Heartworm Prevention & Treatment

Heartworms are a parasite that grow and live inside the heart and pulmonary artery. Heartworms mainly attack dogs but can also affect cats and ferrets. A simple bite from a mosquito can lead to your pet being infected with heartworms. Heartworms are also more common in warmer climates. That’s why it is so important for your pet to be protected from heartworms in the Cordova area by bringing him or her to us at Cordova Station Animal Hospital. We can help prevent your pet from getting heartworms and treat the disease in the unfortunate case that your pet does get it.

Symptoms of Heartworms

If your pet is infected with heartworms, her or she may become extremely lethargic. You will notice that basic things like walking to the food and drink bowl are a challenge for your pet. The more time the heartworms have been in the pet’s system, the harder it is for that pet to breathe. Extreme weight loss is another obvious sign. Your pet’s appetite reduces as the condition worsens, causing extreme weight loss in a short amount of time. Sings of your pet being infected with heartworms can be hard to tell by the naked eye. That’s why it is important to get your pet checked out by our experienced team.

Treatment

Proper preventative treatment for heartworms cannot be done at home. It takes the help of our veterinarians to prescribe the right type of medication to kill off adult and juvenile worms. Both kinds of worms require different treatment. Blood tests and X-rays may be needed to better understand the severity of your pet’s heartworms. In extreme cases, an operation may be needed. Heartworm treatment can be costly. It’s better for both you and your pet that you prevent heartworms from ever being an issue.

Prevention

Since the nature of how parasites enter the body of pets, prevention is never 100%. The best route is to make sure that you have regular check-up appointments with our team. This allows our veterinarians to detect juvenile heartworms within the system and prescribe the right protocols to kill them off before they become adults.

Heartworm preventives for your pet may be monthly chewable pills, topical medications, or injectable medication given every 6 or 12 months. Some treatments only prevent heartworms, while others protect pets from heartworms and intestinal parasites. Our team will work with you and your pet to find the right preventative treatment.

Contact Us for Prevention and Treatment

We hope that your pet never has to deal with heartworms. That’s why Dr. Sanders and Dr. Warner are here to provide quality preventative treatment for your pet. Here at Cordova Station Animal Hospital, we help our patients suffering from heartworms with expert medical attention. Contact us today to see how we can help your pet stay safe from heartworms.