Heartworm disease is a virulent condition that affects dogs, cats, and other mammals. The disease is unlike most parasitic worms that often reside in a pet’s digestive tract. Heartworms can infiltrate your pet’s heart, lungs, and blood vessels. A single mosquito bite can transmit heartworm disease to your pet. Our Star of Texas Veterinary Hospital team explains the risks associated with heartworm disease and why implementing preventive measures is crucial for your furry pal’s health.
What is heartworm disease in pets?
Heartworm disease occurs when a mosquito infected with heartworm larvae bites a pet and transmits the larvae into the bloodstream. Dogs are primary heartworm disease hosts because heartworms can reside and grow inside their bodies. Cats are atypical hosts because these worms cannot grow to adulthood in their bodies. However, heartworm disease can also severely affect cats. Once an infected mosquito bites your pet and the heartworm larvae are transferred, the larvae will mature into adult worms that can grow up to a foot in length. Once mature, heartworms can reside for up to five to seven years in your pet’s body, causing severe damage and potentially life-threatening complications.
Heartworm disease signs in pets
Heartworm disease often progresses silently, with overt physical signs becoming apparent only in the later infection stages. Cats rarely display signs; when signs are present, pet owners often mistake them for allergies or asthma. Heartworm disease signs in dogs include:
- Persistent coughing
- Difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Decreased appetite
- Exercise intolerance
- Swollen abdomen in severe cases
- Fainting or collapse
The only sure way to determine that your pet has heartworm disease is through testing, which is conducted by our Star of Texas Veterinary Hospital veterinarian. Annual heartworm disease testing ensures the condition is detected early enough to prevent your pet from developing severe complications and a less successful treatment outcome.
Heartworm disease treatment for pets
If your pet is diagnosed with heartworm disease, treatment may involve a series of injections to kill adult worms. However, this process must be performed gradually because eradicating heartworms too quickly can cause pulmonary embolism or other complications. In the later heartworm disease stages, the only recourse may be to have established heartworms surgically removed. As you may surmise, heartworm disease treatment can be costly, complex, and risky, especially in advanced cases. Prevention is far more effective and affordable than treatment.
Preventing heartworm disease in pets
The silver lining in heartworm disease is that the condition can be entirely avoided. To prevent your pet from contracting heartworm disease, follow these tips:
- Administer heartworm preventives — Heartworm preventives are available in chewable, topical, and injectable forms. Discuss these options with our veterinarian, and we will prescribe the most suitable heartworm preventive medication for your pet. Ensure you administer the preventive as directed, typically every month.
- Maintain year-round prevention — Heartworm disease can occur any time of the year, so you must administer your pet’s preventive year-round. Texas and other coastal states have a high heartworm disease prevalence. If you forget to give your pet their preventive one month, they could easily contract heartworm disease.
- Schedule wellness exams — During your furry pal’s exam at Star of Texas Veterinary Hospital, our veterinarian will screen your pet for parasitic infections, including heartworms. Early heartworm disease detection allows for prompt treatment and better outcomes.
- Control the mosquito population — Minimize your pet’s exposure to mosquitoes by keeping them indoors during peak mosquito activity times (i.e., dawn and dusk). Use pet-safe mosquito repellents and traps, and eliminate mosquito breeding grounds in your yard by getting rid of standing water. Discourage mosquitoes from coming into your yard by cutting down tall grasses and weeds.
Heartworm disease poses a serious threat to your pet’s health and well-being, but the condition can be prevented by taking effective measures. By incorporating regular veterinary care, year-round prevention, and environmental mosquito management strategies, you can safeguard your pet against this potentially deadly disease and ensure they lead a long, healthy life. Call our Star of Texas Veterinary Hospital team to get your pet started on heartworm prevention. Your pet’s heart will thank you.
