Heartworm Disease FAQs
Common questions about heartworms How does heartworm disease affect dogs and cats? When does my pet need heartworm protection? Are heartworms able to transmit between pets? Can humans get heartworms from mosquitoes? Why do heartworm preventatives require a prescription? Are heartworm preventatives harmful to some dog breeds? What should I do if I miss a […]
Heartworms in Dogs
What is heartworm disease? Heartworm disease is caused by a worm that is carried by mosquitoes. Pets become infected when the mosquito bites and sucks blood. Once pets become infected with heartworms, the worms travel pulmonary vessels and lungs. Mature heartworms can be several inches long. As an adult, the heartworm is able to breed […]
Do Dogs Need Heartworm Medication Year-Round?
If you’re running low on your pet’s heartworm preventative, you might be wondering if it’s okay to skip a few months over the winter. The truth is, no matter where you live, you should protect your pets against heartworm all year. It’s a widely circulated myth that pets can only contract heartworm disease in the […]
Symptoms of Heartworms in Dogs
Heartworm disease symptoms Pets with heartworm disease often cough. They find it difficult to exert themselves and don’t enjoy exercise. Most pets lose weight, and some develop episodes of fainting. Cats with heartworm disease develop asthma-like symptoms and their hearts enlarge. Unfortunately heartworm disease in cats is often fatal once signs of the disease occur. […]
5 Common Myths about Heartworm in Dogs, Debunked
As a responsible pet parent, you’ve definitely heard of heart disease, and know it’s important to protect your pets, but you may feel confused by all the contradictory information out there. Here’s some of the most common myths about heartworm and the truth about these prevailing misconceptions. 1. You don’t need to give heartworm prevention […]
When to Start Your Puppy or Kitten On A Heartworm Preventative
There’s so much to do when you first bring home your new puppy or kitten. You need to make sure they have a comfy bed, bowl, and toys, plus important first steps at the vet like their core vaccines and their microchip. One more thing to cross off your new puppy or new kitten checklist: […]
From Our Holistic Vet: Why Dogs Need Year-Round Heartworm Prevention
There is nothing more disheartening than when a canine companion comes down with a preventable disease such as heartworm infection. Given the nature of mosquito transmission and with warmer ambient temperatures, transmission season is increasingly lengthening to include all areas of the United States, so that using monthly heartworm preventatives year-round is becoming increasingly important. […]
Why Does My Dog Need Annual Heartworm Testing?
It’s time to stock up on your cat or dog’s heartworm preventatives – but first, you must see your veterinarian for a prescription. Before your vet will write that prescription, your pet will need a negative annual heartworm test. If you’ve been giving your pet their preventive on time every month, you might wonder why […]
Where is Heartworm Disease Most Prevalent?
Since 2001, data from the American Heartworm Society has shown that cases of heartworm disease in pets in the United States have risen by 12%. What’s more, vet clinics in areas that had few to zero cases of heartworm are now starting to see canine patients test positive for this serious disease. Now, heartworm disease […]
What Every Dog Owner Should Know About Heartworm Disease
Is Your Dog At Risk for Heartworm Disease? As pet parents, we know that there are many risks to our dogs’ health that we cannot prevent. Heartworm disease, however, is virtually 100% preventable, yet over 100,000 dogs suffer from this life-threatening disease in the United States each year. Learn why heartworm disease is on the […]
Symptoms of Worms in Dogs
Pets with intestinal worms experience a range of symptoms from anemia, malnutrition, and death to no symptoms at all. Intestinal worms compete with the pet for nutrients so that a pet with a heavy worm burden looks malnourished and has a swollen belly. The hair is often dry, dull, and coarse. There can be mucoid […]