Heartworm Disease: Prevention is worth a pound of cure!
Heartworm infection can happen to both dogs and cats. In dogs, they can have no symptoms for years before they become visibly sick. Infected cats become sick very quickly and can die.
It is far better to prevent this disease than to treat it. The heartworms are spread by mosquito bites. When an infected mosquito bites your dog or cat, the larvae are spread from the bite to the heart through the blood stream. Once in the heart the worms accumulate and block the flow of blood causing heart failure. This congestion causes coughing, fluid in the abdomen, swelling, and even death. Even indoor pets can get a random mosquito bite and are at risk. The only way to know if your pets has gotten heartworm infection is to do a simple blood test. Only 2 drops of blood are needed and the test is run in the clinic and only takes 8 minutes. Pets that are tested negative can start an monthly pill or treat preventative or a 6 month shot to keep them from getting infected. Pets that are positve have several treatment options and we can discuss with you which treatment is best for your pet.
Call us today to get your pet tested and protected. 256-728-7387
For more information on Heartworms, go to heartwormsociety.org
