Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Heartworm Medicine For Dogs - Prevent Heartworm Disease And Painful Treatment

By D. Thurmond, D.V.M.

Pet owners who ignore the veterinarian's advice to administer heartworm medicine to their dog may think it is something they can add later. Heartworm disease is easily prevented by pet meds such as Heartgard. This beefy wafer is a monthly treat your dog will enjoy, is inexpensive and can save the life of your best friend and eliminate any need for expensive and painful treatment for heartworm disease.

The worms live in the heart only when the dog is severely infested with the parasite. Lungs, kidney and liver can also be harmed by heartworm disease. You can imagine how much damage can be done by the long thread-like worms living inside your pet. Mosquitoes spread heartworms from an infected pet to a new host. The mosquitoes draws heartworm larva circulating in the blood when he bites an infected dog. The heartworm matures to the larval stage inside the mosquito in the next two weeks. At this point the disease is infectious and the bite of the mosquitoes transfers heartworm to other dogs.

Heartworms grow to maturity in about six months and cannot survive unless they pass through a mosquito. Hot, humid climates are breeding grounds for mosquitoes and not surprisingly also have the highest incidence of heartworm disease in dogs. However, the disease is diagnosed in canines in 50 states.

Several mosquitoes can infect your dog with heartworm in bite after bite. Adult heartworms migrating to your pet's heart can live there for 5-7 years. Until the heartworms mature, your dog may test negative for the disease.

Heartworms clog the arteries and the animal's heart must work harder to circulate blood. Pulmonary hypertension results when the right side of the animal's heart must push blood through blocked arteries. A strong heart can work harder and keep the blood moving but eventually the heart muscle begins to weaken as the muscle thickens. Arrythmia can result and led to death.

If the heart is weakened, fluids build up in the abdominal cavity and in the chest. Dogs will have difficulty breathing and appear to have distended bellies. Untreated heartworm disease causes other problems, too. The heartworms stimulate an immune response in the animal and the natural buildup of antibodies can cause inflammation in eyes, joints and kidneys causing pain and damaging membranes.

A crisis can occur when a dog with a high number of heartworms has not exhibited symptoms until the disease has progressed to a life threatening crisis. Heartworms can fill the right side of the heart and then expand into the veins feeding the heart. This is known as Caval Syndrome where the heartworm disease is not apparent until the dog goes into shock and collapses. The only treatment is emergency surgery that can hopefully remove excessive heartworms with a clamp inserted through the jugular vein. With surgery, the animal may survive. Without surgery, death usually occurs within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.

The good news is such drastic damage does not have to occur. Dogs will willingly take the flavored tablets of Sentinel, love the beef flavor of Heartgard wafers and will stand quietly once a month while you put Revolution spot on drops on his skin. Heartworm medications for dogs require a veterinarian's prescription yet can be purchased at online pet pharmacies for a significantly less cost. For as little as $10 a month you can protect your dog from heartworm disease.

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