Heartworm Prevention - Low Cost Prevention Beats Expensive, Risky Treatment

More than 300,000 dogs in the U.S. are infected with heartworms every year. Treating an infected animal is costly and weakens the animal for some time. Heartworm medicine for dogs is routine care for responsible pet owners and just as important as keeping your canine's vaccinations up to date.

The medical problems caused by heartworm are often seriously debilitating to canines and lead to damage not only in the animal's heart but also in the kidneys, liver and lungs.This is an insidious parasite that may not have visible symptoms until the disease is advanced. If your dog has a light heartworm infestation and is not highly active the symptoms of heartworm may not become apparent. In most dogs, symptoms of heartworm are detected by your vet as changes in heart or lung function.

Though early signs of the disease are rare, coughing is often one of the first indicators a dog is infected with heartworm. Your veterinarian may detect unusual lung sounds during a routine physical examination and you may notice the animal tires quickly when exercised. Severe heartworm disease may display as an enlarged liver and loss of consciousness due to poor blood flow to the brain. The dog may be unconscious for only a few seconds which can be confused with a mild seizure that leaves the animal seeming confused for a few moments. Fluid accumulation in the abdomen can be a symptom of advanced heartworm disease but is also an indicator of other heart diseases in canines. Veterinarians often recommend a routine blood test for heartworm as part of your pet's annual checkup. The test strip for a positive indicator may vary from a pale blue indicating a light case of heartworm to a darker blue showing a heavy infestation.

Heartworms that are less than 7-8 months old in your dog will not e detected by the blood test. A positive test may require an angiogram or ultrasound to determine how much damage the pet has sustained to his organs.

It's sad that so many dogs develop heartworm disease each year as this parasite is so easily preventable. Mosquitoes carry the heartworm larvae and transmit it when they bite the animal. Dogs seem to be the perfect host though more than 30 species can be infected with heartworm disease.

One dog may have only 2-3 heartworms present while another may be host to as many as 250 of the threadlike parasites. Mature worms mate inside the dog and the microfilariae they release is picked up by more mosquitoes and then spread to other animals in the vicinity.

Heartworm medicine for dogs provides protection for the animal in a manner that is safe and cost effective. There are topical treatments applied monthly and injections that shield the animal for six months at a time. The most popular heartworm medicines for dogs are:

Heartgard (Ivermectin) - A beef flavored wafer given monthly prevents canine heartworm disease and also treats roundworms and hookworms. Heartgard may be used after a diagnosis of heartworm disease to limit further development of the parasite.

Sentinel - Flavor tabs administered monthly kill heartworm larvae before signs of the disease appears. Sentinel should not be used for animals who test positive for heartworm disease.

Revolution (selamectin) - A spot on treatment with multiple benefits. Revolution is an effective heartworm medication for dogs and also protects from fleas and other parasites.

Interceptor (milbemycin oxime) - A monthly oral pet medication that can be used on puppies over 4 weeks of age and also controls roundworms and hookworms. Interceptor is safe to use in pregnant and nursing dogs.

by: D. Thurmond, D.V.M.

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