Heartworms in Dogs
Dogs
All dogs in Colorado are at risk for heartworms even if they are indoor dogs that don’t go to dog parks or play with other dogs!
A mosquito bites and infected dog and ingests tiny heart-worm larvae.
These larvae develop into their infective stage.
The same mosquito bites another dog, the larvae infect the healthy animal.
Without preventive, the larvae continue to develop, eventually reaching the heart and lungs.
There has been a 70% increase in heartworm disease in Colorado in the last 5 years!
All dogs should be tested annually for heartworm infection, and this can usually be done during a routine visit for preventive care.
It takes 6 months after an infection for the heartworm test to be able to detect heartworms so if your dog is not on preventative regularly you may need to test them more frequently. Even a single missed dose of heartworm prevention can lead to infection.
Prescription heartworm prevention is >99% effective when given appropriately!
*ask about injectable prevention that lasts 6-12 months!
If your dog does get infected it is a lengthy and costly treatment to get rid of heartworms and they can cause permanent damage to the heart and lungs even if treated. Prevention is safe, inexpensive, and recommended year-round for every dog.
Visit www.heartwormsociety.org for more information.
