The downfall of the economy is forcing many pet owners to stop giving their dogs preventive medicines that are needed to help control certain medical conditions. This choice could be costly to pets — and could actually wind up costing pet owners more money in the long run.
It is very important that dogs (young and old) get preventives for heartworm disease, especially those that live in areas that are prone to mosquitoes.
What Pet Meds Prevent Heartworms?
The book Pets, Part of the Family suggests that you begin treatment for your puppy when he is 6 to 8 weeks old. But before starting your puppy on any heartworm medication, you should have him tested by your veterinarian to see if he is already carrying heartworms. If he does have them, the existing heartworms should be treated, as preventive medicines do not cure the disease. Also, giving preventives to dogs who already have adult heartworm infection can be fatal.
Both preventive and treatment options are available. Since treatment can be not only quite expensive but also somewhat risky, many pet owners choose the much healthier option of prevention. Dogs need to stay on a preventive year round. Yearly tests are highly recommended.
Don’t let the word “monthly” confuse you. Monthly medications technically do not prevent heartworms for 30 days. Instead, the meds work in reverse, getting rid of the larvae your pet has obtained during the previous 30 days. Monthly preventives can also control other parasites.
3 of the Most Used Preventives
- A twice a day injection (administered by a veterinarian) known as Proheart 6 that has been noted to trigger allergic reactions.
- Pills (plain or chewable) given on the same day of each month.
- Topical treatments that are dabbed on the skin between the shoulder blades.
Preventives
Among the medicines available for preventing heartworms:
- Heartgard and Heartgard Plus (ivermectin): These medicines rate high on the prevention scale.
- Interceptor (milnemycin): This can be used as an alternative to Heartgard. It also helps control roundworms, hookworms and whipworms.
- Sentinel (milbemycin and lufenuron): Controls heartworms and fleas.
- Revolution (selamectin): Also offers flea protection.
Here is a quick video about prevention:
To determine what is right for your pet, discuss what dog medicine prevents heartworms with your veterinarian. She should be able to offer a solution that will work for you and your dog.
How Does a Dog Get Heartworms? Hint: Bzzzzzzzzz…
The bite of one mosquito infected with the heartworm larvae is all it takes. The simple fact is, where there are mosquitoes and animals, there are going to be heartworms.
As the larvae make their way into the dog’s bloodstream, they develop into microfilaria (offspring) in about four months. Around three months later, these offspring become adult heartworms. They travel through the bloodstream to the right side of the dog’s heart. From there, it’s on to the lungs.
If both male and female heartworms exist, they can begin reproducing. This means that one little mosquito bite can lead to generations of heartworms living in the dog’s bloodstream. Adult worms can grow up to 12 inches long, living as long as seven years. One dog can accumulate up to 250 worms in his system!
According to the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine, because heartworms live inside the dog’s heart, too many of them can cause the heart to malfunction. In small dogs it takes just a few worms to cause major health problems.
The heartworm offspring will not be able to grow into adults unless they can spend some time inside the mosquito. The more times your dog is bitten by an infected mosquito, the more worms he can possibly get.
Life Cycle
Here is chart from the American Heartworm Society that illustrates the life stages:
It is amazing to me that a single blood-thirsty mosquito holds the answer to the question “How does a dog get heartworms?” To think that a tiny insect can do such enormous damage!
Having your veterinarian check your pet for heartworms on a yearly basis is vital. Discovering their presence is the first step in getting rid of them. Yearly checks could be the greatest gift you could ever give your dog — the gift of life.
Additional Resources
- American Heartworm Society: Canine heartworm disease
- Placerville (Calif.) Veterinary Clinic: Heartworms treatment in dogs
- UGA College of Veterinary Medicine: How do dogs get worms?
- Wikipedia: Course of infection of heartworms
- American Heartworm Society: Heartworm life cycle
Photo: Waldo Jaquith (top), lloydcrew/Flickr
