Pet Post Issue 58 - Salina Animal Shelter

DOG
Heartworm
Disease….What is it?
Heartworm is a condition in dogs caused by a certain
type of parasite. These parasites are transmitted
to your pet through mosquitoes. If you are living
in an area where there are lots of mosquitoes
during the night, it is very important that you seriously
consider heartworm prevention measures for
your dog. Heartworm is a very dangerous disease.
It can kill your dog if you don’t do something
about it. Even more disturbing is the fact that this
disease is very prevalent in the US, more particularly
in the West where there are large open fields.
As everybody knows, mosquitoes are common in
rural areas and in the countryside.
The moment heartworm-transmitting mosquitoes
bite your dog, the larvae will be transferred into its
bloodstream. It will incubate there for several
days. That’s the start of the disease. If left ignored,
the parasites will eventually cause your pet
a lot of harm. As such, it will need to be treated
right away.
Once the parasites find their way in the right ventricle,
they will duplicate in number. Too many of
them can cause an extreme hazard to the dog’s vital
organs. As you know failure of the heart may
mean failure of the whole system.
This disease is called Heartworm because the
parasites tend to invade the heart of dogs. The
eggs are deposited into the blood stream and are
transported into the rest of the body until they
reach the heart. The initial symptom of heartworm
is coughing. As the parasites find their way from
the heart and into the lungs, it will cause a group
of symptoms similar to a pulmonary disease like
lung cancer. Hemoptysis and chest pain come
along with it.
In many North American regions April is the time
of the year when veterinarians begin to check dogs
(and cats) for exposure to heartworm organisms
that may have occurred during previous mosquito
season. If your pet was infected last mosquito season,
evidence of the disease may be detectable
then-though it really is dependent of the time in
which your dog was infected. Like any other
pathogenic situation, the earlier a diagnosis is
made and treatment is begun, the better the
chances your pet will recover properly. Give your
veterinarian a call early this spring so that your
dog (or cat) can be tested for heartworm disease.
Current heartworm test are more accurate than
what was available only a few years ago.
Sources: www.petmd.com and WebMD
Sec. 7-51. Proper confinement of cats and dogs in heat required.
The owner of any female cat or dog shall, during the period that such
animal is in heat, keep it securely confined and enclosed within a
building except when out upon such person’s premises briefly for toilet
purposes.