The Importance of Heartworm Testing and Parasite Prevention
Heartworm disease is a potentially fatal and serious disease in pets. It is caused by heartworms, which are foot-long worms that live in the lungs and heart of affected pets and cause heart failure, severe lung disease, and damage to other organs in the body. Hamilton Road Animal Hospital in Columbus can help with testing and prevention.
Why Heartworm Testing?
The earlier heartworm disease is detected, the better chances your pet has for recovery. There are not a lot of early signs of the disease so detecting the presence of heartworms with heartworm testing is important. To test for heartworms, it just requires a small blood sample from your pet. Testing procedures and the timing can differ between cats and dogs. Dogs should be tested annually during their annual wellness examination. Even if your dog is on heartworm prevention year-round, testing is still important, but it is always best to speak with your veterinarian. For cats, heartworm infection can be harder to detect so there is an antibody and antigen test and your vet may use an ultrasound or X-rays to look for infection.
Heartworm Parasite Prevention
Since heartworms can be so devastating to pets, heartworm parasite prevention is important. Prior to prescribing a heartworm prevention medicine, your veterinarian will usually make sure that your pet does not have heartworms by performing a blood test.
There are different kinds of preventative medicines available, and these can be a spot-on topical medication, an injection, or a pill. The medication works by getting rid of the larval stages of the heartworms. Since heartworms should be eliminated before they reach the adult stage it is necessary to have heartworm preventives administered on a strict schedule. The heartworm medications that are used today are also effective against other parasites, making prevention even more important. Depending on the product you use, this can include roundworms and hookworms. Some are even effective at treating ear mites, ticks, and fleas.
Call Hamilton Road Animal Hospital
It is important to discuss with your veterinarian to know which medicine best suits your dog or cat and when they should be started on medication. It is also important to make sure that your pet has their annual wellness examination and is tested for heartworms if needed. Contact Hamilton Road Animal Hospital in Columbus to make an appointment at 614-239-0027.