Here at Animal Health and Wellness Hospital, we are firm believers in heartworm prevention.
Because of our location, heartworm disease can be a big problem. So owners need to be educated about the disease and its prevention!
Heartworms can live in a dog’s heart for the worms’ entire lives. However, they do not make a dog sick until they are a full-grown adult, since they can grow up to twelve inches long. As adult worms, they live predominantly on the right side of the heart, causing heart failure and lung disease.
The treatment of heartworm can be as bad as the disease itself. As the adult worms die, they can cause problems. For this reason, a dog that is being treated needs to monitored closely. Sometimes, an additional treatment (or more) is necessary to cure the disease.
Fortunately, there is an easy way to prevent heartworms. There is a chewable tablet that needs to be given every month to prevent the disease. It is much easier to prevent the disease than to treat it and deal with the problems that occur with a heartworm infection. Giving a medication once a month is better than losing your pets to heart failure due to heartworms.
One other good thing about the prevention is that it takes care of intestinal parasites as well. This will keep both your pets and your family healthier.
If you have any questions about the disease or prevention, please contact us today at (336) 969-0232. If needed, we can schedule an appointment for a heartworm test so we can start your pets on preventative.