Heartworm Disease
Heartworm, contrary to it's name, is something we do not love. What is it, how do we test for it and can we prevent it? Learn more here.
What is It?
Heartworm is transmitted by mosquitoes as a larvae and develops in its host (commonly dogs - but can be seen in cats and ferrets) over approximately 6 months into an adult worm. The adult(s) then reside in the heart and lungs of the host, causing significant damage (and in some cases death) if not diagnosed and treated appropriately.
Heartworm disease is an infestation that is often confused with others parasites, such as intestinal parasites (see more information for them under our 'Digestive' concern page). While heartworms are still also 'worms'; their lifecycle, transmission, diagnosis and treatment are all very different from other parasites.
Why Test?
Many pet owners use year round prevention against heartworms for their pets. This raises the question 'Why should I test my pet for heartworm if they are getting their prevention monthly (or consistently as recommended by their specific product)?'
If this is the case, it is wonderful that your pet is on prevention year round, as it confirms no lapse in coverage (versus only using prevention seasonally). However, we are human, life gets in the way, and if prevention; is given even a day past when it is due, your pet spits out the medication, or an improper medication (ex. wrong weight range) is given, this leaves the gap of opportunity for transmission to occur​.
Additionally, we do have some pet owners that only treat seasonally (though year round prevention is recommended). In these instances, it is even more important to get testing completed (ideally in the spring prior to restarting prevention) to check your pet's current status.
Testing can be declined, though we highly recommend this test. If not tested and your pet is positive for heartworm, giving the prevention does present some risks. For further discussion regarding these risks or additional questions regarding testing, please contact the clinic and we would be able to have a further discussion on your pet's care.
Prevention vs Treatment
Prevention:
Most heartworm preventatives by themselves (i.e. without flea and tick prevention) costs approximately $10-15 a month, meaning $120-180 per year. There is an injectable heartworm preventative option that we do not offer in clinic, however we do have 2 oral options that have shown consistent efficacy for our patients.
See links below for each product that can be purchased either in clinic or through our online pharmacy for dogs. Just like with flea and tick products, there are counterfeit options being sold for heartworm prevention. Buying from a licensed veterinarian or reputable source is the best way to know you are getting the correct product you are paying for.
Treatment:
Treatment for heartworm disease is quite intensive, requiring strict schedule management and cage rest through the entire duration of treatment - 3 months, with activity restrictions for 6 months. It includes both medications at home daily, as well as visiting the clinic for 3 separate injections that are administered to kill the adult circulating worms. In addition to medications, regular lab work and recheck visits are imperative to monitoring the health of your pet and effectiveness of the treatment.
With treatment, also comes the risk that the deceased worms will become blocked either in the heart or lungs, causing a medical event that has the possibility to result in the loss of the animal.
Total cost of treatment is fluctuant on the pet and their response to the medications, but would commonly be estimated around $400-800 dollars minimum. This also does not include the physical toll your pet takes through the disease and treatment process.
Additional Resources
While we have highlighted a few of the important points to know about heartworm, this is a serious and complex disease process. It is so notable that there is a group, the American Heartworm Society, that was established and provides extremely beneficial resources and information. If you are interested in learning more, we highly recommend their website is the place you do it.