Pet Owners Advised To Be Aware Of Heartworm Disease

By Ed Boks, Executive Director

NYC Animal Care & Control

Spring is in the air bringing sunshine, showers, and potentially dangerous mosquitoes that could infect your pet with heartworm.

Heartworm disease has been endemic along the Gulf and south east coasts and has spread north and west in the United States. Mosquitoes are the intermediate host of the parasite Dirofilaria immitis which causes heartworm infection.

Microfilaria, the larvae of Dirofilaria immitis, is passed on to your pet when a mosquito carrying the larvae injects them into your pet while taking in a blood meal. The microfilaria will travel to the heart where they continue to grow and multiply. This process may take up to six months before it can even be detected. Your pet may not show any signs of initial infection of heartworm disease for up to 2 years. Because your pet may not show symptoms right away heartworm disease can cause permanent damage in your dog or cat.

There are a variety of symptoms that may indicate heartworm in a dog. These symptoms include a poor coat, some coughing or lack of energy. Some more severe signs may be difficulty breathing and an enlarged abdomen. The best way to detect if your dog has heartworm is to see your veterinarian and have a simple blood test performed.

The symptoms in cats are more difficult because they can be so subtle where there is slight coughing or occasional vomiting to acute symptoms that can quickly progress to life threatening respiratory distress. Detection of heartworm disease in cats usually takes a variety of laboratory and radiological testing.

There is heartworm treatment available for dogs but it does pose a risk to your pet. A drug that poisonous to the adults is injected into the dog. The worms that die are slowly absorbed by the dogs’ body. Treatment and careful monitoring of the dog is extremely critical and follow up may continue for up to six months.

Unfortunately treatment in cats is usually unrewarding because in attempting to kill the worms severe complications can result. If the worms are left in the cat the cat will be subjected to continual problems that may lead to an acute reaction.

The best and safest way to deal with heartworm disease is to prevent it. Seeing your veterinarian for an annual blood test and placing your pet on a simple monthly preventative goes a long way to ensure your pet lives a long and heartworm free life so they can enjoy all the seasons with you.