Heartworm is another one of those diseases mozzies spread, and is quite an important disease for all dog owners to be aware of.
Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) is a parasite that lives in the main blood vessel between the heart and the lungs. The adult worm produces infectious stages called microfilaria, which are discharged into the blood stream. These are then picked up by mosquitoes when they bite, develop a bit more in the mosquito then are injected into another dog when the mosquito bites. For heartworm to spread in a population of dogs you need two things – mosquitoes and infected dogs.
Fortunately in Bunbury we are in a lower risk area, although we do see the occasional case. We obviously have a LOT of mozzies, but few infected dogs (though those numbers can increase over summer when holiday makers from Perth bring their dogs with them). Perth, north of Perth and inland are much higher risk areas.
The main reason we recommend heartworm prevention for all dogs is the difficulty in treating the disease. The treatment takes several weeks, during which time the animal needs to be confined to a cage. The treatment also carries significant risks, as dying worms can break away and lodge in the lungs.
The first sign of heartworm disease is normally the dog coughing. This is caused by the worms creating blood clots which lodge in the lungs. The cough can be quite severe, and in some cases fatal. Infection is normally confirmed with a blood test.
We normally start using Heartworm preventing medications from around 12 weeks of age. We recommend using a long-acting heartworm prevention injection. Although other monthly products are just as effective, if they are given late or doses missed then there are gaps which allow for a possible infection.
Please ask your vet about Heartworm, or give us a call on 97215999 if you have any questions. Once again, this is a disease where prevention is much better than cure.