A heartworm can be a scary thing, especially if you are a dog, or a dog owner. A heartworm is a parasite that can cripple or even kill its host. The life cycle of the heartworm involves an intermediate host -- the mosquito. These worms cause heart failure and other secondary conditions. The good news is that they can be eradicated from your pet's body. The better news is that they can be prevented from causing disease. Your pet's veterinarian can tell you how generic Heartgard can help you keep your dog free of this pernicious pest.
Heartworms are a member of the phylum nematoda, or roundworms. This simple multi-celled animal winds up in your dog courtesy of its rather complicated lifestyle. A heartworm spends part of its life in a mosquito, and part of its life in a dog -- its preferred host -- or other mammalian species, sometimes including man. These larvae, known as microfilaria, develop in the mosquito into the infective stage where they move into the insect's salivary glands to be injected into a host. Inside the dog, they go through a series of molts while moving from the dermis into the pulmonary artery where they congregate to breed. An adult female worm is up to thirty-three centimeters in length and the male is slightly smaller. The females give live birth to more microfilaria, which circulate in the blood waiting to be picked up by a mosquito where they develop and the cycle repeats. This pest is endemic to the lower 48 states and Hawaii, with cases confirmed in Alaska.
Mosquitoes are the agent that spreads these worms from mosquito to dog to mosquito and so on. This is the reason why heartworms infections are seasonal in most areas -- the microfilaria require two to six weeks (depending on the temperature) inside the mosquito to reach the infective stage. At temperatures below 57 degrees Fahrenheit, the process halts entirely.
Your dog will have no symptoms in the months leading to the adult stage (prepatent period). It is when the worms reach adult stage and congregate in the branches of the pulmonary artery that symptoms can appear and range from none at all to heart failure and death. This heart failure happens as the right ventricle fails due to mechanical obstruction by worms, leading to the signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure and fluid overload.
Suspect heartworms when your dog has a significant cough, and he becomes exhausted with minimal exercise. These symptoms don't appear until the infestation is quite significant. It is important to see a veterinarian for a definitive diagnosis right away if you suspect heartworms.
The only way to cure a heartworm infestation is to kill all the adult worms. Your vet will usually use arsenicals (medicines containing arsenic) to achieve this. The patient's care and progress must be followed closely -- serious complications, such as a pulmonary embolus, can arise from the death of the adult worms in the pulmonary circulation. The medicine is highly toxic and must be administered by a veterinarian.
The severity of illness possible in a heartworm infection warrants a great effort towards prevention. The approaches taken focus on two main strategies -- Prevent the mosquito bites, or prevent the microfilaria from reaching the adult stage if the animal becomes infected. Heartgard is a trade name for the generic drug, ivermectin, which prevents adult stage infection.
In most households in the western world, the dog is elevated to family status. It makes sense to consult a veterinarian about preventing heartworms with generic Heartgard Pet Medicine.
Heartworms are a member of the phylum nematoda, or roundworms. This simple multi-celled animal winds up in your dog courtesy of its rather complicated lifestyle. A heartworm spends part of its life in a mosquito, and part of its life in a dog -- its preferred host -- or other mammalian species, sometimes including man. These larvae, known as microfilaria, develop in the mosquito into the infective stage where they move into the insect's salivary glands to be injected into a host. Inside the dog, they go through a series of molts while moving from the dermis into the pulmonary artery where they congregate to breed. An adult female worm is up to thirty-three centimeters in length and the male is slightly smaller. The females give live birth to more microfilaria, which circulate in the blood waiting to be picked up by a mosquito where they develop and the cycle repeats. This pest is endemic to the lower 48 states and Hawaii, with cases confirmed in Alaska.
Mosquitoes are the agent that spreads these worms from mosquito to dog to mosquito and so on. This is the reason why heartworms infections are seasonal in most areas -- the microfilaria require two to six weeks (depending on the temperature) inside the mosquito to reach the infective stage. At temperatures below 57 degrees Fahrenheit, the process halts entirely.
Your dog will have no symptoms in the months leading to the adult stage (prepatent period). It is when the worms reach adult stage and congregate in the branches of the pulmonary artery that symptoms can appear and range from none at all to heart failure and death. This heart failure happens as the right ventricle fails due to mechanical obstruction by worms, leading to the signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure and fluid overload.
Suspect heartworms when your dog has a significant cough, and he becomes exhausted with minimal exercise. These symptoms don't appear until the infestation is quite significant. It is important to see a veterinarian for a definitive diagnosis right away if you suspect heartworms.
The only way to cure a heartworm infestation is to kill all the adult worms. Your vet will usually use arsenicals (medicines containing arsenic) to achieve this. The patient's care and progress must be followed closely -- serious complications, such as a pulmonary embolus, can arise from the death of the adult worms in the pulmonary circulation. The medicine is highly toxic and must be administered by a veterinarian.
The severity of illness possible in a heartworm infection warrants a great effort towards prevention. The approaches taken focus on two main strategies -- Prevent the mosquito bites, or prevent the microfilaria from reaching the adult stage if the animal becomes infected. Heartgard is a trade name for the generic drug, ivermectin, which prevents adult stage infection.
In most households in the western world, the dog is elevated to family status. It makes sense to consult a veterinarian about preventing heartworms with generic Heartgard Pet Medicine.
About the Author:
Royal Pet Meds does not require a prescription for your animals Petcam. Find brand name medication or save money and get safe and effective generic brands.
No comments:
Post a Comment