Heartworm, as the name suggests, is a disease caused by a parasite which mainly targets the heart.
Although heartworms can affect cats and even humans, they commonly prevail in dogs.
It spreads through mosquito bites and hence outdoor pets are more vulnerable than indoor pets.
Once the heartworm-transferring mosquito bites, the larvae is deposited in the bloodstream and gets moved to other body parts until they reach their destination - the heart.
As soon as the heartworms reach the right ventricle of the heart, they get multiplied in numbers, leading to failure of vital organs, ultimately leading to death.
One of the worst realities of this disease is that once the infected canines begin showing symptoms, it can be too late for proper treatment.
Since the heartworm symptoms (coughing, chest pain, weight loss) resemble those of pulmonary diseases like lung cancer, it will be difficult even for a veterinarian diagnose it properly.
The good news is that heartworm can be easily prevented with the help of preventive injections given periodically to your pet, as well as oral medicines.
But the treatment is complex and may be risky too, leading even to death in some circumstances.
Sometimes even the treatment of heartworms will not completely destroy the adult worms.
There are many prescribed medicines, such as Heartgard Plus for Dogs, which can be administered by expert vets.
At the same time, the immune system plays a vital role in heartworm free pets, which is why getting your pooch checked for this disease - as well as any other health conditions - is vital to do on a yearly basis.
Although heartworms can affect cats and even humans, they commonly prevail in dogs.
It spreads through mosquito bites and hence outdoor pets are more vulnerable than indoor pets.
Once the heartworm-transferring mosquito bites, the larvae is deposited in the bloodstream and gets moved to other body parts until they reach their destination - the heart.
As soon as the heartworms reach the right ventricle of the heart, they get multiplied in numbers, leading to failure of vital organs, ultimately leading to death.
One of the worst realities of this disease is that once the infected canines begin showing symptoms, it can be too late for proper treatment.
Since the heartworm symptoms (coughing, chest pain, weight loss) resemble those of pulmonary diseases like lung cancer, it will be difficult even for a veterinarian diagnose it properly.
The good news is that heartworm can be easily prevented with the help of preventive injections given periodically to your pet, as well as oral medicines.
But the treatment is complex and may be risky too, leading even to death in some circumstances.
Sometimes even the treatment of heartworms will not completely destroy the adult worms.
There are many prescribed medicines, such as Heartgard Plus for Dogs, which can be administered by expert vets.
At the same time, the immune system plays a vital role in heartworm free pets, which is why getting your pooch checked for this disease - as well as any other health conditions - is vital to do on a yearly basis.