Heartworms In Dogs

Heartworms are parasitic worms that can cause serious symptoms and complications for dogs. Heartworms are thin, strand-like worms that resemble thin spaghetti. Though heartworms can infect more than thirty species of animals, dogs are the definitive hosts of heartworms. Heartworms live in the right ventricle of the heart and may appear in nearby blood vessels or other parts of the dog’s body.

Heartworms in dogs are caused by a bite from a mosquito that is a carrier of the parasite. Heartworm prevention is usually part of a puppy’s vaccination routine. The American Heartworm Society recommends year-round preventative measures. If a puppy older than seven months has never received heartworm prevention medication, the puppy should be tested for heartworms before a preventative medication is administered. Blood tests for heartworm disease check for proteins that are from the female adult heartworm or microfilaria, pre-larval heartworms. X-rays may also be used to diagnose canine heartworm disease.

Heartworm disease in dogs can cause respiratory problems and congested heart failure. Early respiratory symptoms of heartworms are a cough and exercise intolerance. As the heartworm disease progresses, the dog may have difficulty breathing, a loss of consciousness, enlargement of the liver, and the accumulation of fluid in the abdomen. Canine heartworm disease can be fatal. Active dogs are more susceptible to developing severe symptoms than dogs that are inactive.

Though heartworm disease in dogs is potentially fatal, most dogs can be successfully treated and recover from the disease. Treatment for heartworms includes an adulticide to kill the adult heartworms and a microfilaricide to kill the microfilaria. The drugs and dying heartworms pose risks to the dog’s health.

Mild to moderate canine heartworm disease is often successfully treated with only a slight risk of complications. The more severe the heartworm disease is, the greater the risk of complications or death occurring during treatment for heartworms. One potential complication is that a collection of dead heartworms in the dog’s arteries could obstruct blood flow. Dogs with severe heartworm disease and other health problems may not be able to be treated for heartworms due to the risks of complications or even death.