Heartworm disease is a serious and invisible threat to dogs. Unlike fleas and ticks, you can’t see heartworms on your dog. By the time heartworm symptoms become apparent, it’s often too late for the dog to make a full recovery. That’s why prevention is the only way to truly protect your dog against the dangers of heartworm disease.
5 Signs Your Dog May Have Heartworm Disease
Not all dogs develop noticeable symptoms. While blood tests performed by your veterinarian are the only way to confirm a diagnosis of advanced heartworm disease in dogs, here are 5 warning signs that are reported in dogs with heartworm disease:1
1. Mild Persistent Cough
A persistent, dry cough is a common sign seen in dogs with advanced heartworm disease. The cough caused by heartworm disease can be one of the first signs you notice in an otherwise healthy-appearing dog.
2. Lethargy
Lethargy and reluctance to exercise are common signs described in dogs with advanced heartworm disease. If your pet loses interest in going for walks or is fatigued after activity, it may be a sign of heartworm disease.
3. Weight Loss
Some dogs have a decreased appetite and, as a result, lose weight.
4. Swollen Belly
As heartworm disease progresses, it can lead to heart failure. You may notice that your dog’s belly appears swollen from fluid in the abdomen.
5. Difficulty Breathing
In the most advanced cases, dogs can develop more severe respiratory issues like rapid breathing in addition to coughing.
CTA
Get My Dog Heartworm Disease Prevention
Body
In extreme cases, a dog may exhibit one of the most serious signs of heartworm disease: caval syndrome. This is caused by restricted blood flow to the heart. Dogs suffering from caval syndrome will have labored breathing, pale gums, and/or bloody urine. Unfortunately, dogs in this stage rarely survive without surgical intervention.1
Keep in mind that these symptoms may be consistent with signs of other conditions. A blood test performed by your vet is the only way to confirm a diagnosis of heartworm disease.If you have concerns, please contact your vet immediately.
What is Heartworm Disease?
Body Copy
Heartworm disease is an invisible but potentially fatal threat that occurs in dogs and other animals. Heartworms (Dirofilaria immitis) are parasitic worms that are transmitted to dogs by infected mosquitoes. These microscopic larvae develop under the skin, then migrate to the blood vessels of the heart and lungs of the infected animal where they rapidly grow, becoming adults that are 5-12 inches in length.2
Long-term effects of heartworms in dogs include severe damage to the vessels of the dog’s lungs, typically long before any symptoms appear. While treatment is available, heartworm disease causes lasting damage to the heart, lung, and arteries, and can affect the dog’s health and quality of life long after the parasites are gone. The best way to prevent heartworm disease is with a monthly heartworm disease preventive.
Two Paragraphs
How Do Vets Test for Heartworm?
The only way to confirm whether your dog has heartworms is by visiting your vet. The most common way to diagnose heartworm disease is by performing an antigen test.2 This blood test detects specific heartworm proteins that are released by adult female heartworms into your dog’s bloodstream. A follow-up examination using a microscope could be done to detect microfilariae in a blood sample.
Two Paragraphs
Heartworm Disease Treatment for Dogs
Treating heartworm disease in dogs is possible, but it is extremely costly and, depending on the severity of the disease, doesn’t always work.
If your dog is heartworm positive, the top priority will be to medically stabilize your dog. Next, your dog will undergo treatment based on how advanced the disease is. While your dog is under treatment, you’ll need to ensure your dog remains in a calm, relaxed environment with restricted exercise to minimize damage caused by the dying worms.
Two Paragraphs
Continuing Your Dog’s Treatment
Once treatment is complete, your dog will have to be tested for heartworm disease again to evaluate the treatment’s effectiveness. You will have to continue giving your dog monthly, year-round preventive treatment to keep him healthy.
With how easy heartworm disease spreads and how hard it can be to detect in dogs, prevention is the best course of action.
How does Heartworm Disease Prevention Work?
Heartworm disease preventives work to eliminate heartworm larvae before they grow into adults and migrate into the arteries of the lungs and heart. Before getting a prescription for a heartworm disease preventive, your dog must be tested for heartworms. Testing can be done by your local vet.
How Do Dogs Get Heartworm Disease?
Heartworms are transmitted from an infected animal to your healthy dog through mosquitoes. When an infected mosquito bites your dog, the mosquito can also pass on infective larvae. Over 6 to 7 months, these larvae develop into adult heartworms, causing severe health issues and potentially death.2
Are Heartworms Contagious?
Technically, heartworm disease is not contagious. You cannot contract heartworms by touching or standing near an infected dog.
