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Has your pet recently been coughing, eating less, or being more
lethargic than usual? If so, it is possible that your pet is
infected with heartworms and may need immediate help and attention.
Heartworms may infect a host for up to 2 years before any signs or
symptoms are visible, and often when they are diagnosed it may be
too late for some pets.
Heartworms are an infectious parasitic transmitted by mosquitoes
that invades major organs in dogs and cats like the lungs,
pulmonary arteries and heart. Heartworms grow and multiply within
the pet body and can survive for up to 5 years. Heartworms cause
damage and block smaller arterial vessels in your pets key organs
leading to organ damage and a multitude of health
complications.
The symptoms of a heartworm infestation are often difficult to
recognize or may be overlooked or discounted as merely flu or
cough-like symptoms. Coughing, weigh loss, lethargy, rapid heart
beat, poor coat condition, diarrhea and loss of appetite are common
symptoms. Treatment to rid a pet of adult heartworms is a costly
vet procedure and involves exposing your pet to arsenic poisoning
treatments to kill the adult heartworms - a procedure that can be
fatal for aged pets or ones in deteriorating physical
condition.
The best approach to dealing with the risk of heartworms is through
and active prevention program. Prevention is the key to controlling
and avoiding the health problems associated with these highly
contagious and common parasites. A simple oral medication
administered once a month is all it takes to protect your pets from
the damaging effects of heartworm infestation.
Several heartworm medications are now available on the marketplace
to provide preventative protection against heartworm
infections. These medications do have risks and side effects
so it is important that you read about them carefully.
Regular prevention can be achieved by administering 1 pill per
month - a small price to pay for your pets comfort and health, and
a great hedge against expensive vet visits.
For more specific information on treatment and prevention methods
visit: http://www.pet-medicine-meds.com/heartworms.htm
