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Keep Your Pets Safe from Heartworms

March 6, 2017 by Mary Telesz

Protect Your Pet from Heartworms
Regular testing and preventive medication are crucial to protect your family’s furriest member from heartworms

Dirofilaria immitis, more commonly known as the heartworm, is small and threadlike. Distributed by mosquito bite, heartworms can enter an animal’s body and move towards their heart. Mosquitoes become infected with tiny immature forms of the heartworm, called microfilariae, when they bite an infected animal. Inside the mosquito, the microfilariae develop into larvae. A parasitic roundworm, these tiny heartworms can infect and host dogs, cats, ferrets, and other pets, as well as, in rare cases, human beings. The adult heartworm lives and breeds in the heart and lungs of its host, and causes damage to the surrounding lung and heart tissue. This may eventually result in serious illness for the host—even death-related illness like congestive heart failure. Once considered a problem for pets in the southern United States or in other warm climate areas, now heartworms have been seen in all 50 states. Heartworm disease is dangerous. Protecting your pets with preventative measures and knowing the signs for early detection can help with pet safety and peace of mind for any pet lover.

Test Pets for Heartworm Disease

An important part of any complete heartworm prevention program is appropriate testing. If you think your pet already has heartworm disease, please take your pet to a pet health specialist or licensed vet. This testing process is to check pets for adult heartworms, and lets owners know if their pet is ready to start preventive medication. The vet or vet tech will take the pet’s blood and complete a variety of tests to detect specific antigens or antibodies in the blood stream. Antigen tests are usually most effective for canines. Antigen tests detect specific antigens from adult female heartworms, and are used with much success to detect canine heartworm infection. Antibody tests are more effectively used in felines. Felines have less of a chance in contracting heartworm disease, but in many cases, the heartworm will not travel to the lungs or heart, instead infecting cats in other areas of their body—resulting in brain infection or heart disease. It’s important to complete appropriate testing before administering medication.
Preventing Heartworm Infection

Preventing Heartworm Infection

One of the most common ways to prevent heartworm infection is by placing one’s pets on a heartworm prevention medication. There are several heartworm prevention medications used by pet owners and veterinarians—from pills or chewable tablets, to topical rubs or solutions, to injections from a pet health professional. These preventative drugs are highly effective in preventing heartworm infection and disease and are sold under a variety of brand names. Please check with a pet health professional or licensed veterinarian to help decide which option is appropriate for a specific pet or animal companion, based on their needs, size, and medical history. Some of these drugs also double as anti-flea medication. Others work to control and prevent infections by roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms, as well as heartworms. Other medications can be used in tandem to kill ticks and fleas. Remember, like with any prescribed medication, it is important and vital for pet owners to follow complete dosage guidelines on the box or bottle. The American Heartworm Society estimates 25% of all pets on medication their full doses. The best preventative measure is to limit pet exposure to mosquitoes.

Signs of Heartworm Disease

Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes, and can involve both dogs and cats, among other animals. However, the infection and detection of heartworm disease differs in each animal species.

For Dogs

Once an infected mosquito bites a dog, the larval heartworm enters the dog’s skin through a bite wound. Over the next several months, the worms migrate through the dog’s bloodstream to the heart, where they grow into adult heartworms and breed. Their offspring live in the blood of an infected dog where they mature and breed. Over time, these multiple heartworms can lodge themselves in heart or blood vessels, which leads to health issues or death.

For dogs, the first outward signs of heartworm disease may not be apparent until a year after infection. Symptoms of heartworm infection with a soft cough. As the disease progresses, the infected pet will have increased trouble with breathing, which can make exercise difficult. Other symptoms include a decreased appetite and weight loss.

For Cats

Once an infected mosquito bites a cat, the larval heartworm enters the cat’s bloodstream and migrates to the lungs or other cavities. These heartworms are smaller than those found in dogs or other large mammals, and generally take one month to mature into full-grown adults.

The symptoms for a heartworm infected cat can mimic symptoms of many other diseases. These include difficulty with their breathing, coughing, vomiting, fainting, seizures, blindness, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Some of these symptoms can persist even after heartworms have been treated.

Other Pets

Just like dogs and cats, ferrets and other small pets can become infected with heartworms. The signs of heartworm disease in ferrets or other small mammals are similar to those in dogs, but they develop more rapidly due to the size of the animal’s heart. While dogs may not show symptoms until they have many worms infecting their hearts, lungs, and blood vessels, just one worm can cause serious respiratory distress in a ferret or other small mammal. Symptoms can include coughing, fatigue, labored or rapid breathing.

Heartworm Disease Treatment

For Dogs

If a dog is diagnosed with heartworms, treatment may be possible. However, before a veterinarian or medical professional will treat heartworms, the dog must be evaluated for other health concerns and organ function—the health of the heart, liver, and kidneys may help determine treatment. Check with your medical professional which treatment is right for your pet. Some of the treatments include injected medicine which can be used to treat even late-stage infection.

