Adding a dog to your home is like bringing home a new family member. As their adoptive pet parent, it is up to you to provide everything your dog needs in order to live a long, healthy life. One of the most important things you can do is protect your furry friend from heartworms. Dogs die every year from untreated heartworm infestations. However, by simply purchasing preventative medication from your local Dog Clinic Lenexa KS, you can keep your dog free of these deadly parasites.
Heartworms can infect any dog, no matter their age or health status. All it takes is a simple bite from a mosquito that is carrying heartworm larvae. The larvae matures inside of your pet, growing into an adult heartworm. This growth process takes about seven months. Adult heartworms live inside the lungs, heart, and arteries of canines. This can cause serious complications, including heart failure and even death. Unlike other animals, dogs are a welcoming host for this parasite, and they can thrive in the organs of your pet. Hundreds of worms can live inside an infected dogs at once.
Although heartworm infestation can lead to death, it is also treatable. Your Dog Clinic Lenexa KS will attack the outbreak in stages, killing the larvae and adult worms. Treatment, however, has many side effects, and it can be very dangerous. Dogs undergoing heartworm treatment must remain caged and isolated to keep them calm. Any increase in heart rate may cause dying heartworms to become lodged in the lungs or arteries. Treatment takes several weeks, depending on the number of live worms present in your pet.
Dogs that are not infected should be treated with a preventative medication on a regular basis. Any local vet, including Falcon Valley Animal Hospital, can prescribe this medication. Most heartworm preventatives are taken monthly, and many also treat other parasites, including roundworms, tapeworms, and fleas. Preventative heartworm medications work by killing any larvae in your dog’s system before it is able to grow into adulthood. Stopping the heartworm cycle in the larvae stage prevents an outbreak.
Seek medical attention immediately if your dog ever exhibits symptoms of heartworms, including chronic fatigue, coughing after exercise, or sudden weight loss. Your dog is relying on you to keep him free of heartworms. Visit website for more details.
