Heartworm

The importance of heartworm prevention

Heartworm - a parasite that lives in the blood of dogs and attacks the heart - can kill your pet. That's the bad news. Treatment of an infected dog, if caught early enough, can be effective. And prevention can safeguard your pet from ever suffering from this deadly worm. That's the good news.

Heartworm is fairly new to California. Before 1980, the parasite was confined to the southern and eastern parts of the United States. But in the last decade, heartworm has established itself in the West. Unfortunately, it looks like it is here to stay. Pet owners will have to learn about this pest and take routine precautions to keep their dogs heartworm- free.

What is heartworm?

Heartworm is a parasite that uses dogs as a host. When they are immature, the worms (microfilariae) are small and circulate in the blood. Adult worms can grow to more than 12 inches long and live in the heart. An untreated infection leads to congestive heart failure and eventually

How do dogs get heartworm?

Heartworm is transmitted by the mosquito. A mosquito bites an infected animal and passes infected blood onto the next animal that it bites. Bay Area winters are not cold enough to kill mosquitoes, so heartworm is a year-round threat here.

Isn't this still pretty rare? What's the chance of my dog being infected?

Today, about 1.3% of dogs in northern California test positive for heartworm, and the percentage is climbing. Is some areas it's up to 17%! However, the Katrina disaster has resulted in many homeless dogs moving to California. Louisiana is one of the top five states for heartworm disease, and up to 80% of dogs resuced from there carried heartworm. This influx of carriers into California has the potential to greatly reaise the incidence of Heartworm here.

Can all dogs get heartworm? What about puppies?

Heartworm infects dogs of any age, but most infections occur in dogs between four and seven years old. Dogs that live outside are four-to-five times more likely to become infected that indoor pets.

What are the symptoms of heartworm infection? How can I tell if my dog has heartworm?

There are no symptoms during the early stages of infection. When adult worms attack the heart, common symptoms include chronic coughing, labored breathing, difficulty exercising, fainting, blood in the saliva, and heart disease.

Can heartworm be treated?

Drug treatment in the early stages of infection, when there are no adult worms, is usually effective and poses few problems to your pet. Adult worms can be treated, but the drugs used and the adult worm die-off can be potentially life threatening.

We carry Heartgard from Merial. While a little more expensive than generics, Merial carries a guarentee for their product. If you can demonstrate that your pet has been on Heartgard (such as by providing receipts) they will cover the cost of treatment.

How can I find out if my dog has been infected?

We can perform two tests to check for infection. The Difil test checks for microfilariae or immature worms circulating in the blood. An occult heartworm test checks for the proteins (antigens) given off by adult worms. University Veterinary Hospital is equipped to perform both tests in our own laboratory.

How can I prevent my dog from ever being infected with heartworm?

The first step is a blood test to make sure your pet is not infected. If your pet has no signs of heartworm, a monthly pill (we recommend Heartgard) will keep your dog free of the parasite.

Please make an appointment today to test your dog

The first step in protecting your dog's health is the blood test. The test for heartworm is simple and causes little discomfort.

Save money and protect your pet before mosquito season is in full swing!

Phone: (510) 841 - 4412 Fax: (510) 841 - 3019 email: staff AT uvhberkeley DOT com

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