Heartworm. Over 100,000 dogs are diagnosed with heartworm disease annually. But where does heartworm come from and how does your pet get it?
Mosquitoes. That’s right. Those annoying, long-nosed, whiny sounding blood suckers transmit heartworm from an infected dog to a healthy dog. From the FDA’s website: “In an infected dog, adult female heartworms release their offspring, called microfilariae, into the dog’s bloodstream. When a mosquito bites the infected dog, the mosquito becomes infected with the microfilariae. Over the next 10 to 14 days and under the right environmental conditions, the microfilariae become infective larvae while living inside the mosquito. Microfilariae must pass through a mosquito to become infective larvae. When the infected mosquito bites another dog, the mosquito spreads the infective larvae to the dog through the bite wound. In the newly infected dog, it takes about 6 to 7 months for the infective larvae to mature into adult heartworms. The adult heartworms mate and the females release their offspring into the dog’s bloodstream, completing the lifecycle.” At this time, the earliest heartworm protein can be detected in your dogs bloodstream is about 6 months.
How do you know if your dog has heartworm disease? A blood test is the only way to confirm heartworm. By the time symptoms appear, the disease has likely already spread. These are five signs that your dog may have heartworm according to Heartgard:
Mild persistent cough
Lethargy
Weight loss
Swollen belly
Difficulty breathing
Your dog has been diagnosed with heartworm. Now what? While effective, heartworm treatment can be long and costly, although a pet insurance wellness plan may minimize your out-of-pocket expenses. Your dog will physical activities will need to be restricted (physical exertion increases the rate of damage to the heart and lungs) and follow a treatment protocol depending on the stage of the disease. Treatment can be long and costly.
Can my cat get heartworm?
Yes. While not as susceptible to infection, both indoor and outdoor cats can also get heartworm when bitten by an infected mosquito. Heartworm is more difficult to diagnose in felines and not all cats show symptoms. If your cat is experiencing any of the following, a trip to the vet is warranted.
Intermittent vomiting
Diarrhea
Rapid and/or difficulty breathing
Coughing and/or gagging
Loss of appetite
Weight loss
Of course, these symptoms could be indicative of other diseases as well. Unfortunately, heartworm in cats is not treatable at this time.
Prevention is the best treatment!
There are many FDA-approved products to prevent heartworm in cats and dogs. Talk to your vet to decide which preventative is best for you and your pet!