April is Heartworm Awareness Month: Protect Your Pet from Heartworm Disease

April is Heartworm Awareness Month, a time to remind pet owners about the dangers of heartworm disease and the importance of prevention. Heartworms are a serious and potentially fatal condition that affects both dogs and cats, yet it’s entirely preventable. Here’s what every pet owner needs to know about heartworms and how to protect your furry friends.

What Are Heartworms?

Heartworms are parasitic worms that can live inside your pet's heart, lungs, and blood vessels. They are spread by infected mosquitoes when they bite an animal. These worms can grow up to a foot long and can cause serious damage to the heart and lungs, leading to symptoms like coughing, fatigue, and difficulty breathing. Left untreated, heartworm disease can be fatal.

Signs of Heartworm Disease

While heartworms can be deadly, they often don’t show symptoms until the disease is advanced. Common signs of heartworm disease in dogs include:

• Persistent coughing or wheezing
• Lethargy or tiredness after regular exercise
• Difficulty breathing or rapid breathing
• Weight loss or poor appetite
• Swollen abdomen (in severe cases)

Cats are more difficult to diagnose, but they may show signs like coughing, vomiting, and respiratory distress.

How Is Heartworm Disease Diagnosed?

Your veterinarian can perform a simple blood test to check for heartworm larvae in your pet’s bloodstream. In addition to the blood test, your vet may also recommend X-rays or an ultrasound to check for heartworm damage to the heart and lungs.

Heartworm Treatment

If your pet is diagnosed with heartworm disease, treatment is possible, but it’s expensive, lengthy, and can be risky, especially for dogs with severe cases. Treatment typically involves a series of injections to kill the heartworms, followed by strict rest and monitoring. Unfortunately, there is no treatment for heartworm disease in cats, so prevention is even more crucial for them.

Prevention is Key

The good news is that heartworm disease is completely preventable! By giving your pet a monthly heartworm preventative medication, you can protect them from this dangerous disease. There are several options available, including oral medications, topical treatments, and injectables that last for several months.

Talk to your veterinarian to determine the best heartworm prevention plan for your pet based on their age, health, and lifestyle. These medications are highly effective, and preventing heartworm disease is much easier (and less expensive) than treating it.

Additional Steps to Protect Your Pet

• Limit mosquito exposure: Mosquitoes are the primary carriers of heartworms, so reducing your pet’s exposure to mosquitoes is important. Keep them indoors during peak mosquito hours (dawn and dusk) and use mosquito screens or repellents (safe for pets) when outdoors.
• Annual testing: Even if your pet is on heartworm prevention, annual testing is still recommended. It helps ensure that the medication is working and that your pet has not been exposed to heartworms.

Heartworm Awareness Month: A Reminder to Stay Vigilant

Heartworm Awareness Month is the perfect time to check in with your veterinarian and make sure your pet is up to date on their heartworm prevention plan. By staying proactive, you can protect your pet from this serious disease and ensure they stay happy, healthy, and active for years to come.

At Lakeshore Road Animal Hospital, we’re here to help you protect your pet from heartworm disease and other preventable conditions. Contact us today to schedule a heartworm test or refill your pet’s heartworm prevention prescription!