Heartworm Disease In Dogs
Heartworms constitute a major threat against dogs. Heartworms are spread from an infected dog to the non infected dogs by mosquitoes. Heartworms are very common in our area.
At Vidalia Veterinary Clinic we have diagnosised 61 cases of heartworm disease in dogs during 2006. This is a surprisingly large number of infected dogs because the disease is considered to be preventable by products we have available to us today and for the last several years. In many cases the pet was simply not ever started on heartworm preventive medications.
A simple blood test performed during a visit to the clinic can diagnosis the infection. You cannot simply look at your dog and know whether it is infected or free from heartworm infection.
Prevention is easy with a once a month medication. Ivermectin and milbamycin based preventives are very effective in preventing your dog from becoming infected.
Preventives are prescription medications and cannot be dispensed without first determining the status of your dog with respect to heartworms. Vidalia Veterinary Clinic wants to protect your pet from heartworms and wants to provide the very best care for your pet. A negative heartworm test is an important step in providing this care.
Heartworm disease is a serious life threatening disease for your pet. It is easy to prevent and expensive to treat. Do your best and keep your pet on his heartworm preventive.
Heartworm preventives also have products that are beneficial in helping control other intestinal parasites like hookworms, roundworms and tapeworms.
A myth that needs to be eliminated is that a dog with heartworms cannot be cured. This is simply not true. Treatment for heartworms is very successful. Most dogs are cured once they are treated and go on to live long productive lives. This has been true for over 40 years but still persist in the minds of owners that they dog cannot be cured of heartworms.
What is true is that left untreated the dog will likely die from heartworm disease. The very best reason to test is to protect your dog from heartworms. Keep them on a preventive.
