Heartworms                                  

Heartworms are worms that live in the right side of the heart, as well as the blood vessels in the lungs, that are spread by mosquitos.  From the time a mosquito bites a dog, until a heartworm test turns positive, may take 6 or 7 months, so we don't test dogs younger than 6 or 7 months, or we may get a false negative test.  Heartworms cause much damage to the blood vessels in the lungs and the heart, and can cause inflammation and partial obstruction.  Symptoms are heavy breathing, coughing, getting out of breath easily, weakness, and weight loss.  Severe infections can be fatal, although a dog is usually sick for quite a while before dying.  It is much easier to prevent heartworms by giving once-a-month heartworm preventive than to wait until a dog is sick with heartworms to treat.  Treatment is sometimes risky, especially in sick dogs, because they may have congestive heart failure, and may also get emboli in the lungs after treatment of adult heartworms.  We require a heartworm test before starting monthly heartworm preventive (unless it is less than 6 or 7 months old), and recommend an annual heartworm test even if on preventive year-round, because there is still a slight chance of getting heartworms, and it is best to catch the heartworms early, before a dog is very sick, to treat the heartworms.

Heartworms are very common in Jefferson County and the House Springs area.  We have had many positive tests, and have treated hundreds of dogs for heartworms over the years.  The great majority of dogs treated for heartworms survive, but there can be complications and even fatalities post-treatment, so, as mentioned, dogs, whether inside or outside dogs, should be on heartworm preventive year-round.  The heartworm preventive also prevents some kinds of intestinal worms that are not spread by mosquitos.  People who give heartworm preventive just part of a year usually wind up missing some important months, when a dog can be bitten by mosquitos that carry heartworms. 

Cats can also get heartworms.  It is about one-tenth as common in cats as it is in dogs, and the symptoms in cats are somewhat different in than in dogs.  Cats can get respiratory problems that look like feline asthma, and they can also vomit and lose weight.  Cats can usually not be successfully treated for heartworms because the treatment is usually fatal in cats, so it would also be a good idea to give monthly heartworm preventive to cats.  Please ask us about heartworm preventives for your cat. 

We have several types and brands of monthly heartworm preventives in stock, and you can also order from our on-line pharmacy.  You can read about them on our pharmacy website.  Please ask us, if you have questions.