Once the treatment occurs, heartworms die and are absorbed by the animal’s body and removed naturally. After treatment, the dog must rest for several weeks or months to give the body sufficient time to heal itself properly. When the heartworms begin to die, they break up into pieces and are eliminated. Very active pets may cause the dead heartworms to travel to the lungs, which can cause causing respiratory failure or even death.

For Cats and Other Pets

Heartworms can be very difficult on the systems of small mammals, and significantly problematic to a cat’s health system. The general prognosis for feline heartworm disease is ‘guarded,’ which means it varies on an individual basis. Treatment usually consists of monthly preventative heartworm medications. Similar therapies that dogs receive may not be appropriate for cats. A significant number of cats have developed heart diseases such as pulmonary embolisms a few days after major treatment, therefore many therapies for feline heartworm are not recommended, but surgery can sometimes be an option. Contact a medical or veterinarian professional before deciding on treatment for feline heartworm disease.

Once heartworm tests are negative, the treatment is considered a success, and one can move on to continuing preventative measures to ensure pet health.

After-Treatment Prevention

After a pet has been treated successfully and tested negative for heartworms, it is vital to keep the pet on a heartworm prevention medication. Heartworm preventive medications work to kill the larvae and growing heartworms. Most are given monthly. Remember to follow the prescription for a pet just as a human patient would follow a prescription from their own medical team. Consistent use of these medications are required for continued health. Many veterinarians recommend heartworm preventive medications to be given year round, because several of these medicines also treat and control other intestinal parasites as well

Another tip is to reduce your pet’s exposure to mosquitoes. Make your yard less hospitable to mosquitoes by removing any areas with pooling or stagnant water. Remember: if it has held water for a week, it may be producing mosquitoes. Check for clogged rain gutters or leaky outdoor faucets, any low spots on the property, open watering cans or catch barrels. Mosquitoes nest in shaded, protected areas. Cut low-lying brush and remove loose vegetation. Keep shrubs and trees well-trimmed and grasses short to prevent the proliferation of mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks.

Note: Pets cannot spread heartworms from one to another.

Filed Under: Pet Advice, Pet Care

Contact Paw Pals for More Information

Paw Pals specializes in professional dog walking, dog sitting, and pet sitting services. One of our reliable, adult staff members will keep your pet safe, while providing your pet the love and care they need when you are away. Contact us to learn more!

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Paw Pals Pet Sitting, LLC
14001-C Saint Germain Drive #213
Centreville, VA 20121
(703) 345-1695

