Heartworms in Dogs

Heartworms in dogs are among the most fatal of all the diseases that can affect the animal. Without proper treatment, the disease will kill it. For this reason, it is imperative that pet owners are aware of the symptoms and treatment.

Signs and Symptoms

The most common is dry cough and loss of weight. The dog will lose its appetite and could suffer from diarrhea. As the parasites spread throughout the body, the symptoms will worsen. The dog will become lethargic, get swollen ribs and have bloody stools.

There is difficulty in detecting the disease because a lot of the symptoms are quite common. The coughing or diarrhea can be mistaken for ordinary ailments. For this reason, the dog needs to be checked by the vet every month.

How the Disease Spreads

The parasite appears often during the summer season. The parasite develops in a mosquito. The mosquito can transfer the parasite into the dog. Once this happens, the parasite will grow and multiply. The parasites will proceed to infect the heart, liver and other organs.

The symptoms described earlier will manifest as the parasites spread throughout the body. Eventually the heart and other organs will malfunction. This will result in the death of the animal.
The moment the dog exhibits any of these symptoms, take it to the vet immediately.

Treatment

The best way heartworms in dogs can be treated is by giving it parasite killing medications. The process used to get rid of the disease is arsenic IV solution. The process is risky, though. There are also injections that can be given to the dog to get rid of the disease.

The drugs given are Caparsolate (thiacetarsamide sodium) and Immiticide (melarsomine dihydrochloride). These are administered by the vet. However, there is no guarantee that the treatments will work.

Prevention

There are medications available that can prevent the disease from getting to the dog, like Heartgard. Before you apply this medication, you should have the dog checked for the presence of the parasite.

This is a preventive medication, so the parasite must be removed first. If there is no parasite, then you can give it the medication. It is best to give Heartgard continuously so there is no chance of the illness spreading.

Other Preventive Measures

Because the disease is transferred by mosquitoes, it is imperative you keep them away. One of the things you can do is to disinfect the house and your garden. There are many commercially available products you can choose from.

Aside from keeping away mosquitoes, you should keep the garden clean from flies and cockroaches. These pests carry other diseases that can harm the dog.

You should also make it a point to bathe the dog; make sure it is does not make contact with stray animals. Sometimes the parasites are carried by other animals.

Heartworms in dogs will kill the animal if it is not treated properly. However, the disease may be prevented. Taking the necessary steps outlined above will help keep your pet safe and sound.

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