Heartworms and Heartworm Disease in dogs and cats
 Heartworms are about six inches long. They live mostly in the heart and the large blood vessel that bring oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the heart. Adult male and female worms living in the heart produce thousands of microscopic baby worms (microfilaria) which circulate throughout the body. These baby heartworms do not grow to adulthood in the dog where they were born. Before baby heartworms can develop further, they must live in a mosquito.
A mosquito comes along and bites the infected dog, sucking up baby heartworms. This probably isn't too good for the mosquito, but this is what the worms have been waiting for. During the next month, the heartworm babies develop into heartworm teenagers.
Now, the mosquito bites another dog, infecting the new dog with teenage heartworms, ready to develop into adulthood. After six or seven more months the life cycle is complete: new adult male and female heartworms are producing thousands of baby heartworms.
Signs of Heartworm infection in dogs include
There are several different drugs used for heartworm prevention, all of them highly effective and easy to use. You have your choice between a monthly good-tasting pill ( Heartgard, Interceptor or Sentinel), or a monthly application of medicine to the skin (Advantage Multi and Revolution). In Indianapolis , we have mosquitoes year 'round, and Our recommendation is once a month, year 'round, permanently
Canine Heartworm Testing
No medication is perfect, and none of us have perfect memories. Dogs should be tested yearly.
Although heartworms can be fatal, and treatment for the disease involves risk, the condition is nearly always curable. Treatment requires careful medical care and complete rest at home afterwards.
Because cats are not a natural host for the parasite, heartworm disease in cats is a very different problem. Cats are much less likely to get heartworms than dogs are. When they do, symptoms are unpredictable and seemingly illogical.
Heartworm Symptoms In Cats
Usually there are no symptoms. When noted, symptoms resemble those of other more common problems.
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vomiting
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wheezing, choking
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fainting spells
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hindquarter paralysis
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sudden unexplained death
Feline Heartworm Prevention
We recommend AdvantageMulti for heartworm and flea preventions in cats.
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