Heartworm Basics
Heartworm is a parasite/worm that lives in the heart/pulmonary vessels of the dog.
It is spread by mosquitoes. A mosquito bites one infected dog and then spreads it
to another when it bites again. Clinical signs of Heartworm disease are coughing,
ADR, acute death, and heart trouble. It can easily be prevented with once monthly
medication. A dog should be tested prior to starting preventative. The test is run
on blood and takes 10 minutes (we do it in house). The medication works retroactively-it
kills any baby heartworms the pet may have been exposed to in the previous 30 days.
Heartworm season in the Treasure Valley is May- October. If a pet travels out of
this area in the other months, it should be on preventative all year. Cats can get
Heartworm, however that species is more resistant to infection and we are not recommending
testing/prevention at this time unless they travel to higher risks areas.
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