Are you wondering how to prevent heartworm for dog? Heartworms in dogs are more common than you may think. They are prevalent throughout the United States (chances are, cats will also have them). They are among the deadliest parasites in dogs but, amazingly, they are virtually 100 percent preventable if they’re caught early.
Heartworm in dogs is highly transmittable through saliva, blood and bite. When a dog has a heart worm attack, it will experience several symptoms. These symptoms tend to start out similar to those of common cold such as fever, chills and a dry cough. They then progress into more serious problems such as constant cough, ulcers in the mouth, liver lesions, and loss of appetite and weight loss.
Your veterinarian can test for heartworm in dogs using a specific blood test called an echocardiogram. This test is performed with an ultrasound. If your dog shows high levels of triglycerides and elevated blood cholesterol, he may be at risk for heartworm. Other common symptoms include vomiting, fatigue, diarrhea and dehydration. As always, these symptoms can be dangerous so your veterinarian will need to test your dog thoroughly to ensure that he’s not suffering from another disease.
Fortunately, heartworm infections in dogs are fairly rare. One out of every four dogs will contract a heartworm infection. However, just because your dog has never had a heartworm infection doesn’t mean that he’s never going to get one. How to prevent heartworm in dogs can be difficult because this parasitic worm lives in warm, wet areas such as the paws of dogs and in fish and other aquatic animals. Heartworm in dogs can also be transmitted to dogs by playing with infected animals, by touching contaminated objects, or by eating food that has been contaminated by an infected animal.
An effective method of preventing heartworm in dogs is called moxidectin. Moxidectin, available from your veterinarian, is sold under the brand name of Advantage Multi. The manufacturer recommends that you give your dog an unlimited amount of Advantage Multi daily in order to prevent the disease.
Certain breeds of dogs, especially those that live in humid climates, are more susceptible to heartworm. So it’s important that your pets, especially large-sized dogs, are given monthly heartworm tests by your veterinarian. These tests are usually performed during springtime, but they may also be performed later in the year. If your pets are already sick with the disease, then your veterinarian will recommend that you give your pets Advantage Multi daily, as well as other preventative treatment.
Another preventative treatment is called Exventicare. It should be given to your dog on a one-month rotation schedule. It’s most effective if it’s given on a Friday evening, right before the first frost. The advantage of Exventicare is that you don’t have to worry about giving your dog Exventicare every day, because you can take it daily as needed. Your dog’s lungs are very sensitive to changes in temperature, so giving him Exventicare on a daily basis will help to protect his lungs, as well as his heart, from developing heartworm disease.
Some dogs may not show symptoms of heartworm until much later. When this happens, the dog’s symptoms can present themselves for weeks or even months after he contracted the disease. So the best way to determine if your dog has heartworm would be to have him checked out by a veterinarian and have the dog’s lungs and heart tested. If you find out he does have heartworm, the next step is to talk to your local animal control center. Then, with the help of an expert, how to prevent heartworm for dog will become a little simpler.