Heartworm Disease

"What is heartworm disease?"

Heartworms are a deadly parasite carried by mosquitoes. When the infected mosquito bites your cat or dog, the larvae are introduced into the tissues of your pet. The larvae travel through the tissues into the blood supply. Eventually they lodge in the heart where they grow very rapidly. Without treatment, heartworms will result in the death of your dog or cat.

"What animals are at risk?"

Any cat or dog that is exposed to mosquitoes could contract heartworms. This includes animals that live mostly indoors. A brief trip outside for "potty breaks" is all it takes for a mosquito bite. An open door could introduce mosquitoes into the home to attack indoor cats. In fact, a recent study showed that 55% of cats testing positive for heartworms were kept exclusively or mostly indoors.¹

"How can I protect my cat or dog?"

Heartworms can be easily and fairly inexpensively prevented with a simple monthly preventative. There are several options in heartworm prevention for dogs and cats. Given every 30 days, these medications provide unsurpassed protection for your pet, and peace of mind for you. Your veterinarian can recommend a brand that will best suit your pets' needs.

"Does my vet require regular blood tests to dispense heartworm prevention for my dog?"

Taken according to the manufacturers' instructions, heartworm medications are extremely safe and effective. However, if given to dogs that have already contracted heartworms there could be very serious, or even deadly, side effects. To help prevent this danger, the Food and Drug Administration requires very specific labeling instructions of the manufacturer. Both the FDA and the pharmaceutical companies that produce heartworm prevention understand the importance of only prescribing the medication to dogs whose heartworm status is known to be negative. In endemic areas such as Georgia, where the risk of contracting heartworms is very high, it is against FDA regulations and manufacturers' recommendations to dispense heartworm medication without confirmation of a negative test. This compliance to the pharmaceutical labeling instructions helps protect our patients and their owners.

"Why aren't cats tested yearly?"

Heartworm disease in cats is manifested differently than in dogs. Cats do not have larvae circulating in their bloodstream so the test would not show a positive result. Also, there is no treatment for cats who get heartworms, which is why it is very important to give cats monthly heartworm preventative.