What is heartworm disease?
You may wonder, “How does a dog get heartworm disease?” Heartworm infection can be deadly and it starts with the bite of an infected mosquito. From there, the worms penetrate the dog’s tissue, migrate to the bloodstream, and enter his heart and lungs.
Risks of heartworm disease
Symptoms of heartworm disease in your dog can include:1,2
- Exercise intolerance
- Difficulty breathing
- Enlarged liver
However, a dog with a heartworm infection may have no visible symptoms. Regardless, if left untreated, heartworm disease can be deadly.2 Your veterinarian should perform a yearly blood test, which is an important part of your dog’s routine health check, in order to detect a heartworm infection.
Heartworms can live in an infected dog for 5 to 7 years.1,2 Over time, damage to your dog's heart and lungs can be severe and can include:1,2
- Clogging and damage to the lining of the artery leading from the heart to the lungs
- Heart valve malfunction
- Liver and kidney dysfunction
- Heart failure