How To Control Heartworm In Your Hunting Dog
This often fatal disease is very serious and is one of the most devastating diseases that any hunting dog faces. Heartworm prevention is simple and involves a food additive or a heartworm pill that your dog will actually think is a treat. Whether you elect to use a heartworm pill, a liquid or powder food additive or other option that your vet recommends, make sure you use it as instructed, whether that is weekly or monthly.
Heartworm Facts
Heartworm can live in the dog’s body and work its way into all major organs and tissue, and finally the heart, which is what kills the animal. Heartworm is a parasite and mosquitoes are often to blame because they carry heartworm. However, your dog can also get heartworm from other animals like foxes and coyotes.
Preventing Heartworm
Preventing is the easiest way to “treat” heartworm. As said earlier, getting protection is as easy as giving him a pill, adding something to his food, and keeping his home (and him) clean. While it’s common to treat heartworm only in the warmer months, many people have found that doing it year-round is both easier and more effective. Veterinarians agree.
Symptoms of Heartworm
The first symptom noticed by the owner is usually a loss of weight. Sometimes a lack of energy or excessive coughing is also seen as well. Once the parasite infects the dog’s lungs, coughing will become more extreme and heavier. As the parasite spreads, things will only get worse. The first few months of a heartworm infection are usually unnoticed as the heartworms are busy propagating and are not spreading to infect and cause problems yet.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of heartworm is done by a veterinarian and is usually accomplished by clinical observation and blood tests. Often, a “double test” will be done to find out if the infection is male or female—which will affect treatment. This also determines approximate worm count, which will tell how far advanced the infection is.
Treating Heartworm
Once diagnosed, heartworm must be treated immediately before the dog succumbs to it or spread the disease to other dogs. The treatment will depend on the stage of the infestation. An unhealthy dog has little chance of living through treatment or an infestation, but a healthy one can. If the parasites have entered too many of the dog’s organs or have become too much for him to handle, it’s not likely that treatment will work. This is why catching it as early as possible is key.
Other dogs around the infected dog should be tested as well, as soon as possible. The disease tends to spread fairly quickly between dogs and testing is the only way to prevent or begin early treatment. People are also able to catch the disease, so they should get tested, as well.
While heartworm is a potentially deadly parasite, prevention is the secret to keeping your dog from contracting it.
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robbie on October 23rd 2011 in Dog Ownership, Dog behavior, training Tips
