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Most of us have heard of heartworm preventatives for dogs, but what exactly do these medications prevent? The Humane Society of Utah shares important information about heartworm disease and prevention for pet guardians.
What is Heartworm Disease?
Heartworms are parasites that live in pets’ hearts, lungs, and blood vessels. These parasites cause a very serious disease that often leads to heart failure and damage to the lungs and other organs. Heartworms mainly affect dogs, but cats and ferrets can also contract them.
Heartworms are primarily spread through the bites of infected mosquitos. Adult female worms produce microscopic offspring which mosquitos ingest when they drink the blood of an affected animal. If the mosquito then bites another pet, it transfers the microfilariae to that pet’s bloodstream. The worms then mature in their new host causing heartworm disease.
Once the worms mature (a process that takes roughly 6 months), they can then reproduce, leading to more and more parasites infecting the dog’s heart, lungs, and blood vessels. Additionally, being bit by multiple infected mosquitos can cause even more worms to enter the dog’s system.
Unfortunately, heartworm disease has been diagnosed in all 50 states, meaning pets anywhere in the US can contract this disease.
Testing and Prevention
The best way to protect your dog from heartworm disease is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. We recommend annual testing and monthly preventatives to safeguard your pet from contracting these parasites. It is important to make sure preventatives are given at the same time each month as a late or missed dose can open your pet up to infection.
Our Murray clinic offers testing and sells preventative tablets on a walk-in basis. The test takes 10-15 minutes to run, so pet guardians should be prepared to wait in the lobby for a few minutes for results. Preventatives can also be purchased through our online pharmacy.
Throughout April, our Murray clinic is running a heartworm prevention special. Clients can receive $10 off the price of their test and a manufacturer’s rebate on their purchase of heartworm preventatives. Simply mention this post to take advantage of the deal.
