We recommend that preventive medication be given Foster Hospital for Small Animals (508) 839-5395 Currently, there are no products in the United States year-round. Some may think that they do not need do approved for the treatment of heartworm infection in this in the winter because there are no mosquitoes. If cats, so disease prevention is critical. A cat’s immune you choose to discontinue preventives in the winter, you system can respond to heartworms better than dogs need to be very vigilant about remembering to restart Heartworm Basics and Prevention: and are often able to eliminate the infection on their the preventive therapy. In this case, treatment should be own. Unfortunately, they may develop complications started one month before the mosquito season and as the dead worms are being cleared by the body, continue for one month beyond the rst frost. Prevention is the Best Medicine which can result in a life-threatening shock reaction. Veterinarians will often attempt to treat an infected cat Performing Routine Heartworm Testing Every summer the news media buzzes with stories Symptoms with supportive therapy measures to limit this For dogs, a prevention program should be started at 6 to about the transmission of disease to humans by pesky reaction. Heartworm disease can be silent in the early stages and 8 weeks of age. If not started at an early age, the and annoying mosquitoes. It should when left untreated can be fatal. While heartworm American Heartworm Society (AHS) recommends that all come as no surprise that these insects Prevention aects both dogs and cats, it is far more common in adult dogs be tested before being started on a are more than just a nuisance to us dogs. It may take months before your pet will show any The bottom line is that prevention is much easier than heartworm preventive for the rst time. In addition, all humans, but are a serious health risk to sign of symptoms. Unlike dogs, cats can show signs of the treatment and includes: dogs should be tested annually for heartworm infection. our furry and beloved pets. breathing problems even with only 1-2 adult This antigen test should be repeated annually or as Heartworm is di cult to treat and can be a potentially heartworms surviving in their lungs. Reducing exposure to mosquitoes frequently as your veterinarian recommends, even if the fatal disease transmitted by mosquitoes to dogs and While you may be able to limit the risk by keeping your dog is on a heartworm prevention program. Symptoms in dogs may vary but most commonly cats. This is why it is much easier and more eective to pet inside in the late afternoon and evening, we all include: breathing di culties, coughing, reduced Similarly in cats, it is recommended that heartworm avoid the problem altogether. As a pet owner, you are know that preventing mosquito bites is not entirely appetite and weight loss and lethargy. These symptoms preventives be started before the kitten reaches 9 weeks likely familiar with the importance of heartworm possible. Spraying the yard and removing standing may mimic other conditions, and would likely lead you of age. And like with dogs, cats over 6 months old prevention. Before we reinforce the things you should water can help, but again will not completely eliminate to your primary care veterinarian. Similarly, symptoms should be tested for heartworms prior to starting know about prevention, let’s briey explore this the threat. in cats are non-specic and include vomiting, gagging, prevention, and annually thereafter. condition, how it occurs, typical symptoms, and what di culty or rapid breathing, lethargy and weight loss. Using Preventives can be done to treat the infection. By keeping as many pets free of heartworm disease, we Signs associated with the rst stage of heartworm Heartworm preventive therapy is safe, easy and will take them out of the host population and reduce What is heartworm? disease can often be mistaken for feline asthma or inexpensive and when administered properly can be the risk of disease in the overall population. Preventives allergic bronchitis. extremely eective. There are a variety of options for are worth every dollar spent when you consider what it Heartworms, Dirolaria immitis, are found in dogs and preventing heartworm infection in both dogs and cats, will cost to treat your beloved pet if infected -- not to cats and spend their adult life in the blood vessels General practitioners are very familiar with what to including: mention the ultimate risk of losing your pet. For more connecting the heart and lungs and in more advanced look for and it is part of the annual exam. As long as • Oral pill or tablet (ivermectin and milbemycin) (taken information on heartworm you may consult the cases inside the heart. So some may ask, “how do they you’ve been diligent with heartworm preventives, you monthly) reference sources provided below or your primary care get there?” The