Heartworm in dogs can be a very serious disease. In some cases, it can even be fatal. Dogs are natural hosts of the disease, which means that the heartworms that cause the disease can live inside a dog’s body, mature into adults, mate, and have offspring within the dog’s body. A dog could potentially be host to hundreds of heartworms, which can cause damage to the dog’s heart, arteries, and lungs, and can continue to negatively impact a dog’s health even after the worms are gone.
For this reason, heartworm prevention is the best way to treat your dog. The disease is treatable in many cases, but it’s best to prevent it before your dog can get heartworms so you can avoid any lasting health problems.
When Should a Puppy Start Heartworm Medicine?
According to the American Heartworm Society, puppies should be taking heartworm prevention medication monthly as young as 6-8 weeks old. They are just as prone to getting infected as older dogs, so the prevention must start as soon as possible.
Should All Dogs Get Heartworm Medication?
In Florida, all dogs need to be administered heartworm preventatives regularly. With heartworms being transferred to dogs by mosquitos, Florida is a common place for dogs to contract them. In more northern, cooler areas, it may not be as necessary, but it’s still recommended to protect your dog with preventative heartworm medication. The costs of curing it are significantly more than the cost of preventing it.
Ultimately, giving your dog regular heartworm prevention medication increases the chances of your dog living the long, happy, and healthy life that they deserve.
Does Heartworm Medication Have Side Effects?
Not all heartworm medications use the same ingredients, so different breeds can react to them differently. Speak to your vet about which medicine is best for your dog based on their breed, age, and health.
What Happens If Your Puppy Misses a Dose?
Heartworm prevention medication doesn’t actually prevent your dog from getting infected with heartworms. What it does is kill off heartworms that are in the later larva stages. If you miss a dose, then those larvae have a chance to grow into adult heartworms, at which point the preventative medication will no longer work. In order to avoid the risk of health problems from heartworms, it’s vital that you not miss a dose.
When Should Puppies Be Tested for Heartworms?
It’s not enough to just give your puppy preventative medication for heartworm. It’s also a good idea to get them tested regularly. Usually, your vet will test your puppy for heartworm for the first time between 6 and 10 months old. After that, heartworm tests are usually annual unless you’ve missed giving your puppy a dose of heartworm medication.
What Happens If Your Puppy Gets Heartworms?
Heartworms can start causing damage to your puppy’s body even before the heartworms are fully grown. This means that before they’re detectable, they can still harm your dog. The worms can inflame the vessels in the heart and arteries as well as damage the liver and lungs. Even if you catch heartworms in time to treat them early, they can still cause irreversible damage, lifelong health problems, and even a shortened lifespan.
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