What causes the death of a dog due to heartworm disease? Heartworm disease may cause a combination of medical problems within the same dog including issues with the lungs, heart, liver and kidneys. The worms are enter the right side of the heart where they cause inflammation and interfere with blood flow. This primarily causes clots in the lungs and congestive heart failure. It can also lead to liver or kidney failure. Death can be caused by one or a combination of these problems.
My cat never goes outside. Should I put her on heartworm prevention? Although it’s less common in cats, if heartworms are found in dogs in your area and mosquitoes get into your house, you should consider putting your cat on a heartworm preventive.
Are heartworms more common in certain areas of the United States? Heartworms have been found in dogs native to all 50 states.
Is there an effective natural prevention for heartworm? No, there is no natural prevention for heartworms.
My dog tested positive for heartworms. What does this mean? That means your dog actually has heartworms in the right chambers of its heart or pulmonary arteries. If left untreated, they could begin to cause heartworm disease if the process has not already started. Most dogs can be successfully treated if heartworm is detected prior to causing severe disease.
What is the treatment for heartworm disease? Adult heartworms are killed using a drug called an adulticide that is injected into the muscle. A series of injections is given. When the dog is sent home, exercise should be limited to leash walking for the duration of the treatment period, which can last from one to two months. This will decrease the risk of blocked blood flow through the lungs by dead worms.
Why do dogs need to be blood tested before starting heartworm medication? Giving heartworm preventives to dogs with heartworms can lead to severe reactions that could be harmful or even fatal to the dog.
Is there a vaccine for heartworm disease? There is not a commercially available vaccine for the prevention of heartworm disease in dogs or cats.
My vet said my dog has heartworm disease and is in the 4th stage. What is a stage? Stage or class is used to describe the severity of the disease and determine the best way to treat the dog with the disease. The stages or classes run one through four. Unfortunately, the 4th stage or class four disease is the most severe and the most difficult to treat.
Is heartworm contagious from dog to dog? Heartworm can be transmitted from animal to animal only by the bite of a mosquito carrying the infective stage of the larvae. However, if there is an infected dog, mosquitoes can bite the infected dog and transmit the infection to the noninfected dogs or other susceptible animals in the same area.
How often should I have my dog tested? Annual testing for heartworm infection is now highly recommended.
