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Heartworm Disease
The Facts
-
Heartworms are a parasitic worm (about the diameter of thin spaghetti)
that normally live free floating in the right ventricle of the heart and
nearby blood vessels.
-
The parasites are transmitted from one individual to another by
mosquitoes.
-
Heartworm
is diagnosed with blood tests, and/or X-rays, along with other tests.
-
Heartworms are not detectable with the commonly used antigen blood test
until they are sexually mature (about 6 months after entering the
patient). Female worms must be present for accurate test results.
-
Heartworm
has been diagnosed in all 50 states and also worldwide. In most areas
of the country Heartworm is an important pet health care issue.
-
In most
areas of the USA, veterinarians recommend Heartworm prevention for
dogs. Preventative measures in cats is also becoming more common as
veterinarians continue to learn more about the parasite in cats and
become skilled at recognizing the disease in cats. Previously it was
thought that felines were not at a significant risk of getting Heartworm
and that preventative was not needed. We are learning this is not
necessarily true. The need for pre-exposure preventative medication in
cats depends on the incidence of Heartworm in your area. Your local
veterinarian is your best source of information.
-
Dogs
should be tested FIRST… before starting heartworm preventatives unless
they are less than 7 months old.
-
Dog’s
over 7 months of age that are started on preventative without first
testing for Heartworm are at an increased risk of developing severe
reactions.
-
Puppies
should be started on Heartworm preventative by 8 weeks of age
(depending on the product being used) and then blood tested at 7 months
of age.
-
Dogs
should be tested on a regular basis, yearly if any doses of preventative
have been missed and once every 2-3 years even if no doses were missed
and preventative is given year around.
Facts provided by
T. J. Dunn, DVM and ThePetCenter.com
Heartworms are Serious Threat
In 2004, more than 250,000 dogs in
the United States tested positive for heartworms.* Below are the top ten
states with the most cases.
1 - Texas (42,003 cases)
2 - Florida (32,128 cases)
3 - North Carolina (17,511 cases)
4 - Georgia (17,508 cases)
5 - Louisiana (16,830 cases)
6 - Alabama (14,892 cases)
7 - Mississippi (11,752 cases)
8 - South Carolina (11,518 cases)
9 - Tennessee (11,149 cases)
10 - Indiana (7,346 cases)
*Estimated numbers based upon clinics reporting previous year data in both
2002 & 2005 for the AHS survey.
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