Everyone has heard about heartworm and how dangerous it can be for your animals, but not many understand how it forms or what the treatment looks like. This inflammatory parasite can drastically affect your dog’s health long before symptoms appear. One of the key elements of heartworm prevention for dogs in Virginia is medication and consistency in growth checkups.
How Heartworm Forms
Heartworm is a parasite that causes disease in dogs and other mammals; it is a large worm that can reach up to a foot long and remain in your dog’s heart for several years. Unfortunately, these worms can clog arteries and blood vessels, which can lead to heart failure in dogs. Your dog can go from healthy to critical quickly; hence, it’s so important to invest in heartworm prevention for dogs in Virginia.
Heartworm Prevention
Heartworm prevention is straightforward, coming in topical and oral forms. The topical formula is absorbed into the bloodstream, whereas oral medications can be given monthly for preventive purposes. These heartworm medications can also be combined with flea prevention for an all-in-one solution for your animal.
Heartworm Testing
We understand the heartworm testing can be nerve-racking, but that doesn’t make it any less necessary for your dog’s health. The truth is, heartworm can be found in all 50 states, so even though we live in a typically cooler climate, it’s crucial to invest in heartworm testing in Roanoke Valley.
Types of heartworm testing include antigen tests, which detect antigens found in adult female heartworms, and microfilaria tests, which detect potential infection. Your veterinarian will draw a blood sample to determine the presence of these proteins and go from there, depending on the results.
Symptoms To Look For
The type of symptoms your dog has depends on the severity of heartworm disease and how long it has gone undetected/untreated. You may notice symptoms such as cough, lethargy, intolerance to exercise, etc. These symptoms will become more severe over time, leading to weight loss, difficulty breathing, collapse, or sudden death.
What the Treatment Includes
If the unfortunate happens and your pet is diagnosed with heartworm, it’s important to know that there is dog heartworm treatment in the Troutville, VA area. Your animal will be on a strict regimen of medications and limited exercise to avoid overworking the heart.
The worms cause inflammation, and steroids are administered to target it; additionally, vets will provide you with antibiotics to slowly kill the heartworm and lower the chances of the disease progressing.
Assistance With Heartworm Preventions For Dogs in Virginia
No one wants to watch their dogs struggle or become sick, which is why it’s important in your area to have a reliable heartworm prevention vet in Botetourt County! Heartworm is not something to take lightly, so educating yourself on prevention, symptoms, and treatments can literally save your dog’s life. With Old Dominion Veterinary Clinic, you’ll have assistance with the best heartworm prevention for dogs in Virginia!
