Heartworm Disease

Heartworm Disease is a disease involving a blood/ lung parasite that is transmitted by the bite of the mosquito. It commonly infects dogs and less often cats and ferrets. It is more prevalent in the south and the Mississippi area due to the warmer weather and humidity. Outside pets are at a much greater risk, but even indoor pets that go outdoors for their eliminations are at risk, simply because it does not take long for mosquitoes to bite. The prevalence of heartworm disease, over-all, is less than even a decade ago due to the improvement and increased use of preventative medication. However, the disease is still prevalent among those pets that are not on a preventative. Today's heartworm preventatives are given monthly, rather than daily, and are available for oral use or topical use (applied to the surface of the skin). Missing an occasional month is common, with busy schedules, leaving small "windows" of opportunities for infection. Without testing, it is impossible to find those pets that might be harboring heartworms and therefore at risk for complications related to such. It is important, even if on a preventative, for your dog to have an annual heartworm test to ensure it's continued negative status.