Canine heartworm disease occurs when your dog is infested with a large number of adult worms. They can cause damage to the kidneys, liver, heart, and lungs. The damage can cause congestive heart failure and be fatal.
Causes
The worms that cause this disease are transmitted by mosquito bites. Therefore, dogs that live in areas with a lot of mosquitoes are particularly at risk. The worms can grow anywhere from six to 14 inches long. In some cases, there can be hundreds of them in your dog’s body. However, most dogs don’t have this many.
Symptoms
Dogs usually show no symptoms when there are a few worms present. As canine heartworm disease progresses, your dog may develop a cough and have trouble breathing. He will also tire easily when exercising. It is also common for dogs with this disease to lose weight.
Diagnosis
If your dog is suspected of having these worms, the veterinarian will initially perform a blood test. The blood test is useful only in the early stages when there are microfilariae in your dog’s blood. Adult heartworms are sometimes present with no microfilariae in the blood. An x-ray and other laboratory tests are needed to make a diagnosis in these cases.
Treatment
Canine heartworm disease is much easier to treat when it is caught in the early stages. Injections are given to your dog to kill the worms. The worms will then decompose inside your dog’s body after a few months. The small microfilariae will have to be dealt with separately because the injections have no effect. A separate drug is given to kill them off. After receiving treatment, your dog should avoid stress and exercise.