Heartworm disease is a growing concern for pets here in Oregon! With climate change, mild winters, and growing mosquito populations, year-round heartworm prevention is more important than ever before. Luckily, with a little knowledge and a few simple preventative measures, you can safeguard your pets against this potentially fatal disease.
What Is Heartworm Disease?
Heartworm disease is caused by parasitic worms that are spread via infected mosquito bites. When a mosquito bites an infected animal, it ingests heartworm larvae. These larvae develop inside the mosquito and are transmitted to the next animal the mosquito bites.
These larvae migrate into the heart and lungs of the host animal, developing into adult worms over the course of several months. In natural hosts, like dogs, worms can reach adulthood and reproduce, leading to hundreds of worms in the heart, lungs, and associated blood vessels. Left untreated, heartworms can block blood flow to the heart and be life-threatening or fatal.
Even after treatment, heartworms can cause lasting damage to the heart and lungs. Even pets that fully recover may experience symptoms and health issues long after the worms are gone.
Heartworm Is Becoming A Bigger Issue in Oregon
A few decades ago, many Oregon pet owners may not have worried about heartworm disease. But with changing weather patterns and more rescue animals reaching Oregon from around the country, the risk of heartworm disease has skyrocketed. All it takes is one infected dog traveling from the South to introduce heartworm to PNW dog populations. As a result, year-round heartworm prevention needs to be a top priority for Portland-area dog owners!
Symptoms of Heartworm Disease
Symptoms of heartworm disease can be hard to pinpoint since they start to show months after the initial infecting mosquito bite. The severity of the parasitic load (AKA how many worms are living in your pet’s heart and lungs) will also affect symptoms. Most commonly, symptoms of heartworm disease in dogs include:
- Cough
- Exercise intolerance
- Lethargy
- Difficulty breathing
- Sudden collapse
In severe, untreated cases, dogs may experience congestive heart failure or even sudden death.
Can Heartworm Be Treated?
Most infected dogs can successfully undergo treatment. The goal of treatment is to first stabilize your pet, then to kill off adult and immature worms in the heart and lungs.
Heartworm treatment is a multi-step process that generally occurs over the course of several months. Your veterinarian will use an injectable medication to kill adult heartworms. As the worms die off, they break off into pieces, which can block blood vessels. During treatment, your veterinarian may hospitalize your pet for supportive care and close monitoring. It’s essential to keep pets on restricted activity during treatment to prevent dangerous side effects!
After your pet’s final treatment, your veterinarian will retest to make sure all of the heartworms have been eliminated.
Heartworm Prevention Saves Lives!
Regular testing and year-round heartworm prevention are two of the best steps you can take to protect pets against heartworm.
Routine heartworm testing: This simple blood test can be done annually along with your pet’s other routine lab work. Since pets with heartworm disease may not show symptoms until the disease is advanced, testing can be key to early detection.
Monthly heartworm prevention: All it takes is one simple, monthly topical or oral preventative to safeguard your pets against heartworm. These prescription medications kill larval heartworms before they can mature into adults.
Talk to Your Vet About Year-Round Heartworm Prevention
Heartworm disease may be serious, but the good news is that it’s also highly preventable. With Oregon’s changing climate and increased exposure to heartworm-carrying mosquitoes, protecting your pet has never been more important. By staying informed, scheduling regular testing, and keeping your pet on a year-round preventative, you can dramatically reduce their risk of infection. If you have questions about prevention, testing, or treatment options, don’t hesitate to reach out to the team at Pine Point Animal Hospital!