Did you know that this month is National Heartworm Awareness Month? With warm weather and mosquito season fast approaching, now is a good time to familiarize yourself with this potentially deadly disease and learn how you can safeguard your beloved pet. Our skilled veterinarians supply heartworm preventatives for pets in Fayetteville and the surrounding areas at Total Quality Mobile Veterinary Care and are here to help you give your dog a healthy, happy life. Keep scrolling to find out more about heartworm and how to prevent it.
What Is Heartworm Disease?
Heartworm disease occurs when a dog or another animal is bitten by an infected mosquito. The worms grow up to a foot in length and live in the heart, blood vessels, and lungs, resulting in significant organ distress. When left untreated, the worms breed continuously, leading to additional problems, such as poor health and a decreased lifespan in many situations.
Heartworm disease causes a wide range of symptoms, including:
- Cough
- Fatigue, especially after exercise
- Unexplained weight loss
- Decreased appetite
- Swollen abdomen
- Light-colored gums
- Labored breathing
Preventing Heartworm
Heartworm is extremely challenging to treat and can cause irreparable damage to the organs. For this reason, heartworm prevention is crucial for dogs. Heartworm prevention medications are readily available in several forms, such as chewable pills, topicals, and injectable medications.
The American Heartworm Society recommends keeping your canine companion on a heartworm preventative medication year-round, even when mosquitos are not prevalent. All dogs need yearly heartworm testing, even if they take preventative medication. While heartworm medications are highly effective, dogs can still become infected with heartworm disease. Having your dog tested each year gives their veterinarian to detect and begin treatment for infections in their early stages when they are most treatable.
Effective Heartworm Prevention in Fayetteville
Choose Total Quality Mobile Veterinary Care for safe and effective heartworm prevention in Fayetteville. Our veterinarians provide heartworm tests and will help you decide what medication is most suitable for your precious pet. With our assistance, they'll get to live a long, healthy, and happy life free from heartworm. Call now to schedule your dog's appointment.