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Centreville – 20120, 20121
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4.9
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
4.9
Taylor Smith
Taylor Smith
21:22 03 Oct 21
I never worry when Mary and team take care of my dog!
Michæl Silva
Michæl Silva
21:38 01 Jul 22
Mary at Paw Pals Pet Sitting is the greatest! She has helped me train my pooch Chico how play nice with other dogs and for that I am extremely grateful! A+A+A+A+A+A
Kwi Kim
Kwi Kim
22:37 17 Jun 22
I hired Paw Pals based on my sister’s referral. Meet & greet was very thorough and detailed. I was surprised that my finicky cat came to check the sitter out. Subsequently, a sitter watched my cat over several separate visits, and it was clear through the visit reports that my cat loved the sitter. All the visits were completed having followed my directions & with professionalism.I would highly recommend Paw Pals to anyone who’s looking for a dependable, personable, & professional sitter.
Joseph Walter
Joseph Walter
19:55 13 Jun 22
Paw Pals provided a large number of photos of our pets along with a personalized message on how our pets were doing with every single visit. I would highly recommend using Paw Pals, we'll be continuing to use them whenever we go on vacation.
Ashley Manning
Ashley Manning
09:50 11 Jun 22
Highly recommend as pet sitters!Initially, a sitter from the company will visit the house to meet the pets and learn where everything is. Tatiana took careful notes and we got her some spare keys.While we are away, Paw Pals sends sitters to come and look after our boys. They feed them, scoop litter, bring in mail and packages, and they will even manage trash, recycling, blinds and lights so that everything is comfortable for our kitties. Each time they check in, we receive an email message with updates and pictures, which is so comforting when we are on the road.Also, if you don’t let Paw Pals know when you are home, they assume something has happened and will continue to care for your babies. If something were to happen, I know they would be okay.Five stars for Paw Pals!
Brian Wood
Brian Wood
04:08 22 May 22
We have used Paw Pals for a number of years now and would highly recommend to anyone looking for help with their pets. Great communication from owner Mary and flexibility to make adjustments in schedule as life changes over time. Have had a consistent set of walkers who have gotten to know our pup and the various walking routes around our neighborhood quite well.
Lesley Bush
Lesley Bush
13:58 18 Mar 22
We can't rave enough about Paw Pals. They took care of our 18 year old Cat and 20 year old Chinchilla while we were away and when our flight got cancelled, they were so accommodating and available last minute for an extra day. We worked with Jen to coordinate visits from Miko and Danny. I loved the pictures and updates on how our Lil geriatric guys were doing. Thanks a million, Paw Pals!! Our special pets were so well cared for.
Sebastian Barnes
Sebastian Barnes
01:06 17 Jan 22
I have used Paw Pals for several trips over the last few months, and they have been phenomenal every time! Mary is extremely kind and responsive, and she makes sure that my cat and dog have the care that they need every time I am out of town. All of the pet sitters that I've had have been incredibly sweet to my pets, and they treat them like their own! Will gladly continue using Paw Pals every time I need a sitter.
Julie Shildt
Julie Shildt
17:45 14 Nov 21
It has been a pleasure doing business with paw pals. We have used this company for several trips we have taken over the past 6 months. They have been wonderful caretakers for our 2 cats. Anytime there is ever a question they don't hesitate to give us a call and they leave the best notes and pictures in the emailed report of each visit. We are so glad have found such a great company.
Andrea Hall
Andrea Hall
22:45 03 Oct 20
I wasn't sure about hiring a new doggie walker service... after all they are our kiddos... my babies were in great hands and I felt relaxed having them in their care. Thank you for everything!
Katie McCune
Katie McCune
19:19 15 Jul 21
I honestly cannot recommend Mary and her whole crew enough! We started using Mary originally about 7 years ago to stop by occasionally when our Aussie Lana was younger. Over the next couple years Lana stayed with Mary and her family for a couple weekends when we went on vacation. When we moved to our new house in Manassas, Lana stayed with Sam, who lives in Manassas, overnight for moving day, and did great. Right before the pandemic, we adopted our second Aussie, Goose, and Mary recommended a fantastic trainer for him.We now have weekly walks for the dogs, and they love all of their walkers! Trevor, Paul, Hazel, Sofie, and probably a couple others have helped Goose get used to more people, and have helped my husband and me when our schedules are crazy.Paw Pals is our go-to for any help with our dogs, so I highly recommend them!
Alexandra Hill
Alexandra Hill
22:43 23 May 21
I was a nervous mommy to leave my cats with a sitter service for the first time. Paw Pals went above and beyond to care for my cats and ease a nervous mommy. I already made a reservation to use them again!
Cindy Welgoss
Cindy Welgoss
13:12 27 Nov 20
We have been using Paw Pals for several years, and through a variety of pets that we have loved. Mary and her team have always been *exceptional* in every way. They are professional, courteous, and truly love our fur family! Mary herself is an organized and stellar administrator of her pet care business, keeping detailed records of our pet’s needs, scheduled pet visits, payments, and balance due easy to keep track of as the pet owner. The pet caretaking team is reliable and trustworthy. When our dogs see any of their Paw Pal friends, they get SO excited to see them! Follow up comments are left via text to keep the pet owner informed of the visit and how the pets are faring. Paw Pals has allowed our family the peace of mind to leave our pets at home, for work, weekend getaways and longer times away when necessary, where they are the most comfortable and familiar. We are grateful to Mary and her team for giving us the ability to enjoy pet ownership without feeling tied down. The responsibility of having pets comes with the need to keep them safe and comfortable at all times, and Mary and her team affords us this when our family has to be away.
Dr Tammy Cashion
Dr Tammy Cashion
21:11 12 Mar 19
We have used Paw pals pet sitting on multiple occasions for our bunnies while we are away. Many pet sitters are not interested in small pets however; Mary and her team, are amazing and we trust her implicitly! We are very happy with the outstanding service we have received from her team including texts and photos of our pets when we are out of town. They always go the extra mile and we highly recommend them!
Kristin Conrad
Kristin Conrad
16:00 16 Nov 19
We are so grateful we found Mary and her team at Paw Pals. They are exceptionally responsive, amazingly organized and detail-oriented.We have such peace of mind when we travel knowing our home and pets are so well cared for. Paw Pals is the best pet sitting service we’ve used, and we’re so happy we found them.
Katie Russell
Katie Russell
15:01 17 May 20
Paw Pals is fantastic! I have had a great experience with Mary! Compassionate, professional, responsive, and prompt! Thank you!
Phillip Evans
Phillip Evans
14:38 11 Jul 20
When we adopted our new dog in January, Paw Pals agreed to walk her and give her some outside time so she wasn't in the crate all day. She loved her dog walker and you could see her excitement every time the walker showed up. We moved out of the area but would recommend Paw Pals to anyone needing someone to care for their pets.
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