heartworm disease cycle is fed by the will have little to worry about. • Topical liquid that you squeeze from a tube onto the veterinarian. activity of mosquitoes. The adult heartworms lay very Treatment pet’s back (applied monthly) tiny larvae called microlariae, which travel Reference Sources: throughout the bloodstream. When a mosquito sucks Most cases of heartworm, with the exception of very • Injectable (six-month product for dogs only) blood from an infected animal and then bites its next advanced infections, can be eectively treated in dogs. Heartworm preventatives work to kill only the FDA Animal and Veterinary victim the larvae are transmitted through the skin. It is a complicated and expensive process that will http://www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/resourcesforyou/ heartworm larvae that have infected the dog within animalhealthliteracy/ucm188470.htm These larvae eventually make require a series of treatments over a period of a couple the previous one to two months. Any larvae that have their way to the chambers months. Adult heartworms in dogs are killed using a been in your dog longer are more likely to survive the American Heartworm Society of the heart or lungs where drug called an adulticide that is injected into the treatment and go on to develop into adult worms that http://www.heartwormsociety.org/pet-owner-resources/ heartworm.html#treatment they grow into adults. muscle. Treatment may be administered on an will require adulticide treatment (discussed above). They grow, some up to outpatient basis, but hospitalization is often Your veterinarian will complete a blood test to conrm WebMD: Healthy Pets 10-12 inches in recommended. During the recovery period, you will that your pet is heartworm-free before he or she will http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/heartworm-prevention- medicine-dogs length, and can need to limit your dog’s physical exercise to leash write a prescription for heartworm preventive eventually wreak walking. This will reduce the chance that blood medication. Many heartworm preventives can cause Dr. Fosters and Smith Pet Education havoc on your ow through the lungs would become blocked illness if given to a dog with larvae in the bloodstream. http://www.peteducation.com/ pet’s organs. by dead worms. Preventive medications are also administered to avoid heartworm reinfection and to eliminate any larvae that may be present.
Treatment continued on back side Treatment continued from front side We recommend that preventive medication be given Currently, there are no products in the United States year-round. Some may think that they do not need do approved for the treatment of heartworm infection in this in the winter because there are no mosquitoes. If cats, so disease prevention is critical. A cat’s immune you choose to discontinue preventives in the winter, you system can respond to heartworms better than dogs need to be very vigilant about remembering to restart and are often able to eliminate the infection on their the preventive therapy. In this case, treatment should be own. Unfortunately, they may develop complications started one month before the mosquito season and as the dead worms are being cleared by the body, continue for one month beyond the rst frost. which can result in a life-threatening shock reaction. Veterinarians will often attempt to treat an infected cat Performing Routine Heartworm Testing Every summer the news media buzzes with stories Symptoms with supportive therapy measures to limit this For dogs, a prevention program should be started at 6 to about the transmission of disease to humans by pesky reaction. Heartworm disease can be silent in the early stages and 8 weeks of age. If not started at an early age, the and annoying mosquitoes. It should when left untreated can be fatal. While heartworm American Heartworm Society (AHS) recommends that all come as no surprise that these insects Prevention aects both dogs and cats, it is far more common in adult dogs be tested before being started on a are more than just a nuisance to us dogs. It may take months before your pet will show any The bottom line is that prevention is much easier than heartworm preventive for the rst time. In addition, all humans, but are a serious health risk to sign of symptoms. Unlike dogs, cats can show signs of the treatment and includes: dogs should be tested annually for heartworm infection. our furry and beloved pets. breathing problems even with only 1-2 adult This antigen test should be repeated annually or as Heartworm is di cult to treat and can be a potentially heartworms surviving in their lungs. Reducing exposure to mosquitoes frequently as your veterinarian recommends, even if the fatal disease transmitted by mosquitoes to dogs and While you may be able to limit the risk by keeping your dog is on a heartworm prevention program. Symptoms in dogs may vary but most