subject: April is Heartworm Prevention Month [print this page] April is Heartworm Prevention Month April is Heartworm Prevention Month
In Alexandria, VA and throughout the US, April is recognized as Heartworm Prevention Month. This disease can harm dogs and cats whether they live indoors or outdoors. Preventing this serious disease is very simple. All it requires is a pill. But many pet owners do not give this monthly pill regularly.
How does your pet get heartworms? It's all caused by a mosquito. There is no other way a dog or cat can get heartworms. And there's no way to tell if a mosquito is infected. That's why prevention is so important. Heartworm disease has been reported in Alexandria and across the U.S. And the bite of just one mosquito infected with the heartworm larvae will give your dog or cat heartworm disease. A single bite from a mosquito carrying the baby worms, or microfilaria, can cause this disease. A mosquito bite can happen easily and quickly when you are out dog walking. It takes about seven months, once a dog or cat is bitten by an infected mosquito, for the larvae to mature into adult heartworms. They then lodge in the heart, lungs, and surrounding blood vessels and begin reproducing. If undiagnosed and untreated, heartworm disease is debilitating and ultimately fatal. Treating your dog can get very expensive and usually takes 2-3 months. Cats, unlike dogs, cannot be treated for heartworm disease. They have to be medically supported for the two or three years it takes for the worms in their heart and blood vessels to die.
To prevent heartworms, get a prescription from your veterinarian in the right dosage with the right medication and give it to your pet monthly. But before you give any preventive medication to your pet, you need to be sure your veterinarian performs a quick and simple blood test to determine whether your pet is already infected. Even for pets that have consistently been on a preventive program, it is advisable to have them rechecked every year. Prevention comes in 3 forms: monthly pills, monthly topicals, and six-month injectable product. A year's supply of heartworm medicine costs only about $35 to $80, depending on a pet's weight.
Giving heartworm medication to a heartworm positive dog can cause serious side effects. These include respiratory distress, shock and possibly death. Many heartworm medication products also prevent intestinal parasites, some additionally prevent fleas. Initially, there are no symptoms with Heartworm disease however, as more and more worms crowd the heart and lungs, most dogs and cats will develop a cough. As it progresses, they won't be able to exercise or play as much as before. They'll become winded easier and dog walking may be exhausting. Your pet may even have sudden weight loss.
Please give your pet heartworm medicine. It's easy, affordable and can save their life!
