Heartworm disease is a condition every pet owner should know about. Staying on top of your dog’s heartworm medication is as important as getting regular vaccines. Heartworm disease is transmitted by mosquitos and can cause serious, potentially fatal, health complications for dogs.
The good news is that heartworm meds for dogs are an easy way to protect our pets against this serious disease. There is a range of preventative medications available to suit your dog’s needs, including dewormer medication. Cases of heartworm in dogs have been identified throughout all 50 states in America, making it crucial take every dog owner takes preventative action to protect their pets.
Missing even one dose of your dog’s heartworm medication can have serious consequences. Whether you’re a first-time dog owner or concerned about heartworm disease, this in-depth guide covers everything you need to know. At the Texas Coalition for Animal Protection (TCAP), we offer affordable heartworm medication for dogs with 6 months of medication starting at just $30.
What is Heartworm Disease?
Heartworm disease is a condition where microfilaria travels through an infected dog and is ingested by a mosquito when it bites a dog, living within that mosquito as it moves from one dog to the next. It develops into a roundworm causing a condition called ‘dirofilariasis’ as it spreads through your dog’s blood vessels, heart, and lungs.
What makes heartworm disease so deadly is its slow maturation process, taking up to 6 months for roundworms to reach your dog’s heart. It’s important to keep your dog up-to-date with their heartworm medication as this extended maturation process means your dog can be considered ‘at risk’, even if they’ve not recently been in contact with a mosquito.
If your dog develops heartworm, it can cause life-long damage and may be fatal. Extensive damage to your dog’s arteries, heart, and lungs can require months of vet treatment, be expensive to treat, and reduce your dog’s quality of life. While heartworm in dogs can be treated, prevention is crucial.
What are the Signs of Heartworms?
The challenge with identifying heartworm in dogs is that the symptoms vary depending on your dog’s immune response, the infection period, and number of heartworms. Dogs may show no major signs of heartworm disease, presenting as only a mild, occasional cough initially.
If your dog begins to cough more regularly and struggle with exercise, it can be a warning sign of heartworm disease. Dogs who are further into the disease’s maturation process may lose weight, experience labored breathing, and show warning signs of heart failure, such as excess fluid in their abdomen. Caval syndrome is the most serious sign of heartworm disease and suggests the presence of many worms, blocking blood flow to the heart.
Types of Heartworm Medication for Dogs
Heartworm meds for dogs are divided into two categories: preventative heartworm medication for dogs and medication to treat dogs infected with heartworm disease. There are several preventative medications available, including injectables, chewable pills, and topical spot treatments. Your vet can help you decided the best type of heartworm medication for your dog, depending on your circumstances.
It’s recommended that dogs receive regular heartworm medication throughout the year to prevent infection. Heartworm medication is only available by prescription from a veterinarian and should be one of the first things you consider as a new dog owner.
How Likely Is My Dog to Contract Heartworm?
No dog is truly risk-free of contracting heartworm. Even if it doesn’t seem like a problem in your local area, heartworm is a disease that can easily travel with a long incubation period making it challenging to identify when or how your dog may have contracted the disease.
We’re seeing evidence of heartworm disease spreading into new areas of the United States annually with an increasing number of stray dogs contracting the disease from wildlife. The impact of climate change and our changing weather system means mosquitoes are traveling further distances than ever before.
It’s crucial to know that heartworm has been diagnosed in dogs across all 50 states in the U.S. with risk factors varying between regions and even within communities. Responsible pet owners should have their dogs tested for heartworm annually and give them preventative heartworm medication every month.
Testing Your Dog for Heartworm
What happens if you think your dog has heartworm disease? Your dog should be tested annually for heartworm as part of their wellness check-up and vaccine appointment. Testing for heartworm disease is part of the typical preventative care your dog should receive during their annual visit. Your dog should be tested even when they’ve been taking monthly preventative heartworm meds for years to ensure that the medication is working.
Although heartworm medication is considered highly effective, it is not infallible and dogs can still be infected if a dose is missed or delivered late, resulting in a window of no protection. It’s important to monitor your dog when taking their heartworm medication to ensure they’ve digested the pill or do not vomit it up. Similarly, you’ll want to watch your dog to ensure they don’t rub off the topical medication if that’s the treatment form you use.
You can start your puppy on heartworm prevention medication without needing a heartworm test first if they are under 7 months old. The long incubation period of heartworm disease means that it’s crucial your dog is tested six months after your first vet visit for your first two routine check-ups before moving to annual testing.
If you’re adopting a rescue dog or re-homing a dog, it’s important to do these checks regardless of their age.
Affordable Heartworm Meds for Dogs in Texas
Our heartworm testing is only $20 with a range of affordable heartworm medications offered as part of our dog wellness services. We’re here to help you protect your dog against heartworm from day one with general dewormers included as part of our puppy vaccine schedule from 6 to 8 weeks old.
Find out more about the services we offer at TPAC by exploring our website or donating to support our work to end pet overpopulation in North Texas.