Heartworm Disease – Love your Dog’s Heart

Alan Myers, DVM

One of the most devastating diseases that I get faced with that can be totally prevented is Heartworm Disease. All it takes for prevention is a monthly pill – and then Heartworm Disease is something that you don’t need to worry about!!

Heartworms are caused by the parasite, Dirofilaria Immitis, which are spread by mosquitoes. All dogs are susceptible if mosquitoes are present in the environment. Outside dogs have greater risk. Once a dog is bitten by an infected mosquito, the heartworm larvae will enter the bloodstream and take up residence in the heart, where it continues to grow.

Eventually, the Heartworm infection starts to affect the output of the heart, and clinical signs develop. The first signs seen are coughing with exercise intolerance. Owners usually think their pet just has a respiratory infection and are often surprised when Heartworms are diagnosed.

Most vet clinics have the ability to test for Heartworms in-house, so you will usually know testing results immediately. A lot of vet clinics will routinely test for Heartworms during annual exams if a dog is not on preventative. Treatment of Heartworms can be expensive, and often requires hospitalization for a couple of days. Recovery depends on the severity of the case, and how much irreversible heart damage has been done by the Heartworms.

My advice on Heartworms – Start every new puppy on heartworm preventative by three months of age and keep them on it all of their life!!!  

** The author of this article accepts no liability for misdiagnosis. If your animal shows any signs/ symptoms of the diseases described above, contact your veterinarian immediately. This is an informational article only and is NOT a complete list of diseases in dogs. This article should not take place of regular veterinary care.*