April is Heartworm Disease awareness month, but this disease is something we don’t take lightly year round in Connecticut. As more dogs are being rescued and adopted from down south, we have noticed more positive test results in our yearly patient exams.
Heartworms are spread by mosquitoes, and while heartworm disease tends to be associated with warmer, humid climates, heartworm disease has been recorded in all 50 states. This disease, though still more common in the south, can be fatal if left undiagnosed. Even treatment can be risky pending the stage of the disease in the dog. It affects the heart, lungs and pulmonary blood vessels of pets. Annual heartworm testing is strongly advised at our hospital because the earlier a dog is diagnosed with the disease, the more successful the treatment is with minimal damage and side effects to the dog.
Heartworms are also transmitted to cats. Though not a typical host in cats as in dogs, heartworms still can cause damage and death in cats if left undiagnosed. It is very difficult to diagnose heartworm disease in cats. Signs of heartworm disease in cats can be very subtle or very dramatic. Symptoms may include coughing, asthma-like attacks, periodic vomiting, lack of appetite, or weight loss. There is currently no effective treatment for cats, so prevention is the key.
Prevention is safe, effective and cost-effective. The American Heartworm Society recommends year-round prevention for dogs and cats in the U.S., even in regions that experience cold winters. Heartworm preventives work retroactively, so an animal that acquires an infection one month must be given heartworm preventives in the months that follow to be protected, because of the stage development of heartworms. Heartworm preventatives kill the larvae stages of heartworms, but not the adults. It can take just 52 days for larvae to develop into adult worms after transmitted into a canine host by a mosquito. Once adult worms exist in the dog, the only way to eradicate the parasites is through treatment.
Please remember, 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. Therefore, when a test is performed on a dog who has not been on monthly preventative, that dog should be tested 6 months later and yearly after that to ensure they are heartworm-free. Preventative should be started immediately after first testing shows negative results.
Here is a link for further information regarding heartworm stages that we found easily explained.
Contact us today to learn more about heartworm prevention protocols for your dog or cat:
203-453-0375
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HEARTWORM PREVENTATIVE PRODUCTS CARRIED AT GAMC FOR YOUR DOGS:
Heartgard Plus: oral soft beef flavored chewable heartworm preventative tablet. Also prevents roundworm and hookworm infestation.
Tri-Heart Plus: oral hard chewable heartworm preventative tablet. Also prevents roundworm, hookworm infestation.
Sentinel: oral hard chewable heartworm preventative tablet. Also prevents roundworm, hookworm and whipworm infestation. Helps control infestation of fleas.
Revolution: topical heartworm preventative. Prevents flea infestation.
Iverhart Plus: oral soft non-beef chewable. Also prevents roundworm, hookworm, whipworm and tapeworm infestation.
HEARTWORM PREVENTATIVE PRODUCTS CARRIED AT GAMC FOR YOUR CATS:
Revolution: topical monthly product. Also helps prevent/treat fleas, ear mites, roundworms, hookworms.
Heartgard Plus: oral soft chewable tablet. Also prevents roundworm and hookworm infestation.