commonly cats. This is why it is much easier and more eective to pet inside in the late afternoon and evening, we all include: breathing di culties, coughing, reduced Similarly in cats, it is recommended that heartworm avoid the problem altogether. As a pet owner, you are know that preventing mosquito bites is not entirely appetite and weight loss and lethargy. These symptoms preventives be started before the kitten reaches 9 weeks likely familiar with the importance of heartworm possible. Spraying the yard and removing standing may mimic other conditions, and would likely lead you of age. And like with dogs, cats over 6 months old prevention. Before we reinforce the things you should water can help, but again will not completely eliminate to your primary care veterinarian. Similarly, symptoms should be tested for heartworms prior to starting know about prevention, let’s briey explore this the threat. in cats are non-specic and include vomiting, gagging, prevention, and annually thereafter. condition, how it occurs, typical symptoms, and what di culty or rapid breathing, lethargy and weight loss. Using Preventives can be done to treat the infection. By keeping as many pets free of heartworm disease, we Signs associated with the rst stage of heartworm Heartworm preventive therapy is safe, easy and will take them out of the host population and reduce What is heartworm? disease can often be mistaken for feline asthma or inexpensive and when administered properly can be the risk of disease in the overall population. Preventives allergic bronchitis. extremely eective. There are a variety of options for are worth every dollar spent when you consider what it Heartworms, Dirolaria immitis, are found in dogs and preventing heartworm infection in both dogs and cats, will cost to treat your beloved pet if infected -- not to cats and spend their adult life in the blood vessels General practitioners are very familiar with what to including: mention the ultimate risk of losing your pet. For more connecting the heart and lungs and in more advanced look for and it is part of the annual exam. As long as • Oral pill or tablet (ivermectin and milbemycin) (taken information on heartworm you may consult the cases inside the heart. So some may ask, “how do they you’ve been diligent with heartworm preventives, you monthly) reference sources provided below or your primary care get there?” The heartworm disease cycle is fed by the will have little to worry about. • Topical liquid that you squeeze from a tube onto the veterinarian. activity of mosquitoes. The adult heartworms lay very Treatment pet’s back (applied monthly) tiny larvae called microlariae, which travel Reference Sources: throughout the bloodstream. When a mosquito sucks Most cases of heartworm, with the exception of very • Injectable (six-month product for dogs only) blood from an infected animal and then bites its next advanced infections, can be eectively treated in dogs. Heartworm preventatives work to kill only the FDA Animal and Veterinary victim the larvae are transmitted through the skin. It is a complicated and expensive process that will http://www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/resourcesforyou/ heartworm larvae that have infected the dog within animalhealthliteracy/ucm188470.htm These larvae eventually make require a series of treatments over a period of a couple the previous one to two months. Any larvae that have their way to the chambers months. Adult heartworms in dogs are killed using a been in your dog longer are more likely to survive the American Heartworm Society of the heart or lungs where drug called an adulticide that is injected into the treatment and go on to develop into adult worms that http://www.heartwormsociety.org/pet-owner-resources/ heartworm.html#treatment they grow into adults. muscle. Treatment may be administered on an will require adulticide treatment (discussed above). They grow, some up to outpatient basis, but hospitalization is often Your veterinarian will complete a blood test to conrm WebMD: Healthy Pets 10-12 inches in recommended. During the recovery period, you will that your pet is heartworm-free before he or she will http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/heartworm-prevention- medicine-dogs length, and can need to limit your dog’s physical exercise to leash write a prescription for heartworm preventive eventually wreak walking. This will reduce the chance that blood medication. Many heartworm preventives can cause Dr. Fosters and Smith Pet Education havoc on your ow through the lungs would become blocked illness if given to a dog with larvae in the bloodstream. http://www.peteducation.com/ pet’s organs. by dead worms. Preventive medications are also administered to avoid heartworm reinfection and to eliminate any larvae that may be FOSTER HOSPITAL FOR SMALL ANIMALS present. 55 WILLARD STREET, NORTH GRAFTON, MA vet.tufts.edu/fhsa