Most pet owners have heard about heartworms but may be fuzzy on the details about the nasty little critters. I hear clients ask ”why should we do a blood test when they look at their dog’s poo and don’t see worms”, or that they are “just backyard dogs” and never encounter other dogs. Here are 5 IMPORTANT FACTS EVERY PET OWNER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HEARTWORM DISEASE (but were afraid to ask)
#1: Blame the mosquito! Pets do not infect each other with heartworms; pesky mosquitoes spread the disease. In fact, just ONE BITE from an infected mosquito is all it takes to infect your pet with heartworms.
#2: Heartworm infection has been diagnosed in all 50 states, but it is very prevalent in Texas. (Link to HW incidence maps- https://www.heartwormsociety.org/pet-owner-resources/incidence-maps)
We routinely diagnose 3-6 cases of canine heartworms a year at Garden Ridge Animal Hospital.
#3: Cats as well as dogs get heartworm disease. Fortunately, there is a monthly topical prevention for cats called Revolution, and it controls fleas and intestinal parasites too! Unfortunately, cats are not the correct host, and their immune system goes into high gear to fight the migrating larva, which causes severe, and often fatal, lung disease.
#4: There’s no season for heartworm disease. That is why the American Heartworm Society recommends year-round prevention.
#5: Heartworms are deadly, but heartworm prevention is affordable, highly effective and (usually) easy to give. The America Heartworm Society and Garden Ridge Animal Hospital recommend testing dogs for heartworm infection every 12 months and giving heartworm preventives all 12 months in a year. Here at Garden Ridge, we carry 2 affordable complete heartworm/intestinal oral preventions for dogs, and you can order ANY heartworm prevention brand from VetSource, our online pharmacy with a link on our website front page. (http://gardenridgeanimalhospital.vetsourceweb.com/site/view/HomeDelivery.pml)
Some dogs are extra picky and require some “pill pockets” or human food to hide the medicine. Our goal is for your dog to just think he is getting a “special treat” once a month.
Or we have a 12-month injection to prevent heartworms called Proheart 12. https://www.zoetispetcare.com/products/proheart
For more information about heartworms: https://www.heartwormsociety.org/pet-owner-resources
