Dog Heartworm Symptoms

Do you have a dog that seems to be ill? Perhaps they have lost their appetite, or have become very lethargic in the last few weeks. Maybe they have developed a cough and have started to lose weight for no apparent reason. If you see these symptoms in your dog, it is possible that they have dog heartworm. This disease is the result of a parasitic roundworm that can infest the lung arteries of your canine. It is also known as dirofilaria immitis, and is typically contracted as a result of mosquitoes that are carrying this disease. On this website, we will present the many symptoms to look for, how it can affect the health of your dog, and the many treatments that are available if you notice that dog heartworm symptoms seem to be present.

What Are Dog Heartworms?

As most experts now, canines are exceptionally good hosts for dog heartworm or Dirofilaria immitis. These parasites can actually affect a large range of animals including sea lions, ferrets, cats, foxes, wolves and, of course, dogs. In most cases, when a mosquito that is infected with the larvae of infective heartworms bites your dog, it is possible to transmit this infection through the larvae, allowing the parasites to grow within your canine over the next few months. The larvae can infect many different areas within your dog, including their blood vessels, lungs, and even their heart. Once they have entered into your dog’s system, they can begin to reproduce over the next few months creating offspring which are called microfilariae. These can actually grow to be upwards of 6 inches in male dogs, and up to a foot long in a full-grown female canine.

Dog Heartworm Symptoms

The symptoms that are usually attributed to dogs that have heartworms include fatigue, difficulty breathing, uncontrollable coughing, exhaustion, jaundice, convulsions, difficulty seeing, and the potential of death if they are not treated in a timely manner. Depending upon the age of your dog, these symptoms can be extremely severe, leading to an early death even with the most healthy of canines. If you notice that your dog is experiencing symptoms such as these, it is a good idea to visit your local veterinarian to determine whether or not they have been infected by heartworms.

Where Will Heartworms Develop?

If you think about the different types of dogs, some have short hair and others have long hair. Since heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes, shorthaired dogs are more prone to contracting the  dirofilaria immitis larvae. The reason is that the mosquitoes are unable to penetrate through the hair, and are therefore unable to implant the dogs with the heartworms. In most cases, the abdominal area of the dog is affected, although they can be infiltrated through their ears and muzzle depending upon the breed of the dog itself.

Treatment For Dog Heartworms

The most common treatment that is used, especially for canines that have been diagnosed early on, is a sort of chemical therapy. This is usually administered overtime, and it usually requires multiple treatments in order to kill the heartworms completely. There is a danger in actually killing all of heartworms at the same time because, if they are primarily in their lungs, it can actually cause the death of the dog because of their size. Depending upon their number, it can also be very lethal in the lung area. In most cases, the veterinarian will administer multiple smaller treatments so that they are eliminated gradually, thus protecting the livelihood of your pet and reducing the chances of things going wrong.

If there is significant heartworm development within your dog, surgery may be the only option. Due to the size of the heartworms, they can be removed physically. This is a measure of last resort in most cases, and is usually the only choice if the infestation will certainly lead to the death of the dog.

Heartworm Prevention Tips

If your dog has not been diagnosed with having heartworms, or you have not noticed dog heartworm symptoms developing, you should use medications that can be provided by your veterinarian in order to make sure that, even if bitten by a mosquito, they cannot develop. The best way to tell if your dog has a heartworm infestation is to do a blood test. If they are infected, your veterinarian will inform you that she has detected microfilaremia, the presence of the heartworms in the bloodstream itself. Although this is not a test that will always reflect the infection, it is a good way to monitor your dog’s condition. This is always recommended, even if you do not notice immediate symptoms.

Another way to prevent heartworms from developing in your pet is to use mosquito repellent sprays whenever you take your dog out. Whether you are at the park, or deep in the wilderness, it’s always a good idea to spray your dog with the repellent to make sure the mosquitoes will not have a chance to infect them.

