When you think of the most dangerous threats to your dog or cat's health and wellness, a tiny mosquito may not seem terribly dangerous. However, this unassuming creature can infect your pet with a potentially deadly parasitic disease called heartworm. Heartworm infestations continue to rise, affecting animals in
all 50 states.
Fortunately, you can protect your dog or cat against this health threat by developing an understanding of why it occurs, how it affects animals, and what available options for heartworm treatment and prevention are. Start by getting acquainted with these four key points about heartworm in dogs and cats.
Why Dogs and Cats Get Heartworm
Although heartworms spend their adult lives inside animals, mosquitoes serve as the primary means of transmission from one animal to another. When a mosquito drinks the blood of an infected dog or cat, it ingests microfilariae (tiny baby heartworms). These microfilariae then progress to a larval stage inside the mosquito.
When the mosquito bites another animal, the heartworm larvae enter the animal's bloodstream. From there, they move into the heart and lungs, remaining there for the rest of their lives. Heartworms can grow up to
14 inches in length.
What Heartworm Does to Dogs and Cats
As heartworms grow within the heart and lungs, they can affect the function of these vital organs. Dogs, in particular, may suffer from chronic cardiopulmonary problems. Your dog may show telltale signs of heartworm infestation such as coughing, breathing problems, fatigue, and loss of appetite. These symptoms may take years to develop.
Cats don't usually host as many heartworms as dogs. A typical case of heartworm in cats involves only one to three short-lived worms. However, affected cats may experience severe respiratory or neurological problems. As the worms die, they can trigger fatal reactions in a cat's body.
How Veterinarians Treat Heartworm Infestations
Heartworm infestations can prove extremely challenging to treat properly. If your dog has heartworm, your veterinarian will first try to stabilize their overall condition. You may need to restrict your dog's activity levels, for instance, to discourage heartworm growth. Once your dog's condition has stabilized, medical treatment can begin.
Treatment to kill heartworms involves a series of injections with a drug called melarsomine. After your dog receives the first dose of this drug, they must wait 30 days before receiving the next pair of injections. Your veterinarian may also give your pet antibiotics to protect your dog against any bacteria the heartworms carry.
Cats cannot receive the same medications that treat heartworm infestations in dogs because the sudden, large-scale death of the adult worms could trigger a deadly reaction. However, since heartworms have so much trouble thriving in a cat's body, your veterinarian may suggest simply giving your cat a chance to expel the worms.
During the time that it may take for your cat to rid itself of heartworms naturally, they may continue to experience respiratory symptoms that inflammation triggers. Your veterinarian can control these symptoms by administering drugs such as prednisone. The same antibiotics that dogs receive can also help reduce heartworm symptoms in cats.
How to Protect Your Dog or Cat Against Heartworm
Prevention of heartworm infestation offers a much easier and more cost-effective strategy than treatment. Your dog or cat should receive regular wellness checks that include heartworm testing, beginning in their first weeks of life. The sooner a case of heartworm receives treatment, the better.
Your veterinarian can prescribe preventative medications that keep these worms from developing in your pet's body. These products, which typically feature active ingredients such as ivermectin or milbemycin oxime, often are monthly chewable doses. Some heartworm preventatives also protect against other parasites.
If you want to give your dog or cat the best possible chance for a healthy heart and a long life, rely on the veterinary expertise at Pet Medical Center of Vero Beach. We can check your pet for heartworm, prescribe effective preventative medications, and provide treatment for heartworm infestations.
Contact us today.
