Heartworm Season Again

As the weather continues to warm up, with it comes the wonderful return of our parasitic friend, the mosquito. Along with them comes the return of the threat of heartworms for our canine friends.

If aren't familiar with heartworms, here's a brief description from PetsMD.com:

"Heartworms are a species of roundworms and live in the arteries of the lungs and heart and the blood vessels surround both."

Needless to say, this is a nasty little parasite that can potentially be extremely serious to our dogs.

The Perpetual Heartworm Cycle

Heartworm is transmitted through mosquito bites. Here's the process:

1. A mosquito bites an infected dog, and receives heartworm larvae with the blood.


2. Those larvae being to mature, and are transmitted to the dogs the mosquito bites.


3. The heartworm larvae move in the circulatory system to the heart and lungs and fully develop, leading to Heartworm Disease.

Prevention is the Key to Defeating Heartworms

Heartworm disease can be very difficult to treat once an infestation has started. Treatment often entails multiple visits to your veterinarian, which includes a bill as large as the problem. There are several preventative treatments available, but must be obtained from your Vet. Options for treatment include a traditional pill (typically given with some kind of food), a chewy bar, and even a topical treatment.

The schedule for treatment will vary depending on the delivery method you choose. It is essential for the health of your companion that you stay on top of the treatment cycle to prevent infection.

As a boarding, grooming and doggie daycare provider, we have assisted clients with getting their dogs to the Vet for check-ups. Unfortunately, we have seen more than a few cases where the heartworm prevention regiment wasn't maintained, and we had to deliver the news their dog is infected with heartworm disease.

Heartworm Early Detection

Unfortunately, once a dog is infected, heartworm disease can be very difficult for the owner to catch; the symptoms mirror those of other canide ailments. These symptoms include:

• Dry chronic cough


• Lethargy


• Weakness


• Loss of appetite


• Low energy levels

CAUTION: If your dog exhibits any of these symptoms for more than 72 hours, be sure to see your veterinarian.

Before your Vet will start a prevention regiment with your friend, he or she will do blood work to ensure your companion doesn’t already have an infection. This is the only way to effectively diagnose heartworm disease

A regular grooming routine is a critical piece of catching a heartworm infestation early. More than just bathing, regularly brushing your dog's coat and keeping a watchful eye for mosquitoe bites will help you connect the dots if your dog’s behavior changes compared to when he or she received a bit. If you have a hard time seeing through your dog’s coat, consider enlisting the services of a professional dog groomer who can point out when these appear.