Make sure your furry family members are protected from heartworm disease in pets!
While serious illnesses like feline leukemia and pet cancer are often the most worrisome for owners, there are parasite-borne diseases that are more deadly and more prevalent. Heartworm disease in pets is a life-threatening illness that happen to both cats and dogs. While you might think that it can only happen during hot and humid months, when the mosquitos, the carriers of the disease, are out, but it can happen at any time.
Understanding heartworm disease is key
Most pet owners are aware of the disease and what the results of it can be, but many don’t know what to be on the lookout for. At its most basic, heartworm disease is a parasitic infection transmitted via mosquito bite. Beginning as larvae then growing to microscopic-sized worms, heartworms can eventually reach a foot in length in left untreated. They can reside in the heart, lungs and blood vessels of the affected animal, eventually causing organ damage and heart failure.
Preventing heartworms in your pets
Many people also don’t realize that cats can get heartworm disease as well, but it can be just as deadly. Here at Sarasota Veterinary Center, we highly recommend parasite and heartworm screenings and the use of year-round preventatives for both dogs and cats. The symptoms of heartworm disease include shortness of breath, weight loss, lethargy and a persistent dry cough. Early detection in this disease is key as the damage to internal organs cannot be reversed or repaired.
What you can do to reduce exposure to your pets
Your pet cannot live in a bubble all its life, so you can’t entirely safeguard it from mosquitos and parasites, even as much as we want to! But you can reduce the exposure by making sure you don’t have any torn window or door screens that would allow bugs in. Avoid overgrown areas of foliage when walking your pets outside and try not to go out around dusk or dawn when the mosquitos are at their worst. It’s also a good idea to keep your pet away from any standing water in the yard, as it could be a breeding ground for all sorts of nasty bugs.