Heartworm Basics
Welcome to April which is Heartworm Awareness Month. This month we will be approaching this increasingly common disease from a variety of angles, from learning a little about the disease, to the stages of the disease, treatment, prevention, & recommendation of year round prevention.
If you want to learn more than what you find in these articles, please feel free to contact our clinic with your questions & we would be more than happy to talk more with you.
Heartworm disease is a serious & potentially fatal disease in pets across the globe. It is caused by foot long worms that live in the heart, lungs & associated blood vessels causing severe lung disease, heart failure & damage to other organs in the body.
Microfilariae are the larva form of heartworm and migrate through the bloodstream & therefore are used as a diagnostic tool when seen under the microscope.
The female worm can grow up to 14 inches long & an 1/8 inch wide. The male is about half the size of the female.
Although mainly affecting dogs, cats and ferrets, heartworms can also live in other mammals including wolves, coyotes, foxes, sea lions and in rare instances humans. Because wild species such as foxes and coyotes live in proximity to many urban areas, they are considered important carriers of the disease.
Microfilariae are the larva form of heartworm and migrate through the bloodstream & therefore are used as a diagnostic tool when seen under the microscope.
The female worm can grow up to 14 inches long & an 1/8 inch wide. The male is about half the size of the female.
Although mainly affecting dogs, cats and ferrets, heartworms can also live in other mammals including wolves, coyotes, foxes, sea lions and in rare instances humans. Because wild species such as foxes and coyotes live in proximity to many urban areas, they are considered important carriers of the disease.
Location & Transmission
Heartworm disease is not passed dog to dog, it is instead passed from mosquito to dog. Spread of the disease therefore coincides with mosquito season, which can last year round & is also more common in warmer weather climates, such as Mississippi & Florida.
Heartworm disease is not passed dog to dog, it is instead passed from mosquito to dog. Spread of the disease therefore coincides with mosquito season, which can last year round & is also more common in warmer weather climates, such as Mississippi & Florida.
|
Heartworms in Dogs
The dog is a natural host for heartworms, which means that heartworms that live inside the dog mature into adults, mate and produce offspring. If untreated, their numbers can increase, and dogs have been known to harbor several hundred worms in their bodies. Heartworm disease causes lasting damage to the heart, lungs and arteries, and can affect the dog’s health and quality of life long after the parasites are gone. For this reason, prevention is by far the best option, and treatment—when needed—should be administered as early in the course of the disease as possible. |
|
|
Heartworm in Cats
Heartworm disease in cats is very different from heartworm disease in dogs. The cat is not the host for heartworms & most heartworms in cats do not survive to the adult stage. Cats with adult heartworms typically have just one to three worms & many cats affected by heartworms have no adult worms. While this means heartworm disease often goes undiagnosed in cats, it’s important to understand that even immature worms cause real damage in the form of a condition known as heartworm associated respiratory disease (HARD). It is also important to note that the treatment protocol that we use to treat heartworm infections in dogs cannot be used in cats, so prevention is the only means of protecting cats from the effects of heartworm disease. |
|
Stay tuned each Monday this month for a new article regarding Heartworm Disease, Treatment, & Prevention. I hope these articles are educational & helpful to you as a pet owner.
Stages of Heartworm Disease & Treatment
Heartworm Stages
Stage I: Asymptomatic
Stage II: Soft cough starts & you may see some exercise intolerance or nose bleeds
Stage III: Chronic Immune Stimulation-antibodies are being continually produced to attack the heartworms which also produce proteins that can cause damage to delicate tissues.
Stage IV: Congestive Heart Failure-Heartworm disease if left untreated will develop into this dangerous condition with disastrous results.
Stage I: Asymptomatic
Stage II: Soft cough starts & you may see some exercise intolerance or nose bleeds
Stage III: Chronic Immune Stimulation-antibodies are being continually produced to attack the heartworms which also produce proteins that can cause damage to delicate tissues.
Stage IV: Congestive Heart Failure-Heartworm disease if left untreated will develop into this dangerous condition with disastrous results.
Treatment
If your dog has a positive Heartworm Test, the following steps are next:
1. We will look for microfilaria in a blood sample under the microscope
2. Bloodwork to test for abnormalities in the liver, kidneys, or blood count/levels
3. X-rays to look for enlarged heart & ensure other organs look normal
4. Adminster heartworm prevention monthly throughout treatment
5. Course of antibiotics & steroids
6. 2-3 injections of Immiticide (medication to kill adult heartworms) are given 30 days apart (usually in the back muscles)
7. Heartworm test 6 months after completing treatment to ensure heartworm negative
If your dog has a positive Heartworm Test, the following steps are next:
1. We will look for microfilaria in a blood sample under the microscope
2. Bloodwork to test for abnormalities in the liver, kidneys, or blood count/levels
3. X-rays to look for enlarged heart & ensure other organs look normal
4. Adminster heartworm prevention monthly throughout treatment
5. Course of antibiotics & steroids
6. 2-3 injections of Immiticide (medication to kill adult heartworms) are given 30 days apart (usually in the back muscles)
7. Heartworm test 6 months after completing treatment to ensure heartworm negative
Complete rest is essential after treatment.
