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BEVC Newsletter Heartworm Season is Here! With the Spring Season right around the corner and our days getting warmer, the mosquitoes will start appearing.
It’s that time of the year to start thinking about getting your dog tested for Heartworms
and begin their Heartworm Preventative. How are canines infected with Heartworms? Heartworms are transmitted by “Mosquitoes” that can be found around canals, creeks, rivers, irrigation fields and lakes. Once an infected mosquito bites the dog, it transfers larvae into the bloodstream which moves to the heart. Once in the heart, the larvae grows to maturity in about 6-months and can start reproducing. The larvae-worms (Mircofilariae), can grow up to 15” long. Multiply adult worms can grow clogging the heart and lung vessels interfering with the way the heart performs. This clogging can cause problems with the heart vessels moving blood to other organs. Although Heartworm Disease can be treated, many dogs infected do not show signs for up to 2 years. However, when signs do present themselves, the Heartworm Disease is well advanced. Although rare, severely infected dogs can die suddenly with minimal exercise. To detect the Heartworms, a small amount of blood is required from your dog. Once tested and found negative, a chewable, treat-like Heartworm Preventative should be given once a month. Heartworm prevention is safe and much more cost effective than treating once your dog has been infected. We would be happy to discuss any questions you might have. Please give our office a call to set-up your Heartworm Test Appointment and pick-up your Heartworm Preventative. 303-795-2584
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