It is National Heartworm Awareness Month, so I’m doing my bit to inform you about this disease in your dog. Don’t worry cat lovers, I’ll catch up with you later. In terms of heartworm disease and personality, of course, Milo is a whole other ball game compared to Otis. Today, I’ll focus on the canine in your life. I’ve taken some commonly asked questions and tried to answer them without a long list of vocabulary terms you must learn. No one likes a smartie pants, or so my husband tells me. Enjoy! Is heartworm disease common in my area? Do I really need to treat my dog? Yes, heartworm disease is common in many areas of the United States. Heartworm disease is caused by a parasitic worm, Dirofilaria immitus, which is spread by mosquitos. It can cause lung disease, heart failure, organ damage, and death in certain animals, mainly dogs, cats, and even ferrets. There are certain times that it is more prevalent than others, but it has been diagnosed in all 50 states. Because of real estate development, the change in environment in the West, and urban sprawl that has created “heat islands,” heartworm infection has a greater potential of spreading. Mosquitoes cause the spread of heartworm disease, so they enjoy warmer climates and wet, unirrigated areas. Basically, some place in the U.S. has this climate at one time or another, although some may have mosquito breeding environments longer than others. It could still be a problem at any time though because of travel and ever-changing weather patterns. Basically, yes, you should treat your dog because it has the potential to spread and has been diagnosed all over the U.S. If it is more prevalent during certain times of the year, can I save money and not give it during the winter months? You should treat your dog monthly. It can sometimes seem to make sense to only treat your pet when needed, but as I explained before, because of ever-changing weather patterns that might bring about an influx of mosquitoes that could be carrying heartworm disease and because of extensive animal movement, you must give a preventative year round. It is also difficult to estimate when to start and stop the medication to be active when a season starts, especially if you live in an area with unpredictable weather, like Missouri, or basically anywhere in the U.S. My husband and I were sitting by a pond on the farm in the beginning of February of this year and getting bit by mosquitos. February! It can spread any time, any place. You want a continuous round of heartworm prevention to make sure it’s taking effect when it should, and also because most heartworm prevention medications also contain a wide array of dewormers to prevent other types of infections. What should I give my dog for heartworm prevention and how often? There are a number of drugs available, mostly oral medications that are taken monthly (30 day dosing intervals). They all require authorization by a licensed veterinarian. Check with your veterinarian to see what works best for your dog. When should my dog start getting a heartworm preventative? A dog should receive a heartworm preventative as soon as possible if they have never received it. A puppy should have one no later than eight weeks. If started after that, your dog should really be tested for heartworms, even after having a preventative, six months after the initial dose. If your dog is seven months of age or older, it will need to be heartworm tested before even starting heartworm preventative. Even dogs that get a heartworm preventative should still be tested yearly as giving the preventative to a heartworm positive dog can cause a deadly reaction. Annual testing is for their safety, not because we veterinarians are trying to make more money. I have diagnosed several dogs with heartworm disease that are on heartworm preventative MOST of the year. All it can take is a few missed doses or even getting a little behind on the 30-day dosing interval. So do your pup a favor, and get it started on a heartworm preventative (if you haven’t already). Maybe my next blog should be a series of answers to the age-old question, “How do I get my dog to take a pill?” Trickery, my friend. Plain old trickery.
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Jessica Stroupe, DVM
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August 2017
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