogs showing signs of the disease may cough, be weak or listless. In severe cases dogs will have shortness of breath, weight loss, fainting, abdominal swelling and severe cough. A simple blood test will diagnosis the condition.

Prevention is available through prescription drugs, the most common are chewable given monthy. Consult your doctor regarding prevention of Heartworm or treatments.