Content
- What is canine heartworm disease
- Canine Heartworm: Transmission
- Canine Heartworm: Symptoms
- Canine heartworm: diagnosis
- Canine Heartworm: Treatment
- Canine Heartworm: Prevention
O heartworm, or canine heartworm, it is a disease that can affect dogs, other domestic animals such as cats and ferrets, and even people. It is usually transmitted through infected sandflies that act as vectors of this pathology, which is considered one of the more serious parasitic diseases and common in dogs.
As it is a pathology that can be asymptomatic, but it can also cause the dog's death, it is vitally important to carry out adequate preventive medicine, as the treatment of the heartworm is complex and long.
If you want to know more about this parasite that can affect your dog's health, continue reading this article by PeritoAnimal, in which we will show you everything you need to know. heartworm in dogs, along with the most common symptoms of this disease, the treatment to be followed and the prevention measures: Canine Heartworm - Symptoms and Treatment.
What is canine heartworm disease
THE canine heartworm is a disease that was first detected in felines around 1920. It is a parasitic disease caused by a nematode called Dirofilaria immitis, what parasitizes mainly the heart and arteriespulmonary of dogs through blood supply. They usually accumulate in the right ventricle and in the blood vessels of the lungs, where they develop until reaching the 15 or 30 cm long.
This parasitosis makes blood flow difficult in a short time, as its reproduction is especially fast. In fact, it is possible to have over 100 worms in a severe infestation advanced.
Adult nematodes feed on the nutrients present in the blood of the affected dog, and they can live for between 5 and 7 years inside the body, until death from cardiac arrest occurs.
Canine Heartworm: Transmission
This disease is transmitted through a vector, such as sand fly, however, the contagion of puppies can also occur during pregnancy of the dog.
The vector usually absorbs the parasite at its younger stage, after feeding on the blood of a infected individual.Inside the sand fly, over two or three weeks, the larvae will develop into immature worms. So when the mosquito bites another individual, transmits the immature worms, and so begins heartworm disease in a dog that was healthy.
The immature worms start to develop in the tissues of the infected animal and finally, as they become adults, they will hosting in the heart and in the pulmonary arteries through blood supply, to continue its life cycle. From the moment the parasites enter a dog's organism until they reach maturity, they can pass between 80 and 120 days.
It is unlikely that we will find adult worms of Dirofilaria immitis in puppies dogs with less than 7 months, however, we can find small worms still in the maturation process, known as "microfilariae". This only happens in cases of direct contagion, when the mother of the puppies suffers from this disease and, during pregnancy, the microfilariae are transmitted through the placenta to the organism of the developing puppies.
All this turns the infected pup into a possible transmitter of the disease, because in addition to experiencing it, if it is bitten by a sand fly, it will acquire the parasites and can transmit them to other individuals.
This parasitosis not only affects dogs, but also a wide range of animal species, among which we can mention the cats, ferrets, coyotes and even humans, as it is one of the diseases that dogs transmit to humans and vice versa. Furthermore, it is currently spread all over the planet, with the exception of the Antarctic region, being the most favorable wetlands with regard to the risk of transmission.
Canine Heartworm: Symptoms
Infested individuals can be asymptomatic, that is, not showing obvious signs caused by this pathology. It is precisely for this reason that heartworm disease is usually only detected when it is in an advanced state.
You most common symptoms of canine heartworm disease are:
- generalized tiredness
- exercise intolerance
- increased heart rate
- Mild cough and difficulty breathing
- nosebleeds
- oral bleedings
- apathy and depression
- Weight loss
- fainting
- Anorexia (the dog does not want to eat)
- ascites
- cardiac arrest
It is vitally important go to a veterinary clinic if we notice any of the symptoms mentioned above, to determine if the cause is due to the presence of heartworm or heartworm in dogs.
Canine heartworm: diagnosis
It is possible to diagnose the presence of the heartworm in the dog through laboratory tests, which include the blood test which will show infection and other common symptoms of the disease, such as anemia, clotting problems, kidney problems, and elevated liver transaminases. The latter occurs when the kidneys and liver are being affected.
As false negatives can occur, it may also be necessary to perform radiographs or ultrasounds that will confirm the presence of the heartworm in the dog's body.
Depending on the stage of development of the disease, the prognosis can be very variable and even reserved.
Canine Heartworm: Treatment
Although there is no general treatment to treat heartworm disease, diagnostic tests will help the veterinarian determine how treatment should be carried out, always taking into account the patient's health status and the body's ability to respond positively.
However, although the process can be complicated in some cases, it is a disease. treatable if diagnosed promptly An effective treatment is carried out to eliminate the adult worms and larvae. Still, it is worth remembering that in advanced stages it can be very difficult to treat and, in some cases, the dog's death is inevitable.
The treatment is usually long, lasting several months, and usually starts with administering medication to expel microfilariae and larvae of the body, followed by several injections to eliminate adult worms. Later, when this first phase of treatment is successful, a lifelong drug to kill the microfilariae is continued. It may also be necessary to administer medications to treat the symptoms the dog is experiencing and supportive drugs for the affected organs, including the kidney and liver.
Finally, it is necessary provide vitamins and food that helps to strengthen our dog's health, in addition to permanently establishing a preventive plan, so that the infestation does not repeat itself.
It is vital that, during the parasite expulsion treatment, the affected dog has plenty of rest to avoid obstructions and damage to Organs affected organs. When the dog has recovered, it should gradually resume normal activity, following the veterinarian's recommendations.
It is important to remember that the treatment is aggressive, and will leave marks on the health of our faithful companion. Therefore, we must help you to regain your strength and your health once the treatment is over, while during the treatment we will look for strengthen health of the dog following the veterinary advice recommended by the specialist.
Canine Heartworm: Prevention
As this is such a serious parasitic pathology that it can also affect other animals and people, it is vitally important to carry out a preventive medicine plan guided by our trusted veterinarian. So, if you're wondering how to prevent heartworm in dogs, we'll explain the best measures below.
As it is an asymptomatic disease in some cases, it is very advisable to carry out a plan of monthly deworming, both external and internal, to help us prevent a heartworm infestation in the dog. Even so, we must strictly follow the deworming schedule, in addition to going to the specialist every six or twelve months to carry out control visits, which guarantee the dog's good health and the absence of parasitic diseases.
By following our veterinarian's advice and using veterinary prescription products, we will succeed protect the dog and the whole family. Remember, because we love them, we protect them, de-parasite your pet! Learn more about dog deworming in the following video:
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Canine Heartworm - Symptoms and Treatment, we recommend that you enter our section on Parasitic Diseases.