Heartworm
disease is a parasitic infection that occurs in dogs and occasionally in
cats, and can be fatal if not treated. The parasite is a worm called Dirofilaria
immitis and it makes its home in the animal's heart causing the animal
to become very sick.
How does a dog get heartworm?
Heartworm is transmitted to a dog when bitten by an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes become carriers when they bite a dog that has heartworm. Young Dirofilaria immitis worms called microfilaria, circulate through the blood vessels of an infected dog and are drawn up with blood when a mosquito bites.
The microfilaria mature into larvae, their next growth stage, within the mosquito, and are transmitted to other dogs through the wound produced when the mosquito bites them.
The life cycle of a heartworm
The heartworm larva remains in the tissue
surrounding the bite for approximately 2 months where it 
grows
into an immature adult worm. It then enters the dog's blood stream and
in 3 or 4 months reaches the heart and surrounding arteries. The worms
reach final maturity 6 to 7 months from when the dog was first infected
and can now produce microfilaria offspring, thus starting the cycle over
again.
Symptoms of heartworm
The most common symptoms of heartworm include:
Chronic
(long-term) coughing
Tires
easily
Unwillingness
to exercise
Difficulty
breathing
Lethargy
(laziness)
Untreated, heartworm disease can seriously damage the hear and possibly cause death.
Detection
Riverside Pet Hospital is pleased to use the SNAP (r) Heartworm PF test to detect "antigen", a substance produced by adult heartworms. This test is more accurate than microscopically examining a blood sample in detecting a heartworm infection. By using this test, we can accurately diagnose an adult heartworm infection in eight minutes.
Annual checkup, screening with the proper diagnostic test, and a good preventative program will help keep your dog heartworm-free this season.
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