FAQ - Hearworm

Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease in dogs. It is caused by a blood-borne parasite called Dirofilaria immitis. Heartworms are found in the heart and adjacent large blood vessels of infected dogs. One dog may have as many as 300 worms.

The disease is not spread directly from dog to dog. An intermediate host, the mosquito, is required for transmission. Adult heartworms cause disease by clogging the heart and major blood vessels leading from the heart, which causes reduction of the blood supply to other organs of the body. It takes a number of years before dogs show outward signs of infection. The disease is seldom diagnosed in a dog less than one year of age because the young worms (larvae) take up five to seven months to mature after infection. The most obvious signs are a soft, dry cough, shortness of breath, weakness, nervousness, listlessness, and loss of stamina.

YES!! There is some risk involved in treating dogs with heartworms, although fatalities are rare. Consult your veterinarian about this. We can now successfully treat more than 95% of dogs with heartworms.

With safe and affordable heart preventives available today, no pet should ever have to endure this dreaded disease when prevention is started at a young age.  When a dog has been successfully treated for heartworms, it is essential to begin a heartworm prevention program to prevent future recurrence.