Heartworm disease is a serious, often fatal condition in dogs that can result in severe lung disease, heart failure, organ damage and more. Preventing heartworm disease is both easier on your pet, and on your wallet than treating the disease after your dog gets ill. Our Southeast Memphis vets explain why.
Heartworm Disease in Memphis
Heartworm disease, which is spread through the bite of a mosquito, is primarily is caused by a parasitic worm called dirofilaria immitis.
Your dog can become a 'definitive host' for this parasite, meaning that while living inside your pet the worms mature into adults and then mate and produce offspring. This serious condition is called heartworm disease because the worms make their home in the heart, lungs and blood vessels of an infected pet.
Signs of Heartworm in Dogs
Sadly, in dogs, the signs of heartworm disease don’t typically appear until the disease has progressed to more advanced stages. Once symptoms do become evident they include fatigue, swollen abdomen, coughing, difficulty breathing and weight loss.
Diagnosing Heartworm
Blood tests can be done at your vet's office to detect heartworm proteins, called antigens, which are released into the animal's bloodstream. These antigens first become detectible between 5-7 months after your pooch has been infected.
Treatment for Heartworm Disease in Dogs
The reason that prevention is so important when it comes to heartworm is that the treatment for the disease can cause serious health complications and be toxic to your pup's body. Not only that, treatment is can be expensive because it requires multiple visits to the vet, bloodwork, x-rays, hospitalization, and a series of injections.
If your dog is diagnosed with heartworms, your vet can use melarsomine dihydrochloride (which is an arsenic-containing drug that kills adult heartworms) to treat your pet. Melarsomine dihydrochloride is administered by an injection into the back muscles of the dog in order to kill the parasites.
Topical FDA approved solutions are also available to treat heartworm disease. These solutions can help to get rid of parasites in the bloodstream when applied directly to the animal's skin.
Heartworm Prevention
Keeping your dog on preventative medication is the best way to prevent heartworm disease from impacting your dog's health. Even if your pooch is already on preventive heartworm medication, it is recommended that dogs be tested for heartworms annually.
Heartworm prevention is safer, easier and much more affordable than treating the progressed diseased! A number of heartworm preventive medications can also help protect against other parasites such as hookworms, whipworms and roundworms.
Heartworm Prevention is included in our annual Wellness Plans. Choose the Wellness Plan that's right for your pet. If you'd like more information about heartworm disease in dogs, or to book a heartworm test for your pup, contact our Southeast Memphis vets today to book an examination for your canine companion.
Looking for a vet in Southeast Memphis?
We're always accepting new patients, so contact our veterinary hospital today to book your pet's first appointment.
Related Articles View All
Dog Intestinal Blockage Timeline, Surgery & Cost
Intestinal blockages in dogs are a serious and potentially life-threatening condition, caused by the ingestion of an object that becomes lodged in their digestive tract. Our Memphis vets discuss life-saving intestinal blockage surgery for dogs.
What Are The Best Foods for Dogs with Allergies?
Food allergies are relatively uncommon in dogs, but when they do strike the symptoms can be uncomfortable for our canine companions. Today, our Memphis vets discuss the best foods to feed a dog with allergies.
Why is my dog panting so much at night?
Dog panting at night can be a normal cooling mechanism or a sign of underlying health issues, anxiety, or environmental factors. In today's post, our Memphis vets help you understand the potential causes and possible solutions to help you and your canine companion enjoy restful nights.
Surgery & Dog Anesthesia
Anesthesia is required in the vast majority of surgical procedures our Memphis vets perform on dogs. But what are the risks involved in dog anesthesia, how long does anesthesia last and what are the side effects? Find out below.
Cold Laser Treatments For Dogs
For dogs suffering from pain due to inflammation, or those recovering from an injury or surgery, cold laser therapy can be an effective way to reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and speed healing. Our Memphis vets explain more about cold laser for dogs.