Heartworm Disease

A parasitic infection that is spread by mosquitoes from infected dogs to non-infected dogs. The heartworm microfilariae accumulate in the mosquito during a meal from an infected dog. The heartworm then develops in the mosquito and can be injected into a non-infected dog where, in 6 months, they develop into adult heartworms. The adult heartworms lodge in the right atrium, right ventricle, right ventricular outflow tract, pulmonary arteries and vena cava and cause right- sided heart failure.

Symptoms include:

No signs at first

Mild, to persistent cough – usually at night while sleeping

Reluctance to move or exercise

Tiredness after moderate exercise

Weight loss

If left untreated it can lead to:

Heart failure

Lung disease

Sudden death

There is a monthly preventative and it can also be treated based on the severity of the disease. We recommend your dog be tested annually and strongly encourage year-round preventative.

In 2017, of 1237 patients tested, 6 were positive at our hospital.

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