Understanding Heartworm Disease in Dogs: Decoding the Facts

The mere site of parasites can create apprehensions in the minds of dog owners. These pesky beings are so nasty and gross that you always think about the health of your pooch whenever dealing with this situation. If by chance, your doggy is affected by heartworm infection, it can lead to disastrous effect on the health of the pet which can be very fatal for his health. Before taking any step further, glance at some of these facts about this disease, so that you have a better idea of what exactly you are dealing with:

It Is Very Important To Prevent Heartworm Disease In All Dogs

Lot of prominence has been given to preventing heartworm disease and it is absolutely right. The reason for that is very simple. With a monthly dosage of heartworm preventative treatments the larval stages of heartworms get killed after the mosquito bites. This assists in halting the infection and the mosquito is not able to transmit the larva that bites your tyke and pass it on to other dogs. This treatment results in not only assisting your doggy but also reducing the spread of the disease, thus forestalling the exposure of the disease to nearby dogs.

Prevention Of Heartworm Disease Is Easier & Cost-effective In Comparison To Treatment

This should not be surprising as treatment of heartworm disease not only expensive, but also uncomfortable and lengthy. The preventative treatment in comparison contains a monthly chewable dose and it is very easy to give to the pooch. The only difficult task is to remember the monthly task of giving the dose and taking the initial appointment of the veterinarian to get the prescription.

Human Beings Cannot Acquire The Disease From Dogs Directly

Heartworm disease is spread through mosquito bites and so even if you have two dogs and one of them is suffering from heartworm disease, the second dog will not acquire it from the first. This is absolutely true even if both dogs are bitten by the same mosquito bite in short succession, since the heartworm larvae requires an incubation period within the mosquito before it can be transmitted to another dog. There are rare possibilities of human beings to acquire heartworms.

Heartworms Are More Prevalent In Hot & Humid States

Since heartworm disease is acquired through mosquito bites, the disease is most likely to spread in hot, humid states, which is very conducive for the mosquitoes. That being said, heartworms are more prevalent in dry states. Hence, it is very important to give heartworm preventative treatment to the dogs irrespective of the place you reside. This is especially true, in case you go on a road trip and wind up in a state where mosquitoes are more likely to prosper.

Female Heartworms Grow Quite Long

Female heartworms grow quite long - up to one foot in length. Now just imagine the female heartworm snaking at the heart and lungs of the pooch. You can sense what impact it can have on your furry pal's health. But the male heartworms are smaller in size, about four to six inches in length.

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