Learn About Heartworm Awareness Month from Your Reisterstown Veterinarian
Established in 1974, the American Heartworm Society designated April as Heartworm Awareness Month with the goal of sharing the latest information about heartworm disease to pet owners and veterinarians. Although heartworm chewable tablets exist that effectively stop heartworm infections in pets, thousands of cats and dogs suffer from the devastating effects of this parasite every year because they do not receive preventive medication. In addition, your veterinarian at TLC for Pets in Reisterstown urges all pet owners to get their pets tested for heartworm before beginning a regimen of heartworm pills.
Facts about Heartworm Disease
Dogs
Transmitted by mosquitoes infected with heartworm larvae, canine heartworms live inside dogs until they have matured, mated and reproduced unless killed by veterinary treatments. Heartworms can cause permanent damage to a dog's lungs, heart and blood vessels by amassing in these two organs and restricting blood flow to all parts of his body. Even after a dog is treated successfully for heartworm, he may suffer health problems and loss of quality of life.
Most dogs do not show symptoms in the early stages of heartworm disease. However, the more active or heavily infected a dog is, the more pronounced his symptoms will be. Initial signs of a possible heartworm infection in dogs include persistent cough, decreased appetite, reluctance to run or play and steady weight loss. As the disease progresses, dogs may develop swollen bellies because of excess stomach fluid. When blood flow within and to the heart is severely reduced, dogs may suffer a serious condition called caval syndrome. Marked by pale gums, labored breathing and bloody urine, caval syndrome is life-threatening unless a veterinarian can immediately remove the ball of heartworms causing the blockage.
Cats
Considered "atypical" hosts for heartworms because most feline heartworms do not survive past the larvae stage, cats that are infected with heartworms typically have only about one or two worms in their bodies. Consequently, many cases of heartworm in cats go undiagnosed, leaving a few worms to do real damage to a cat's health. Heartworm-associated respiratory disease (HARD) is the primary illness suffered by cats with untreated heartworm infections. Symptoms of HARD include coughing fits that sound asthmatic, vomiting, lack of appetite and weight loss. Advanced stage HARD may cause accumulation of fluids in the feline stomach, fainting, and seizures. In some cases, seizing and sudden collapse in cats with heartworm disease are the first signs they are infected with heartworms.
During Heartworm Awareness Month, your Reisterstown veterinarian at TLC Pets wants all dog and cat owners to understand the importance of getting their pets tested for heartworms. You will also be given heartworm preventives while at our veterinary hospital to ensure your furry best friend never has to suffer heartworm disease.
Contact Us
Call TLC for Pets today to schedule an appointment for your dog or cat: (410) 833-1717.