Keep your Pets Worm Free: A Guide to Preventing Heartworm Disease 

We know how precious your pets are to you. This is a must-read guide to help you understand heartworm disease and protect your pets, keeping them happy and heartworm-free.  

Demystifying Heartworm Disease: The Causes and its Consequences  

Heartworm disease is a severe health condition primarily affecting dogs, cats, and ferrets. The culprit? A parasitic worm known as Dirofilaria immitis. This fatal disease can cause extreme lung disease, heart failure, and eventually death in pets. The parasite is transmitted through mosquito bites, migrating under your pet’s skin before making its way to the heart. Here, it grows, reproduces, and generates millions of offspring, continuing the cycle of life. 

The worms can block blood flow, cause inflammation, and permanently damage vessel walls, leading to heart failure and a tragic end for your precious pet. Importantly, the disease isn’t contagious from one dog to another, but it can be transmitted via mosquito bites among housemates. Adult heartworms can live up to 7 years in dogs, with the average dog housing about 15 worms, although it can range from 1 to 250 worms.  

Detecting Heartworms: How Veterinarians Test Dogs for Heartworms  

Veterinarians rely on blood tests to detect heartworms in animals. Antigen tests can spot specific heartworm proteins released into the dog’s bloodstream. These tests are usually accurate at detecting one or more adult female heartworms. The earliest these proteins can be identified in a dog’s bloodstream is about five months after an infected mosquito bite.  

A secondary test checks for microfilariae in a dog’s bloodstream, indicating the presence of adult heartworms. The youngest age at which microfilariae can be detected in a dog’s blood is about six months post-infection. The frequency of heartworm tests varies, taking into account factors like the pet’s age, missed preventive treatment, recent travel to heartworm-prone areas, and the local heartworm season.  

Dogs that are five months and older should be tested for heartworms before starting any preventive treatment. Regular annual testing is necessary for all dogs on heartworm prevention.  

Recognizing the Symptoms of Heartworm Disease in Dogs  

The severity of heartworm disease depends on the number of worms, the duration of infection, and the dog’s physiological response. Active dogs with a high worm burden and lengthy infection usually show clear signs of the disease. The disease is categorized into four classes, from mild symptoms like occasional coughing (Class 1) to life-threatening conditions like Caval Syndrome (Class 4). If left untreated, heartworm disease can cause irreparable damage to a dog’s heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys, leading to death.  

Heartworm Disease Treatment Options  

Melarsomine dihydrochloride (Immiticide and Diroban) is an FDA-approved drug used to eliminate adult heartworms in dogs. Another drug, Advantage Multi for Dogs, is used to clear the bloodstream of microfilariae. While these treatments can be costly and have potential side-effects, prevention is always the best option!  

The Golden Rule: Prevention is the Best Treatment!  

There are multiple FDA-approved products available to prevent heartworms in dogs. Yearly prevention is the most efficient method, and it’s advised by the American Heartworm Society to “Think 12,” meaning 12 months of heartworm prevention and yearly testing.  

Heartworm Disease in Cats  

Cats are also susceptible to heartworm infection, though less frequently compared to dogs. The major difference is in the lifespan and size of the heartworms, which are typically fewer and shorter in cats. Diagnosis in cats can be more challenging. Unfortunately, FDA-approved treatment for heartworms in cats doesn’t exist yet, making prevention even more crucial in cats.  

Can Humans Get Heartworms from Their Pets?  

Humans cannot contract heartworms from pets. On rare occasions, humans can get heartworms from mosquito bites, but the worms usually die off before reaching adult stage as humans aren’t their preferred hosts.  

In conclusion, ensuring that your pets are heartworm-free is essential for their long-term health and wellbeing. Always remember, the best cure is prevention! So, consult with your pet’s veterinarian to decide the best preventive measures.