In conclusion, if you notice that your dog is having trouble breathing, or is simply not as active as he or she once was, there is the possibility that these are dog heartworm symptoms that you should take seriously as it may lead to lung and heart disease problems within your pet. It is important to get your veterinarian’s expert advice. If they are actually in the primary vein in the lower body, the caudal vena cava, it could actually lead to their death in a matter of days. You owe it to yourself, and your pet, to always watch out for dog heartworm symptoms, which will help to make sure your canine lives a long and healthy life.

Here’s a video overview of dog heartworm symptoms…

Here is a video on dog heartworm treatments to consider…

If one day your healthy dog is suddenly experiencing difficulty breathing, running, or simply getting through the day, there is the possibility that it was bitten by a mosquito and now has heartworm disease. These tiny parasites can grow to enormous sizes within your dog, causing potentially fatal conditions within them.

In this article, we will show you how to diagnose dog heartworm disease early on, so that you can properly take care of your dog, making sure that this condition does not get out of control.

Heartworm Diagnosis and Treatment in Dogs

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Tim_Kilroy]Tim Kilroy

Dog Heartworm

Heartworm disease is caused by parasites living in your dog’s heart. The parasites are transmitted to the body via mosquitoes and cause your dog to experience weakness and breathing difficulties. If left untreated, the parasites can cause heart failure and death.

Symptoms of Dog Heartworm

While mosquitoes live only four to eight weeks, heartworms can live in your dog for up to two years. They become a problem when they reach the adult stage of their life cycle and move into the right ventricle of the heart. Once in your dog’s heart, the worms-which measure two to ten inches-disrupt the flow of blood, leading to both lung and heart problems. It takes approximately two months for heartworms to develop into adults and nearly seven weeks after infection for symptoms to appear. These include coughing, exercise intolerance, difficulty breathing, and bloating due to fluid in the abdomen. As the disease progresses, extreme weight loss and difficulties breathing become apparent. Symptoms vary from dog to dog and can appear to diminish before returning again.

Dog Heartworm Diagnosis

Your veterinarian can check your dog’s blood for the presence of antigens or antibodies produced in the process of fighting heartworm disease. If there is a large enough heartworm burden, a blood sample can also be examined under the microscope for the presence of adult heartworms. Chest x-rays can sometimes be helpful in diagnosing right sided congestive heart failure which can be present due to heartworm disease. Since heartworms can exist in your dog long before symptoms appear, be sure to get a heartworm test as soon as you suspect their presence.

Dog Heartworm Treatment

If your dog actually becomes infected by heartworms, injections of a heartworm adulticide (literally “adult killer”) will likely be administered. Though these shots are generally effective, they can be extremely painful and cause soreness and swelling to occur. In addition, your dog will need to be strictly prohibited from exercise for approximately five weeks as aerobic activity could lead to severe pulmonary complications.

Dog Heartworm Prevention

Since the best defense against the effects of heartworm is guarding against the parasites that cause it, be sure to use Heartgard Plus, Interceptor, or one of the many products designed for this purpose. This is especially important during the summer months when mosquitoes are most prevalent. Your veterinarian will probably advise administering the tablets approximately once a month. A heartworm test will also be necessary to restart preventative medication if your dog has been off of it for an extended period of time. Starting your dog on heartworm preventative medication if they already have heartworm disease can be dangerous. Your veterinarian may also recommend screening for heartworm disease every one to two years to make sure he/she is heartworm free.

Tim Kilroy is a writer living in Boston who thinks that [http://www.nationalpetpharmacy.com]pet meds are a great way to keep your pet happy and healthy.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Heartworm-Diagnosis-and-Treatment-in-Dogs&id=4620923] Heartworm Diagnosis and Treatment in Dogs

Without a doubt, dog heartworm disease is a very dangerous condition for any canine that develops these parasitic worms within their heart, lungs, or bloodstream. If you are able to diagnose that this condition exists within your dog, you may inevitably save their life.