There’s absolutely nothing heart-warming about heartworm in dogs. In fact, it is one of the most dangerous and life-threatening diseases that can affect your pooch. These creepy critters should always be unwelcomed and it can highly be possible if you the pet parent take safety measures to protect your buddy from such creatures. Before we head into the preventative ways, it is essential to identify what heartworm is and what its symptoms are.
What is heartworm in dogs?
Known as “Dirofilaria immitis”, this tiny thread-like parasitic roundworm is spread from one host to another through mosquito bites. These pesky creatures can live and breed in the lung arteries as well as the heart and can damage the lung vessels, tissues and cause congestive heart failure, all of which are life-threatening diseases.
What are the symptoms of heartworm in dogs?
If your furry pal exhibits any of the below mentioned symptoms, it is high time you seek a vet’s help to get your pal tested for heartworm disease.
- Anorexia
- Asthma
- Bulgy or Bloated Chest
- Decrease in Appetite
- Enlarged Liver
- Excessive Coughing
- Excessive Sleeping
- Exercise Intolerance
- Lethargy
- Nose Bleeding
- Pneumonia
- Rapid Breathing
- Blood Pressure Levels Rise
- Seizures
- Temporary Loss of Consciousness
- Weight Loss
How to prevent heartworm disease in dogs?
Treating heartworm in dogs can be a highly difficult and arduous task, but the good news is, it can be easily preventable. There are many heartworm preventatives that are available in the market. Some of the highly effective ones are as follows:
- Advantage Multi for Dogs
- Heartgard/ Heartgard Plus
- Nuheart Heartgard
- Revolution for Dogs
- RSPCA Heartworm Tablets
- Sentinel
While these above-mentioned preventatives work brilliantly in preventing the deadly heartworm from creeping into your canine’s body, it alone cannot help in preventing heartworm. Hence, it is also imperative to keep these points in mind.
- Frequent Blood Tests and Vet Visits – As you know, prevention is always better than cure, it is imperative to go for regular vet visits and get your pal’s blood tested from time to time. Regular blood testing helps in early detection of any serious life-threatening problems if any.
- Less Exposure to Mosquitoes – Keeping mosquitoes off your pal can be a herculean yet close to impossible task. Mosquitoes are the main host that transmits heartworm disease from one animal to another and hence, it is mandatory to apply mosquito repellents on your pet. Also, ensure you limit your Fido’s outdoor play time.
- All Year Round Protection – While it is to be believed that heartworm generally affects dogs during the warmer months, this does not mean you can take your foot off the peddle even for a wee bit. All year round protection from heartworm is a must.
We all know how dangerous heartworm can be and despite our best efforts, the probability of this disease affecting our pet is still pretty high. There’s nothing much we all can do about this, but what we do know is that no matter what, you’ll continue to protect your pal.