As temperatures grow warmer, the American Heartworm Society (AHS) wants every pet owner to be prepared for mosquito season and the heartworm disease risk it carries for pets. Although the risk of heartworm disease is heightened in warmer months when the mosquito population increases, the AHS recommends year-round prevention for both dogs and cats. By giving heartworm prevention every month, forgetful pet owners will have their pets protected when they need it most. “Surveys show only about 75 percent of pets are given the full dosage recommended by a veterinarian,” Sheldon Rubin, DVM, AHS president and Chicago practitioner, said. “With year-round prevention, if doses are accidentally skipped, the drug is still effective.” Recently, researchers discovered that respiratory signs in cats, which are often diagnosed as feline asthma or allergic bronchitis, may actually be caused by the presence of heartworms in either larval or adult stages. Heartworm preventive medications are the only option for cats, as there is no approved treatment for feline heartworm disease. Heartworm disease treatments are available for dogs, but treating for heartworms is much more costly and dangerous to the animal than simply preventing it. Medications interrupt heartworm development before larvae and adult worms reach the lungs and cause disease. Only when administered properly and on a timely schedule can heartworm infection be prevented. According to Diana Beam, DVM of ThePetCenter.com, “the key to understanding the importance of heartworm prevention to your pet’s health is to understand the life cycle of the worm and the damage that results due to its presence in your pet. The heartworm goes through a total of four molts to mature into an adult worm. The first two occur inside the mosquito and the next two occur inside the final host. Once inside an animal where it continues development, the worm takes at least 6 to 7 months to go through the last two molts and to become sexually mature before the infection can be detected by a heartworm test. A juvenile adult works its way through the host’s tissues all the way to the heart as early as 70 days after first entering the host where they stay here and grow rapidly in length and size. The worm is home and will live here until it dies in 5-7 years. Adult female worms have been known to grow up to 14 inches long and while males are generally shorter. Some pets will be infected with numerous worms and this twisted and intertwined mass can serve as a significant mechanical blockage to the normal flow of blood. The smaller the host the fewer worms it takes to cause a problem. Once the worm becomes an adult it will continue to produce young for many years in the dog, and a shorter time in cats and other animals that are not the usual host for the worm. Adult worms have been documented to live around 7 years in the dog and 2-3 years in the cat.” As you can now imagine, a heartworm infection would be a horrific infliction to live through and ultimately succumb to. If you decide heartworm preventative is not in your budget this month, keep the mental image of 14” long worms growing and thriving in the heart of your love monkey, then take another look at your budget. We can’t lose sight of the really important things in life, and having a faithful companion by your side to comfort you through the difficult times and celebrate the good times is a special gift from God and deserves to be treated accordingly. And never forget, it is only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.
Tail Talk
About animal lovers and shelter dogs
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Tail Talk
