How to Detect Heartworm Disease in Your Dog?

1. How to Detect Heartworm Disease in Your Dog? Most dogs are attacked by heartworm disease, which is a silent killer. And still, there is a lack of awareness about the importance of heartworm preventives in pet owners. Most people take it for granted when it comes treating their dogs with preventive medications. Pet parents think that their pets would never fetch heartworms. Their furry pals would always be protected against the disease and won’t require any preventive measurements. However, in reality, pets are more vulnerable to heartworm disease due to their exposure to open fields consisting of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are the main carriers of this disease and can infect any dog they bite. Therefore, pets

2. have to be given monthly preventions to guard against the deadly heartworm disease. Well, before moving further, know the symptoms of heartworm disease. Keeping a check on these signs, you can be well aware of the disease and protect your pets from the risk of dangerous disease. Major Heartworm Symptoms are Lethargy and Loss Of Energy When Exercising Due to heartworm infection, your pet may seem lethargic and suddenly gets tired. Your Fido may not want to go outside or avoids all physical activity. Dogs with heartworm infection become weak and find it difficult to be active even when performing for small tasks. A Soft, Dry Cough The heartworm parasites gradually make their way to the lungs and start multiplying there as well as in the surrounding veins, which in long run choke up the vein passage. Due to that coughing occurs, which is most noticeable after a walk or exercise which slowly vanes away after some time ending with fanting. Weight Loss Or Anorexia Your dog may find it difficult to eat. Even the small activities become painful and exhaustive leading to weight loss.

3. Rapid Breathing Or Difficulty In Breathing Besides, coughing a Fido finds it difficult in breathing. When the worms infect the lungs and take space in surrounding lungs, breathing problems occur. Fluid can also build around the blood vessels in the lungs, this situation makes it quite tough for the lungs to oxygenate the blood. Allergic Reaction Though allergic reactions are common in cats, dogs do show possible symptoms similar to an allergic reaction or asthmatic systems in response to the heartworm infection. Collapse Large number of heartworms attack the heart and cause blockage of blood flow. And, due to this many times a dog collapses accompanied by a shock and red blood cell destruction. This can even be fatal at times. Other possible symptoms of heartworm infection are: Bleeding from the nose Increased thirst due to kidney disease Secondary pneumonia Increase blood pleasure Excessive sleeping Seizures Blindness

4. Lameness Normally, lameness, blindness, seizure occur when heartworms get lost and end up in different parts of the body other than heart or lungs. Knowing these signs, vets use different tools to detect the infection more accurately. Treatment A wide range of tests are carried out for detecting the presence of heartworms as well as checking the abnormalities such as incomplete blood counts and evaluate the level of function of the internal organs. Some tests are also carried out to analyze the health status of the internal organs. This is necessary in terms of evaluating to find out whether the dog is healthy or not to carry out the treatment. Preventive Measures Heartworm treatments take much toil on your dog. It is rather a long and painful process along with hospitalization of your pet for few days incurring lot of bills. To cut down on these expenses and to avoid painful procedures for your pets, it is better to put your dog on heartworm preventive program. A monthly treatment with heartworm preventives such as heartgard plus or comfortis plus can hugely reduce the chance of heartworm infection in your furry pal.

5. It is always a good idea to put your furry pal in heartworm control products rather than going for stressful treatments along with lot of vet bills. A dog free from heartworm infection is always healthy and active.