The adult worms die in a few days and start to decompose. As they break up, they are carried to the lungs, where they lodge in the small blood vessels and are eventually reabsorbed by the body. This resorption can take several weeks to months and most post-treatment complications are caused by these fragments of dead heartworms. This can be a dangerous period so it is absolutely essential that the dog be kept as quiet as possible and is not allowed to exercise for one month following treatment.
You may also notice a cough during this time which is common. If you become concerned about the severity of the cough, please contact our clinic to set up an appointment with one of our veterinarians.
You may also notice a cough during this time which is common. If you become concerned about the severity of the cough, please contact our clinic to set up an appointment with one of our veterinarians.
As mentioned in the previous article, we cannot use the same treatments for cats as we do dogs. The best protection for cats is to always use prevention, such as Revolution, to prevent the disease from first occurring.
How to Protect Your Pet
The risk of kittens & puppies getting heartworm disease is equal to that of adult pets due to the transmission by mosquito. We, therefore, recommend that any pet be started on a heartworm preventive as early as 8 weeks of age or based on the label restrictions of the prevention chosen by the owner.
The dosage of a heartworm medication is based on body weight, not age. Puppies and kittens grow rapidly in their first months of life, and the rate of growth, especially in dogs, varies widely from one breed to another. That means a young animal can gain enough weight to move from one dosage range to the next within a matter of weeks. This is why our clinic requests that puppies & kittens under a year to visit us once a month for a free of charge weight to ensure we are providing you with adequate prevention.
The dosage of a heartworm medication is based on body weight, not age. Puppies and kittens grow rapidly in their first months of life, and the rate of growth, especially in dogs, varies widely from one breed to another. That means a young animal can gain enough weight to move from one dosage range to the next within a matter of weeks. This is why our clinic requests that puppies & kittens under a year to visit us once a month for a free of charge weight to ensure we are providing you with adequate prevention.
Keep in mind prevention is not made equal.
Do your research & consult your veterinarian about any concerns or questions about prevention.
Do your research & consult your veterinarian about any concerns or questions about prevention.
Below I have given you a variety of heartworm preventions, for dogs and cats, along with what the labels claim it helps prevent, & how it is applied.
Heartworm Prevention (Dog)
Iverhart Plus
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm
Application: Monthly (Oral)
Heartgard Plus
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm
Application: Monthly (Oral)
Interceptor
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm, Whipworm
Application: Monthly (Oral)
Iverhart Max
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm, Tapeworm
Application: Monthly (Oral)
Sentinel
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm, Whipworm, Flea Eggs
Application: 8 month (Collar)
Advantage Multi
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm, Whipworm, Fleas/Flea Eggs
Application: Monthly (Topical)
Revolution
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Flea/Flea Eggs
Application: Monthly (Topical)
Trifexis
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm, Whipworm, Fleas
Application: Monthly (Oral)
Iverhart Plus
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm
Application: Monthly (Oral)
Heartgard Plus
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm
Application: Monthly (Oral)
Interceptor
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm, Whipworm
Application: Monthly (Oral)
Iverhart Max
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm, Tapeworm
Application: Monthly (Oral)
Sentinel
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm, Whipworm, Flea Eggs
Application: 8 month (Collar)
Advantage Multi
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm, Whipworm, Fleas/Flea Eggs
Application: Monthly (Topical)
Revolution
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Flea/Flea Eggs
Application: Monthly (Topical)
Trifexis
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm, Whipworm, Fleas
Application: Monthly (Oral)
Also keep in mind that preventions are priced based on weight. Your prevention costs will vary based on your pet's weight & also by which prevention you choose.
Heartworm Prevention (Cats)
Heartgard Plus
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, & Hookworm
Application: Monthly (Oral)
Interceptor
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm, Whipworm
Application: Monthly (Oral)
Advantage Multi
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm, Fleas/Flea Eggs
Application: Monthly (Topical)
Revolution
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm, Fleas/Flea Eggs
Application: Monthly (Topical)
Heartgard Plus
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, & Hookworm
Application: Monthly (Oral)
Interceptor
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm, Whipworm
Application: Monthly (Oral)
Advantage Multi
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm, Fleas/Flea Eggs
Application: Monthly (Topical)
Revolution
Helps Prevent: Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm, Fleas/Flea Eggs
Application: Monthly (Topical)
Because it's important I will say it again...Keep in mind preventions are not made equal. Do your research & consult your veterinarian about any concerns or questions about prevention.
