The adjustable and water-resistant collars use extended-release technology to provide lasting protection. Remember, dogs can't directly pass heartworms to other dogs. Heartworms are only passed on when a mosquito bites an infected animal and then bites another dog that isn't infected.
While protecting your dog from mosquitoes, it's a good idea to protect your yard and home too. You can further protect your home by fixing broken windows, screens, and other gaps that mosquitoes might use to sneak inside.
This spray kills fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and ants. You can further cut down on mosquitoes in your yard by removing standing water where they breed. You might also want to avoid walking your dog at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active. The summer months certainly bring more opportunities to spend time outdoors, but they also bring more chances for your dog to catch heartworms.
The good news is that it only takes a few preventive steps to keep your pup mosquito-free. Year-round prevention is the safest, and is recommended. Remember too that many of these products are de-worming your pet for intestinal parasites that can pose serious health risks for humans.
Heartworm disease is very complex and can affect many vital organs, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver. As a result, the outcome of infection varies greatly from patient to patient. The adult worms cause inflammation of the blood vessels and can block blood flow leading to pulmonary thrombosis clots in the lungs and heart failure. Heartworm disease can also lead to liver or kidney failure. Dogs that are exposed to a large number of infective larvae at once are at great risk of sudden death due to massive numbers of developing larvae bombarding the vascular system.
Other animals may live for a long time with only a few adult heartworms and show no clinical signs unless faced with an environmental change, such as an extreme increase in temperature, or another significant health problem. As with all drugs or pharmaceutical products, heartworm preventives should be used before the expiration date on the package, because it is impossible to predict if it will be effective or safe. The expiration date is established by a series of tests mandated by the U.
Food and Drug Administration to provide assurance that the product is effective and has undergone no significant deterioration. You need to consult your veterinarian, and immediately re-start your dog on monthly preventive—then retest your dog 6 months later. The reason for re-testing is that heartworms must be approximately 7 months old before the infection can be diagnosed. The bad news: a cat has tested Heartworm-positive. Check out these "dos" and "don'ts" about protection.
In fact, urban mosquitoes may thrive in hot, dry conditions, wi…. Heartworm in Dogs. Information about Heartworm Positive Dogs What is heartworm disease? How is heartworm disease transmitted from one pet to another? What are the signs of heartworm disease in dogs? How significant is my pet's risk for heartworm infection? What do I need to know about heartworm testing?
When should my dog be tested? Following are guidelines on testing and timing: Puppies under 7 months of age can be started on heartworm prevention without a heartworm test it takes at least 6 months for a dog to test positive after it has been infected , but should be tested 6 months after your initial visit, tested again 6 months later and yearly after that to ensure they are heartworm-free.
Adult dogs over 7 months of age and previously not on a preventive need to be tested prior to starting heartworm prevention. They, too, need to be tested 6 months and 12 months later and annually after that. If there has been a lapse in prevention one or more late or missed doses , dogs should be tested immediately, then tested again six months later and annually after that.
What happens if my dog tests positive for heartworms? Here's what you should expect if your dog tests positive: Confirm the diagnosis. Once a dog tests positive on an antigen test, the diagnosis should be confirmed with an additional—and different—test.
Because the treatment regimen for heartworm is both expensive and complex, your veterinarian will want to be absolutely sure that treatment is necessary. Restrict exercise. This requirement might be difficult to adhere to, especially if your dog is accustomed to being active. The more severe the symptoms, the less activity your dog should have.
Stabilize your dog's disease. In severe cases of heartworm disease, or when a dog has another serious condition, the process can take several months. Administer treatment. Once your veterinarian has determined your dog is stable and ready for heartworm treatment, he or she will recommend a treatment protocol involving several steps.
The American Heartworm Society has guidelines for developing this plan of attack. Dogs with no signs or mild signs of heartworm disease, such as cough or exercise intolerance, have a high success rate with treatment.
More severe disease can also be successfully treated, but the possibility of complications is greater. The severity of heartworm disease does not always correlate with the severity of symptoms, and dogs with many worms may have few or no symptoms early in the course of the disease.
Test and prevent for success. Approximately 6 months after treatment is completed, your veterinarian will perform a heartworm test to confirm that all heartworms have been eliminated. To avoid the possibility of your dog contracting heartworm disease again, you will want to administer heartworm prevention year-round for the rest of his life. More questions about heartworm disease How do monthly heartworm preventives work? How do monthly heartworm preventives work? When do I start my dog on heartworm prevention?
If so, why? Is there an effective natural prevention for heartworm? Is there a vaccine for heartworm disease? Are heartworms more common in certain areas of the United States? I live in a northern state. How long should my dog be on heartworm prevention? What causes a dog to die from heartworm disease? Just one bite from an infected mosquito can give your dog heartworm disease. Download and present this coupon to your vet. All dogs should be tested for heartworm infection before starting a preventive program.
For more information, click here for full prescribing information. What Is Heartworm Disease? Mild Persistent Cough. A persistent, dry cough is a common sign seen in dogs with heartworm disease.
The cough caused by heartworm disease can be one of the first signs you notice in an otherwise healthy-appearing dog. Lethargy and reluctance to exercise are also common signs described in dogs with heartworm disease.
If your pet loses interest in going for walks or is fatigued after activity, it may be a sign of heartworm disease. Weight Loss. Some dogs have a decreased appetite and, as a result, lose weight. Swollen Belly. As heartworm disease progresses, it can lead to heart failure. You may notice that your dog's belly appears swollen from fluid in the abdomen. Difficulty Breathing. In the most advanced cases, dogs can develop more severe respiratory issues like rapid breathing in addition to coughing.
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