If you’re researching your options for heartworm medicine for dogs, it’s important to first understand heartworm disease in general. It is a condition found in canines which is caused by the bite of a mosquito. It involves primarily the right ventricle of your dog’s heart, where it can stay for many years. A parasitic roundworm, Dirofilaria Imitis, causes heartworm disease to form. Dogs are the most common hosts, but it can also affect cats, foxes and wolves.
Signs and symptoms of heartworm don’t usually show until the disease is much progressed. Pets with heavier infections may show the classic sign of heartworm disease, such as coughing, difficulty in breathing, depression, fainting, listlessness, severe weight loss and even blindness. That’s why it’s vital to get your animals started on a heartworm medication, such as Heartgard Plus for Dogs, as soon as possible.
Heartworm disease has several stages, and fully grown adult heart worms are the ones that cause serious infections to your pet’s heart. The intermediate host – which is the mosquito – is the one responsible for the transmission of the worms from one host to another. Heartworm requires a warm environment for the development of adult worms. Immature heartworms usually migrate through bloodstreams, initially infecting the skin, then traveling to the pulmonary artery.
In addition to a number of effective forms of heartworm medicine for dogs, there are several tests for the detection of heartworm disease that are quick and very effective for determining if your pet is suffering from this condition. It can be a simple examination of blood under the microscope to determine the presence of the worms, or a concentration method and immunologic testing where even a small amount of adult heartworms circulating in the blood are detected in the absence of microfilariae. Testing kits are also readily available in the veterinarian’s office. Radiographs and ultrasounds are available when doing a heart work-up for your pet. If parasites are detected, your vet can talk to you about heartworm medication options to help keep your beloved pets safe.
Nowadays, there are several types of heartworm medicine for dogs that you can choose for treatment. In choosing the best medication for your dog, there are several factors that must be considered. These include the severity of the disease, the number of worms affecting the dog, and well as other existing health factors. Most of the medicines that are being given employ the use of arsenic based compounds, so it is better to use drugs that will post less risk on the dog – or better yet, use medications that can prevent it from the outset.
It is necessary to bring your dogs to your vet regularly and have their heart checked at least twice a year for the presence of heartworms. Many veterinarians still believe in Proheart 6 to be effective if used under optimal conditions, although the FDA recalled it due to its adverse effects. There are plenty of other medications available now, with the most commonly prescribed being Heartguard Plus and Interceptor for Dogs.
Millions of pets are being affected by heartworm disease worldwide each year. The important thing to realize is that prevention is better than seeking a cure once the condition has developed. See your veterinarian for treatment options, and give your pet the best life possible with early detection and prevention with a quality heartworm medicine for dogs.
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