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Protect Your Dog or Cat from Heartworm Disease

Heartworm Treatment and Tick Prevention from Your Reisterstown Veterinary Clinic

Heartworm disease is a potentially fatal parasitic infection spread by a specific species of mosquito prevalent throughout the U.S. When an infected mosquito draws blood from a cat or dog, they transmit larvae into the bloodstream of the animal. These larvae develop into mature worms that live in the lungs and heart, feed off a pet's blood and tissues and eventually cause heart failure and respiratory distress. Dogs and cats with advanced heartworm disease may suffer permanent damage to their heart and lungs. Ticks also spread viral diseases such as Lyme and anaplasmosis (dog fever). To prevent heartworm and tick diseases from harming your pet, Reisterstown Veterinary Clinic provides effective tick prevention and heartworm treatment products for cats and dogs.

a veterinarian holding a dog

Heartworm Treatment for Dogs

Antibiotics and steroids for inhibiting an inflammatory response to dying heartworms are initial treatments for canine heartworm. Your veterinarian will then give dog’s doxycycline to eliminate worms in the body. Heartworms exposed to doxycycline release bacteria that stimulate the dog's immune system. Systemic inflammation caused by dying heartworms may further damage kidneys and lungs affected by heartworm.

Heartworm Treatment for Cats

Since cats are not considered "hosts" for heartworm, treatment is different from canine heartworm treatment. In some cats infected with heartworm, the disease resolves by itself after time. In other cats, heartworm requires administration of prednisone or surgery to remove large worm loads.

Tips for Preventing Heartworm Disease

Preventing heartworm begins with making sure your pet is on a heartworm preventive year around. Your vet will want to test your pet for heartworm by taking a blood sample before starting a heartworm preventive plan.

Tick Prevention for Dogs and Cats

Reisterstown Veterinary Clinic offers tick prevention in the form of collars, topicals or once-a-month chewable tablets. Cat owners usually prefer flea and tick collars or topical solutions while dog owners find chewable tablets more convenient. 

Call Us Today To Learn More!

The best way to protect pets from heartworm is to have them tested for the disease first and then begin your pet on a heartworm preventative. Call our veterinary clinic today at (410) 833-1717 to schedule an appointment for a wellness check and heartworm test