![]() ![]() Signs of heartworm disease may include a mild persistent cough, reluctance to exercise, fatigue after moderate activity, decreased appetite, and weight loss. Active dogs, dogs heavily infected with heartworms, or those with other health problems often show pronounced clinical signs. ![]() The longer the infection persists, the more likely symptoms will develop. In the early stages of the disease, many dogs show few symptoms or no symptoms at all. What are the signs of heartworm disease in dogs? Because of the longevity of these worms, each mosquito season can lead to an increasing number of worms in an infected pet. Once mature, heartworms can live for 5 to 7 years in dogs and up to 2 or 3 years in cats. Once inside a new host, it takes approximately 6 months for the larvae to mature into adult heartworms. Then, when the infected mosquito bites another dog, cat, or susceptible wild animal, the infective larvae are deposited onto the surface of the animal's skin and enter the new host through the mosquito’s bite wound. When a mosquito bites and takes a blood meal from an infected animal, it picks up these baby worms, which develop and mature into “infective stage” larvae over a period of 10 to 14 days. Adult female heartworms living in an infected dog, fox, coyote, or wolf produce microscopic baby worms called microfilaria that circulate in the bloodstream. The mosquito plays an essential role in the heartworm life cycle. How is heartworm disease transmitted from one pet to another? Moreover, the medication used to treat heartworm infections in dogs cannot be used in cats, so prevention is the only means of protecting cats from the effects of heartworm disease. While this means heartworm disease often goes undiagnosed in cats, it’s important to understand that even immature worms cause real damage in the form of a condition known as heartworm associated respiratory disease (HARD). Cats with adult heartworms typically have just one to three worms, and many cats affected by heartworms have no adult worms. The cat is an atypical host for heartworms, and most worms in cats do not survive to the adult stage. Heartworm disease in cats is very different from heartworm disease in dogs. For this reason, prevention is by far the best option, and treatment-when needed-should be administered as early in the course of the disease as possible.Ĭats. Heartworm disease causes lasting damage to the heart, lungs and arteries, and can affect the dog’s health and quality of life long after the parasites are gone. If untreated, their numbers can increase, and dogs have been known to harbor several hundred worms in their bodies. ![]() The dog is a natural host for heartworms, which means that heartworms that live inside the dog mature into adults, mate and produce offspring. Because wild species such as foxes and coyotes live in proximity to many urban areas, they are considered important carriers of the disease.ĭogs. Heartworm disease affects dogs, cats and ferrets, but heartworms also live in other mammal species, including wolves, coyotes, foxes, sea lions and-in rare instances-humans. It is caused by foot-long worms (heartworms) that live in the heart, lungs and associated blood vessels of affected pets, causing severe lung disease, heart failure and damage to other organs in the body. Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease in pets in the United States and many other parts of the world. Information about Heartworm Positive Dogs What is heartworm disease? ![]()
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