Heartworms are harmful parasites that are transmitted by mosquitoes and can be fatal for your dog and cat. When the weather is pleasant, this is when mosquitos tend to emerge and attack. Both dogs and cats can contract this illness. The American Veterinary Medical Association says that cats were reported to have heartworm disease in 38 states last year by the American Heartworm Society. Cats that catch this disease often suffer more than dogs do, and they often receive a poorer prognosis.

This illness is easy to prevent, but it is difficult and expensive to cure. Pets can only obtain the disease by the bite of an affected mosquito, and it is not contagious once it is active in the pet’s system. Prevention is important because there is no way to determine whether or not mosquitos are infected with heartworm disease until after they bite. For dogs and cats that spend a lot of time outside, an infected insect may strike at any time. The disease has been reported in all 50 states. Web MD explains that only one infected mosquito bite is enough to deposit the heartworm larvae into your pet and give him or her the disease.

The illness is now found all over the U.S., even in locations where veterinarians have previously believed that it did not occur. Areas like Oregon, California, and Arizona are dry, and therefore there is not an exorbitant amount of mosquitos present. However, there have still been cases of the heartworm disease infected dogs and cats from this area. The heartworm disease does not show up immediately after the animal is bitten. In fact, it normally takes about 7 months before the larvae that were deposited into your pet by the mosquito have grown into mature and detectable heartworms. These parasites will lodge into the heart, lungs, and blood vessels nearby in an attempt to reproduce. The worms can grow up to 12 inches in length and can live 5-7 years. An adult dog may have up to 250 of these parasites in its system.

Because the disease is not contagious, you don’t need to be worried that you will catch heartworm from your dog or that the worms will infect your other dogs because one pet has the disease. However, if the disease is left untreated, your pet might pass away. It takes a while to notice that your dog has been infected with heartworms. Normally your dog will develop a cough as more and more worms crowd the heart and lungs. Eventually your animal will become lethargic and will become winded easier. In extreme cases, dogs can omit odd lung sounds as they try to breath and may pass out from a lack of blood flowing to the brain.

If your dog has heartworm, then you will need to get a prescription of Immiticide to help him or her recover. It is an injectable, arsenic-based product that will help to kill the heartworms. The safest way to issue the drug is by giving your dog pre-treatment workups and X-rays. The entire treatment normally costs about $1,000. It’s much wiser to take precautions against heartworm disease before your pet is infected. Monthly pills or topical for your pet are normally cheap, and you can probable prevent heartworm disease just by being faithful with these methods. You can also take your dog to the vet every six months for an injectable treatment. Normally a year’s worth of preventative medications will only cost you $35. If your dog or cat has this harmful disease, make sure that you take action quickly and find a local vet that offers treatments.