Heartworm disease can be a big problem for dogs in our area. Here at White Knoll Veterinary Hospital and Pet Resort, we believe that owners should understand all about the disease, along with how to prevent it and treat it if necessary.
Heartworms can live inside a dog without causing problems until they are a full grown adult and are as long as twelve inches. They live in the right side of the heart and in the lungs. For this reason, dogs who are affected with heartworms suffer from both lung disease and heart failure.
Treatment is needed for dogs with heartworms or they will die. However, the treatment is risky because the worms can cause more problems as they die off in the dog’s body. It is very important to watch dogs closely as they are being treated. Some dogs may need more than one treatment to take care of all of the worms.
Fortunately, heartworms are preventable. We highly recommend preventing heartworms instead of dealing with the disease. There are chewable tablets that you give your dog once a month that will prevent heartworms and help with intestinal parasites, keeping your dog even healthier.
Please contact us to get your dog started with a heartworm test and heartworm prevention today.