5 Things that you need to Know about Heartworm Infection in Dogs Today!!

As a dog owner, you should absolutely know everything about heartworm infection in dogs. If you are not aware of it, then we recommend you to open Google search and type the keywords “heartworm infections in dogs” you will get 1, 26,000 results. Click on the top four links and read about heartworm infection in dogs because it is very important for the health of your pooch. Remember, it is always better to have first hand information rather than wait for the dire situation to learn about this life threatening disease.

Just like human beings face life threatening disease in the form of lung cancer, HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis, etc. pets also undergo life threatening disease like heartworm disease. It is very costly to treat a heartworm infection and it is also very painful for your tyke. Hence, it is very important that you take heartworm preventative treatments like Heartgard Plus Chewables, Nuheart for dogs, Interceptor Spectrum Tasty Chews, Sentinel Spectrum Tasty Chews, and Valuheart amongst others to keep your pooch away from this dreadful disease.

Let us now look at some of the things that you should be aware about heartworm infection in dogs:

• Please note that heartworm disease is not contagious since dogs already suffering from heartworm disease cannot transfer the disease to other dogs directly. This disease is spread when a mosquito carrying an infected larvae also known as microfilariae bites the pooch and leaves the larvae behind which starts growing and maturing in the bloodstream of the dog until it becomes a full-grown heartworm and moves around the lungs and heart of the dog.
• Dogs are chiefly affected by heartworms but that does not mean that cat owners can ignore the heartworm prevention dose. In fact, felines are also prone to heartworm infection when the infected mosquito bites them. All animals can get this disease through the mosquito bite, hence; it is very important that you give monthly preventative doses to your pets regardless of the fact whether they live indoors or outdoors.
• Heartworm disease is a life-threatening disease and it should not be taken lightly by pet owners. When your pet gets infected by this disease, they do not show any symptoms in the very first stage. Only after the disease has fully grown does one come to know about the deadly effects. The diagnosis is also very painful consisting of a strong arsenic-based injection treatment. Hence, it is recommended to give preventative treatment before this disease can occur in your pets.
• Earlier it was a notion that human beings do not contract heartworm through the mosquito bite, but that notion has been put to rest. It has been recently found that in the rarest of cases, human beings can get infected by this disease, but they do not suffer from life threatening consequences as with the pets since the heartworm is incompetent in completing its entire life cycle inside the bloodstream of human beings. In worst cases, it can cause a benign lung lesion.
• When a puppy or kitty is born, the mother dog and cat passes certain immunity to their babies through the colostrum present in the milk. But kittens and puppies are equally at risk at contracting heartworm disease and so as pet owners it is your responsibility to ensure that they should be given preventative treatments as soon as your veterinarian approves it.

The best thing that you can do as a good pet owner is to keep your pets protected from bacteria, diseases and parasites. This will keep them safe and well-guarded against heartworm infection. If you would like to share positive experiences of your pooch undergoing heartworm treatment; please post your comments below and we would incorporate it in our forthcoming blogs!! Till then give your pet heartworm preventive treatment to keep them safe and sound.