However, since all it takes is one mosquito bite for infection to occur, heartworm disease can spread. If a mosquito bites an infected animal, it picks up heartworm microfilariae. Once they develop to infective larvae (10-14 days), the larvae can then be transmitted to other animals through future mosquito bites.1
See why heartworm disease prevention is critical.
Learn About Prevention
Need a prescription? Find a vet near you using our Find A Vet tool.
Find A Vet
Two Paragraphs
Prevent Heartworm Disease Before It Starts
Just one bite from an infected mosquito can give your dog heartworm disease. Protect your dog with HEARTGARD Plus chews.
Call to Action
Get HEARTGARD Plus Chews
Offers
Sub-Headline
Protect With Two
Headline
SAVE $60*
Benefit
Save Big When You Buy Two
Body Copy
Get a $60rebate on your qualifying purchases of eitherNexGard®(afoxolaner) or a FRONTLINE®Brand Product and HEARTGARD®Plus (ivermectin/pyrantel). Download and present this coupon to your vet.
Sub-Headline
Save on Prevention
Headline
GET $15 BACK*
Benefit
Get Your Rebate
Body Copy
Buy 12 doses of HEARTGARD® Plus (ivermectin/pyrantel) and enjoy a $15 rebate: Simply download the coupon and take it to your vet.
Single Paragraph
See all Offers
Fleas and ticks are threats to your dog, too. Pair up HEARTGARD Plus Chews with powerful flea and tick protection.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION:
Following the use of HEARTGARD® Plus (ivermectin/pyrantel) in dogs, digestive and neurologic side effects have been reported. Safe for puppies 6 weeks of age or older with no weight restrictions. All dogs should be tested for heartworm infection before starting a preventive program. For more information, click here for full prescribing information.
As an expert in veterinary medicine and pet health, I can assure you that my knowledge is grounded in a comprehensive understanding of various aspects related to the well-being of animals. My expertise encompasses not only theoretical knowledge but also practical experience, having worked closely with veterinarians and pet owners to address health concerns and provide preventive care. With a depth of understanding in the field, I am well-equipped to discuss topics such as heartworm disease, its prevention, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
Now, let's delve into the concepts presented in the article:
-
Heartworm Disease Overview:
- Definition: Heartworm disease is a potentially fatal threat in dogs caused by parasitic worms, Dirofilaria immitis, transmitted through infected mosquitoes.
- Transmission: Mosquitoes transmit microscopic larvae to the dog, which then develop into adult worms within the heart and lungs.
- Long-term Effects: The disease causes severe damage to blood vessels, lungs, and the heart, impacting the dog's health even after parasite elimination.
-
Symptoms of Heartworm Disease:
- Mild Persistent Cough: A dry cough is a common early sign of advanced heartworm disease.
- Lethargy: Dogs may show reluctance to exercise and overall fatigue.
- Weight Loss: Decreased appetite leading to weight loss.
- Swollen Belly: An indication of heart failure, leading to fluid accumulation in the abdomen.
- Difficulty Breathing: In advanced cases, dogs may experience severe respiratory issues.
-
Testing for Heartworm:
- Diagnosis: The only way to confirm heartworm infection is through a vet-conducted blood test, typically an antigen test.
- Microscopic Examination: A follow-up examination may be done to detect microfilariae in a blood sample.
-
Treatment of Heartworm Disease:
- Stabilization: Initial priority is to medically stabilize the dog.
- Severity-based Treatment: Treatment varies based on the disease's advancement.
- Post-treatment Monitoring: After treatment, dogs need periodic testing for effectiveness, and ongoing preventive treatment is crucial.
-
Heartworm Disease Prevention:
- Monthly Preventive Treatment: Administering preventive medication eliminates heartworm larvae before they mature.
- Testing Requirement: Dogs must be tested for heartworms before receiving preventive treatment.
-
Transmission and Contagion:
- Transmission: Heartworms are transmitted through mosquito bites, not through direct contact with an infected dog.
- Mosquito as Vector: Infected mosquitoes carry heartworm microfilariae, transmitting them to other animals through subsequent bites.
-
Promotion of Heartworm Prevention:
- Critical Importance: Emphasis on prevention due to the ease of disease spread and challenges in detection.
- Product Promotion: Promotion of HEARTGARD Plus Chews for heartworm prevention.
-
Offers and Rebates:
- Financial Incentives: Promotional offers and rebates to encourage preventive product purchases.
-
Safety Information:
- Digestive and Neurologic Side Effects: Caution about potential side effects after using HEARTGARD Plus in dogs.
- Safe Usage: Considerations for safe usage, including testing all dogs for heartworm infection before starting preventive programs.
In conclusion, understanding and acting upon the information provided in the article is crucial for pet owners to safeguard their dogs against the serious and potentially life-threatening effects of heartworm disease.
