Heartworm disease is caused by a worm parasite. The worms attach to the pulmonary artery, which is the main artery going from the heart to the lungs, and there the parasites multiply. As they multiply, they cause changes in the artery wall, that result in heart failure. Heartworm disease is still the leading cause of heart disease in dogs. It is also a cause of sudden death , lung and heart disease in cats.
The disease is not spread directly from dog to dog but is spread by mosquitos. The mosquito bites an infected dog, drinking the immature heartworm (larvae) . That worm eventually matures, gets into the bloodstream and starts to cause problems.
The good news is that the disease can be cured with a very effective treatment. The drug is call immiticide, and it is an injectable product. The treated dogs stay in the hospital for a few days, then go home for 2 months of recovery. After treatment dogs are placed on monthly heartworm medication to prevent further infection.
Treatment is not without potential complications, but most dogs recover very well. Treatment can be quite expensive, but prevention is very effective and economical. Yearly heartworm testing is critical for early detection and checking the effectiveness of prevention. Unfortunately there is no safe and effective primary treatment for cats. There are effective heartworm preventives for cats as well.
Many clients have asked me "why do I vaccinate my dog or cat every year with everything when I dont do that to myself or my kids.
Until the American Animal Hospital Association came out with Veterinary-driven guidelines for vaccination in 2006, all we had were manufacturers recommendations for re-vaccination. These recommendations were for yearly vaccination for all diseases (rabies as the only exception). Now we have studies that show longer duration of protection for distemper parvovirus and hepatitis virus. At R.A.H., we have implemented the guidelines of the prestigious panel of veterinary disease experts and can now start to decrease vaccination without compromising the protection of our four-legged loved ones. Here at R.A.H. we strive to make medical recommendations for your pet with the most recent unbiased veterinary medical research.
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