Dog Heartworm Disease - How Much Worse Can it Get?

By Anne Ming

What's tricky about this disease is the fact that its symptoms doesn't show right away. In fact, it may even take a full year before your dog suffers from its common effects like coughing, fatigue, or blood discharge. Worse, it could even be too late for your dog to recover from the disease at this point. The more complicated cases of heartworm may lead your dog's death in just a few days after the full incubation of the disease. And oftentimes, this happens exactly when the major symptoms show.

Heartworms are parasites that live inside the dog's body. If fleas and mange infest the outer skin and hide of the dog, heartworms attack the vital organs. Heartworms do look like worms, thus its name. They are very small and multiply in the blood vessels. They travel throughout the body, more particularly to the heart and lungs. They also invade the liver and kidneys of your pet. When the worms take full control of the organ, failure follows. This is the main reason why dogs die due to the disease.

To treat heartworm, it is best that you consult with the vet right away. Do it the moment you see even the faintest symptom of the disease. But in this case, regular health checkups with the vet are most advisable. If you live in a place where mosquitoes thrive, give your dog anti-heartworm shots or medicines to keep it from suffering from this disease unnecessarily. Anti-heartworm shots and medicines are available from the vet. Visit your veterinarian as frequently as possible to monitor your dog's health.

If ever your dog is diagnosed with heartworm, make sure that you give all its medicines on time, all the time. While dog heartworm can be fatal, it can easily be prevented as well. By knowing what you have to do, you really need not worry about the implications of this disease. Being well informed can save your dog's life.

It also helps to boost your dog's immune system. Dogs with stronger bodies are more likely to live longer and healthier. Diseases like heartworm won't infect them easily, as the parasites deposited in the blood stream are easily eliminated by the dog's antibodies. There are many ways you can possibly make your dog immune system stronger. Give dog vitamins, provide good nutrition, and follow good hygiene - these are all the things you can do to make sure that your pet is in pink of health at all times.

Dogs are man's best friends. But parasites are their biggest enemies. Keep your dog protected. Prevent heartworms before they infest your pet. Give your dog the protection and love that it deserves all the time.

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