Why Year Round Prevention?
Whenever you visit our clinic, chances are you’ve seen the posters on our walls warning of the dangers of heartworm disease & also the benefits of prevention.
Heartworm disease can be fatal to pets. Most of our clients have their pet on some form of prevention, however, we get this question on a daily basis: why do I need to have them on prevention YEAR ROUND?
Heartworm disease can be fatal to pets. Most of our clients have their pet on some form of prevention, however, we get this question on a daily basis: why do I need to have them on prevention YEAR ROUND?
|
We highly recommend heartworm & flea/tick prevention medicine for pets to take year round for several reasons.
1. Winter weather 2. Other benefits of heartworm prevention 3. Increase in number of positive heartworm animals cases 4. Cost of heartworm treatment |
|
Due to the link to mosquitoes, some owners opt out of treating their pets during the winter months, but veterinarians see this as an unnecessary risk to the pet’s health. Animal owners who stop giving heartworm prevention medication during the winter still run the risk of their dog or cat contracting heartworms. Even in the winter months, there are warmer days or even a week here and there where the temperatures warm up enough to make contracting heartworm disease possible.
Heartworm prevention usually also has a general dewormer element built into the prevention. So by keeping your pet on year round prevention, you are also providing them a monthly dewormer as well. Intestinal parasites are a year-round issue & keeping your pet on prevention helps keep this issue at bay.
In our clinic this year alone we have already seen 5 positive cases of heartworms in dogs already....and it's only April! Heartworm positive cases are definitely on the rise which means more mosquitoes in the area are carrying this deadly disease & our pets are more at risk than ever. Prevention during the warmer months is critical, but colder months important also!
I have already covered in a previous article this month our treatment protocol for heartworm, but I did not include the pricing for that. For our clinic, the average price of heartworm treatment is $800-$1000 & can be even more expensive than that based on the dog's weight. Compared to the relatively low cost of monthly prevention & the significant health risk associated with heartworm disease, ensuring your pet is protected from heartworm year round is a no brainer.
Heartworm prevention usually also has a general dewormer element built into the prevention. So by keeping your pet on year round prevention, you are also providing them a monthly dewormer as well. Intestinal parasites are a year-round issue & keeping your pet on prevention helps keep this issue at bay.
In our clinic this year alone we have already seen 5 positive cases of heartworms in dogs already....and it's only April! Heartworm positive cases are definitely on the rise which means more mosquitoes in the area are carrying this deadly disease & our pets are more at risk than ever. Prevention during the warmer months is critical, but colder months important also!
I have already covered in a previous article this month our treatment protocol for heartworm, but I did not include the pricing for that. For our clinic, the average price of heartworm treatment is $800-$1000 & can be even more expensive than that based on the dog's weight. Compared to the relatively low cost of monthly prevention & the significant health risk associated with heartworm disease, ensuring your pet is protected from heartworm year round is a no brainer.
Another question we get a lot at our clinic is why we strongly recommend Heartworm Testing prior to starting any pet on heartworm prevention over 6 months of age.
If the animal becomes infected and the heartworm preventative is later resumed without testing, the owner may be putting the pet in danger. The preventive medicine can kill so many microfilariae (the offspring of adult, female heartworms) at once that it could shock the animal’s system, with potentially fatal results. Also, preventatives will not kill adult heartworms and they will continue to reproduce.
For this reason, testing your dog or cat prior to starting a heartworm preventive medication is essential, especially since pets that have heartworms may not show symptoms right away.
If the animal becomes infected and the heartworm preventative is later resumed without testing, the owner may be putting the pet in danger. The preventive medicine can kill so many microfilariae (the offspring of adult, female heartworms) at once that it could shock the animal’s system, with potentially fatal results. Also, preventatives will not kill adult heartworms and they will continue to reproduce.
For this reason, testing your dog or cat prior to starting a heartworm preventive medication is essential, especially since pets that have heartworms may not show symptoms right away.
With Heartworm Disease being so easily prevented, is it worth the risk to only use Heartworm Prevention seasonally?
No, its not worth the risk!
Year round prevention is the only way to fully protect your family pet.
No, its not worth the risk!
Year round prevention is the only way to fully protect your family pet.
