Heartworm Facts

Little the cat here, Back from my top secret pet health investigation with some important information to share with you about heartworm disease in pets.

The following report has information that is very important to your pets health. I hope that this information will help you to work with your veterinarian to begin an appropriate heartworm disease prevention treatment for your pet.

Heartworms are a form of parasite usually about the diameter of thin spaghetti. Heartworm generally live in the right ventricle of the hosts heart and blood vessels. Heartworm parasites are transmitted from one host to another through mosquitoes. Heartworm parasite infections are diagnosed with a blood test and x-rays. Heartworms may also be detected with antigen blood tests when the heartworms are sexually mature at approximately six months after infecting their host. For an accurate blood test result for heartworm, female worms must be present in the host. Heartworm infections have been diagnosed in every state of the U.S. as well as world wide. Heartworm disease is a very important health concern for our pets. Most veterinarians recommend heartworm prevention medication for dogs as well as cats. It is recommended that dogs over seven months old be tested for heartworm prior to beginning heartworm treatment. Dogs over seven months old who are placed on a heartworm prevention medication may develop severe reactions. Most veterinarians recommend starting puppies on a heartworm preventative medication by the time they are eight weeks old. Most veterinarians recommend having your dog tested for heartworms on a regular basis if they have not been on a regular heartworm prevention program. In cats a single heartworm can cause extreme respiratory symptoms or death. It is believed that many cases of heartworm in cats is overlooked because feline heartworm disease symptoms does not appear the same as heartworm symptoms in dogs, but tends to mimic other cat diseases. Also detecting adult heartworm in cats can be difficult as feline heartworm tests are not totally reliable.

Be sure to ask your veterinarian about a program for pet medications to prevent heartworm disease in your pet. Until next time, Your Little Paws Pet Club President, Little.