March 28, 2024

Warmer weather and longer days arrive with the change of the seasons. Pesky insects, on the other hand, are unavoidable. Critters are annoying to your dog and can also be extremely dangerous. Mosquitoes are the only ways of transmitting the heartworm parasite.

What is Heartworm disease?

Dirofilaria immitis, a parasitic worm transmitted by mosquito bites, causes heartworm conditions, which can be deadly. The heartworm life cycle begins after a mosquito bite. Tiny larvae (known as microfilariae) move through the circulation to get to the heart or lungs. There, they become grown-up heartworms.

They are called heartworms because they reside in a pet’s heart, lungs, and blood vessels. If your pet is infected, the parasite develops, mates, and reproduces within your pet, making it a definitive host.

Heartworm Prevention for Your Dog

Protecting against heartworms is a year-round endeavor. If you’re looking into this potentially dangerous condition, you must begin there. When it concerns safeguarding your dog against harmful parasites that can cause lung ailment, heart failure, and other organ damage, you are the only one who has the power to do it.

Fortunately, heartworm disease can stay clear. Heartworm disease can be avoided in a variety of ways.

Preventive Medication

Even though it might appear simple, heartworm prevention in pets is often ignored. Numerous different types of preventative products are offered for your dog’s use. Topically or orally, they can be used.

Preventative heartworm therapy is much less expensive than having a dog admitted to an emergency pet hospital such as Stroudsburg veterinary after making a heartworm medical diagnosis. Preventive medicine can make a massive impact on the life of your pet.

Repel Bugs in Your Home

Mosquitoes are just one of the most common carriers of heartworm in your dogs, so it is vital to keep them at bay whenever possible. Keeping mosquitoes out of your residence and your pets’ environment could be difficult. Mosquitoes can be decreased around your house, but removing them is a near-impossible task.

Keep your home and lawn free of any stagnant water. Insecticide can also be sprayed around your house if it is pet-friendly.

Regular Visits to the Veterinarian

It would be best if you took your pets to a dog and cat cardiologist in Stroudsburg often. At approximately 16 weeks, you should bring your pet for vaccinations every three to four weeks; a yearly visit is advised. Heartworm tests must be done frequently to keep your dog secure and healthy.

Heartworm screening can be done at any veterinary hospital, but treatment varies depending on whether the animal has been infected.

Keep the Routine Each Year

If your dog has a heartworm condition, it could have long-term results on their health and quality of life, so it is vital to keep them on preventive medicine. In dogs, heartworms create in six months and can remain in the body for seven years, reproducing continually. One year later, dogs can have thousands of these parasites inside them, but the average is about fifteen.

If your dog is taking heartworm preventative medication, a veterinary internist in Stroudsburg recommends that you have it checked yearly, even if your dog is already heartworm free.

Bottomline

Maintaining your dog’s heartworm-free is the responsibility of a vet. You should provide prophylactic treatment, go to the vet frequently, and keep the bugs out of your home. Heartworm prevention can be as simple as including garlic in your pet’s food.