Many people believe that heartworms are an infestation that dogs can catch from other dogs or from eating things off the ground that have been infected. This is not the case. Heartworms are caused by mosquitoes who carry the larvae of heartworms and infect the dog when they bite it. When heartworm symptoms in dogs becomes noticable the dog usually has had the infestation for a long period of time.
Protecting a pet from heartworm infestation is relatively inexpensive and easy to do. There are many treatments available from the vet that can be applied to protect a pet. In addition, there are injections that can be given when a dog has it’s yearly health check that will protect it from infestation.
Adding treatment for heartworm should be included in this yearly check-up. The medicines available to prevent heartworm in a dog are affordable and come in topical creams, pills, or shots that are given yearly. Using these treatments assures that a pet will not be infected by a mosquito bite.
Mosquitoes breed in any area that has standing water. This can be a long standing puddle or well as well as riverbanks where the water does not move. It is important that if an individual lives in an area where there may be standing water or a pool that they take extra precautions to protect their pet.
An infestation is fully manifested by the type heartworm symptoms in dogs become visible. Heartworms can live in the bloodstream of a dog, attacking organs throughout the body, for several years with no visible symptoms. By the time the symptoms do begin to appear the dog is ill and needs to see a vet immediately.
One of the main symptoms that a dog will show when the heartworms have clogged the heart is coughing. The cough will not sound like kennel cough but be more raspy as thought the dog is gasping for air while coughing. A dog may cough so hard that they will cough up blood or pass out in the middle of coughing.
Another symptom is shortness of breath. While the heartworms invade the heart, they also invade the other organs of the body. By the time symptoms occur the heartworms are usually lodged in the lungs as well as this makes it difficult for the dog to breathe normally. When they breathe it will sound very thready and uneven.
Because adequate blood cannot flow to the brain the dog will also often lose consciousness and appear very lethargic. They will act very tired and usually will stop eating when they have reached this stage of the illness. They will not be able to walk for any distance and climbing stairs or jumping will be too difficult for them to accomplish without assistance.
Immediate assistance from a vet will include x-rays and diagnosis to determine the extent of the infestation. The vet will treat the dog for several weeks with medication and treatment. Follow-up treatment is usually required for several months and the dog must be kept quite as recovery takes place. The treatment once infestation has reached the point that symptoms are visible can be very expensive.
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