It is not possible to overstate the importance of heartworm prevention when it comes to the quality of life your pet can enjoy. Heartworms are parasites that can substantially shorten the life of your pet while also causing avoidable pain and strain for your pet. At Jurupa Hills Animal Hospital in Fontana, CA, we understand how destructive these parasites can be and offer your pet attentive care and treatment to prevent heartworms.
How are Heartworms Transmitted?
If there are mosquitoes, there is the means for heartworm transmission. It’s as simple as a mosquito biting and infected animal, wild or domestic, and then biting your pet. While people associate heartworms with dogs, our veterinarian can tell you that they affect cats as well. The difference is that cats are not as hospitable of hosts as dogs are. Dogs are almost custom made for the care and feeding of heartworms that can cause irreparable damage in a short amount of time.
Unfortunately, the symptoms aren’t often visible. At least not until there is extensive damage to your dog’s arteries, heart, or lungs. As the problem becomes more pervasive, you may notice some of the following symptoms in your dog:
• Persistent cough
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Fluid retention in the belly
• Easily fatigued
How to Prevent Heartworms
Heart worm prevention is, by far, the best decision to make. If you keep up with your routine preventative medications and never miss a dose, your pet has the greatest opportunity for avoiding this devastating illness. However, it is not the end of the world if preventatives don’t do the trick or your miss a dose and your dog or cat becomes infected. There are treatments you can use to eliminate heartworms. The key is in discovering the infection early, before lasting damage is done to your pet’s heart and lungs.
Treatment for Heartworms
The most common and effective heartworm preventative is available from our veterinarian as a monthly treatment. It must be administered monthly to prevent larvae from developing into adults that cannot be killed by the preventative medications and that can cause massive damage to the heart and lungs of your pet. If you miss one of the monthly treatments, your pet must be tested before the next round of treatments can be administered. This is to prevent additional damage to your pet. Our veterinarian will examine your pet to learn more about its condition and determine the necessary treatment for your pet, which could include antibiotics or injections.
Contact us for an Appointment Today
Getting the proper veterinary care for your pet from an early age is one of the best safeguards for your pet when it comes to heart worm prevention. Contact Jurupa Hills Animal Hospital in Fontana, CA, at (909) 333-1565 today to discuss your heartworm concerns and work out a treatment plan that is best for your pet’s needs. When you’re seeking a veterinarian near me, we look forward to assisting you!