When the temperature drops and mosquitoes seem to vanish, many pet parents breathe a sigh of relief, assuming their dogs are safe from heartworm disease. But here’s a catch: mosquitoes and heartworms don’t really take a break. Transmitted by mosquitoes, heartworm disease is a year-round concern, requiring consistent vigilance, even during winters.
In this informative blog, we’ll explore why skipping heartworm prevention in winters can be a costly mistake. Plus, we’ll cover the fundamentals of heartworm disease, from symptoms and treatment to prevention, providing you with the knowledge to protect your furry companion from this potentially fatal condition.
Let’s get started!
What is Heartworm Disease?
Heartworm disease is a parasitic infection caused by a parasitic worm called Dirofilaria immitis. This potentially dangerous infection is transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes.
The infected mosquitoes carry heartworm larvae, called microfilaria, which live and grow inside the dog’s body. The microfilaria grows and multiplies rapidly to cause blockages in the bloodstreams, the heart, and the lungs. If not addressed in a timely manner, it can lead to organ failure and death.
Do Dogs Need Heartworm Prevention in Winters?
Absolutely! Winter does not give a free pass to heartworms. Regardless of the season, it’s a year-round threat. Let’s understand it better with the following observations:
- The humid conditions of the summer months offer ideal circumstances and facilitate mosquito breeding. So, warm days give mosquitoes the opportunity to spread heartworm larvae. But it doesn’t mean mosquitoes are not an issue in winters.
- During winter, mosquitoes can survive indoors and in warm areas. Even if only a smaller number of mosquitoes are active, they remain a threat, as even a single bite of an infected mosquito is enough to spread the infection.
- Despite the weather conditions, certain regions in the US may remain warm enough for mosquitoes to flourish. Therefore, interstate traveling can put your pet at the risk of getting heartworms.
- Most heartworm preventive treatments kill heartworm larvae and not adult heartworms. Thus, you can’t afford to have a break in the heartworm prevention schedule, as it gives this deadly infection the chance to creep in.
- In some cases, giving heartworm preventive treatment to a dog with existing heartworms may also result in adverse reactions. Therefore, it’s crucial to consult your vet for the right treatment and ensure year-round protection.
- Heartworm treatment is any day more expensive than prevention. With regular prevention, you can save a lot of the cost associated with treating heartworm disease. Moreover, you can save your pet from the physical toll that the treatment poses on them.
What Makes Heartworm Disease Deadly?
Heartworm disease is dangerous for several reasons. Primarily, because they live inside your beloved pooch and grow up to cause severe internal damage. Plus, unlike fleas and ticks, they can go undetected for a long time. Sometimes it may even be too late for your pet before the symptoms start to surface, making recovery very challenging. This makes early detection of heartworm disease imperative.
The following signs may help you recognize heartworms in dogs:
- Cough
- Lethargy
- Shortness of breath
- Decreased appetite
- Weight loss
- Swollen abdomen
- Exercise intolerance
- Fainting
Diagnosis and treatment of Heartworm Disease
To diagnose heartworm disease in dogs, the vet will examine the dog and inquire about the symptoms. For further diagnosis, they will do a few blood tests to confirm the presence of adult female heartworms and heartworm larvae in your dog’s blood.
Based on these results, the vet moves forward with the treatment and suggests a suitable schedule. The treatment typically revolves around reducing the symptoms and eliminating all stages of heartworm from the body. To achieve that, the vet will recommend melarsomine, which assists in eliminating the adult heartworms.
Measures to Prevent Heartworm Disease in Dogs
The following are some practical measures you can take to keep the dangers of heartworm disease at bay:
- Maintain regular vet visits and take follow-ups.
- Establish a grooming routine and practice regularly.
- Take measures to reduce your dog’s exposure to mosquitoes.
- Don’t let water stand in nearby environments to prevent mosquito breeding.
- Avoid outdoor activities during dusk or dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.
- Administer heartworm prevention treatment to your dog after your vet’s approval.
- Never skip giving the heartworm prevention treatment.
- Administer suitable flea and tick treatment after consulting your vet.
- Use pet-friendly mosquito repellents.
Here are some popular heartworm preventive treatment options for dogs you can look into:
Parting Words
Heartworm disease does not follow seasons but opportunity. Even a single mosquito bite can lead to devastating consequences for your dog. So stay consistent with the vet-approved treatment and take proactive preventive measures to safeguard your pet against the dread of heartworms. Put the information shared in this blog to good use, and don’t let heartworms ruin your pet’s winters. Good luck!