Heartworm in dogs is no laughing matter. This vile parasite infiltrates your pet’s heart or lungs and causes severe illness. Although there are heartworm treatments available, they can be costly and exhausting for both you and your dog. Explore the much easier path of preventative care to keep your dog heartworm-free.
What Is Heartworm?
Heartworm is a parasite that can reside in a dog’s heart and pulmonary arteries. Heartworms can grow to be up to one foot long and resemble very thin spaghetti. By feeding on the tissue, they cause direct damage to the heart and arterial walls. Heartworms can also block the pulmonary artery, resulting in decreased blood flow to the heart and lungs, which can cause further damage.
Heartworm disease is extremely dangerous and can be fatal in dogs. Dogs with heartworm can indeed be hospitalized and treated with Melarsomine, an injectable drug, as well as antibiotics that target bacteria associated with heartworm infections. Reduced exercise and cage rest are expected for a few months while the heartworm infection is treated and the dog recovers.
What Causes Heartworm in Dogs?
More than 70 mosquito species are capable of transmitting heartworm between dogs. Several mosquito genera, including Aedes, Anopheles, Culex, and Mansonia, are known to serve as intermediate hosts. If this species of mosquito bites an infected dog, tiny heartworm larvae can grow within its body. Heartworm larvae may be passed on to another dog after 10-14 days if the mosquito bites again.
