Pets often serve as the heart of the home, which makes Heartworm Awareness Month an important time to focus on protecting their actual heart health.
Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition, and a simple mosquitobite is all it takes to begin the infection process.
Inside the mosquito, microscopic baby worms, called “microfilariae” develop into infectedlarvae. When that mosquito later bites another animal, it can pass the larvae through the bite site and into the bloodstream. Over time, the larvae mature and travel to the heart, lungs, and blood vessels, where they can grow into adult heartworms and cause serious damage.
Pets are especially vulnerable to heartworms because they spend time outdoors during the very months mosquitoes are most active. Even pets that live primarily indoors are not completely protected, however, since mosquitoes can easily make their way inside homes. Overall, exposure can happen more easily than many pet owners realize. As temperatures rise in Iowa, the risk begins to grow. Warmer weather brings more mosquitoes, and with them comes a greater chance of exposure for both dogs and cats.
Dogs and cats are affected differently by heartworm disease, which is why understanding those differences matters. Dogs are considered the natural host, meaning heartworms can mature into adults, reproduce, and live in the body for years. Cats, on the other hand, are atypical hosts. Even though they usually carry fewer worms, heartworm disease can still be extremely dangerous for them. In cats, even a small number of worms can cause severe lung disease or sudden respiratory distress, and the disease is often harder to detect. If left untreated, heartworm disease can lead to severe complications, making recognizing early warning signs incredibly important.
A veterinarian can test for heartworms with a blood test. One common method is an antigen test, which looks for specific proteins released into the bloodstream by adult female heartworms. In many cases, this test can reliably detect infections when at least one adult heartworm is present. These proteins typically become detectable about five months after a dog is bitten by an infected mosquito.
Symptoms in both dogs and cats may include a persistent cough, low energy, weight loss, a swollen abdomen, or difficulty breathing. If your pet shows any of these signs, it is important to contact your veterinarian right away.
The good news is that heartworm disease is largely preventable. In fact, prevention is most effective before infection occurs, which is why year-round protection is so important. Veterinarian-prescribed preventive medication works by eliminating heartworm larvae before they can mature and spread. Dogs that are 12 months of age and older should be tested for heartworms before starting heartworm prevention. A dog may appear healthy on the outside, but on the inside, heartworms may be living and thriving.
Overall, by staying consistent with prevention, you can help protect your pet from a disease that is far easier to prevent than to treat. We also offer Proheart 12 after a negative heartworm test. Proheart 12 is an injection that protects dogs from heartworm disease for 12 months. Dogs must be 1 year old or older to receive Proheart 12. Give us a call today to schedule your pets heartworm test, and/or to pick up your pets heartworm prevention.
