National Heartworm Awareness Month: Protecting Your Pet from Heartworm Disease

April is National Heartworm Awareness Month. Heartworm infection is incredibly dangerous for pets, which is why we’re grateful this month exists. It’s a perfect time for the team at Blue Ravine Animal Hospital to educate pet parents about the importance of heartworm prevention.

What is Heartworm Disease?

Heartworm disease is when heartworm parasites infect your pet’s body. These parasitic worms are transmitted by mosquitoes. They live in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels of infected animals. Without prompt treatment, the prognosis for pets infected with heartworm is dire. And even then, the condition is incredibly complex and difficult to treat. 

Understanding Heartworm Disease in Dogs and Cats

While heartworms can affect various animals, heartworm disease in dogs is the most common and severe. Dogs are natural hosts for heartworms. This means the parasites can thrive, reproduce, and cause extensive damage in our furry canines’ bodies. Infected dogs can show signs of the disease, but often not until an infection is severe. 

These symptoms include: 

• Persistent cough: Often dry and gets worse with activity.
• Fatigue after mild exercise: Dogs may get tired quickly, even after a short walk.
• Weight and appetite loss: Advanced infections can cause noticeable changes in a dog’s weight.
• Difficulty breathing: Labored breathing or wheezing due to increased strain on the lung and heart, where the heartworms live.
• Swollen belly: Caused by fluid buildup as a result of heart failure.

Cats can also contract heartworms, but they aren’t ideal hosts and heartworms typically don’t mature to adulthood. 

Heartworm larvae in cats can cause respiratory issues, though, leading to a condition called heartworm-associated respiratory disease (HARD). Unlike dogs, there is no approved treatment for heartworms in cats, so prevention is the only line of defense. 

The Importance of Heartworm Prevention for Pets

Preventing heartworms is way easier—and much less expensive—than treating an infection. Monthly preventive medications, which are available in chewable, topical, and injectable forms, are extremely effective in stopping heartworm infections before they take root.

Much of the time, these preventatives also include broader pet parasite protection against pests like ticks, fleas, and intestinal worms.

However, even pets on preventive medication should have an annual heartworm test. No preventive is 100% effective, and early detection of infection is your pet’s best bet for an excellent outcome.

How to Keep Your Pet Safe Year-Round

Here’s how you can keep your pet healthy and protect your furry friend from this life-threatening disease.

• Stay on top of preventives: Avoid skipping heartworm preventive doses or delaying treatment if your pet gets infected. Use alarms and reminders to stick to the exact schedule your vet recommends.
• Schedule yearly vet check-ups: Regular heartworm tests help make sure your pet remains parasite-free. And if your pet does have an infection, yearly tests can catch the issue early on.
• Reduce exposure to mosquitos: Since heartworms spread through mosquito bites, use pet-safe mosquito repellents around your home in the spring and summer.

If you need to update your pet’s heartworm prevention, our friendly team at Blue Ravine Animal Hospital is here to help. Reach out to our team today at (916) 984-0990 to schedule a pet parasite protection appointment!