You & Your Pet by Dr. Wise

Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association 11 South Angell Street #347 · Providence, RI 02906 (877) 521-0103 (866) 277-0238 Toll-Free ·Fax

We are first time dog owners and are a little uncertain of all the things we should be doing for our new little cocker spaniel.   The veterinarian gave Goober vaccinations and checked him over in December.  A friend said Goober also needs a heartworm test and medicine.  Is this true?

Yes!  Your friend gave you good advice, and timely.  Now is the time to have Goober tested and started on a prevention program.   Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes and you want to protect your dog by the time the weather warms and the mosquitoes hatch.  The heartworm (Dirofilaria amities) is a common cause of heart disease in dogs and can be fatal if untreated.  Once a carrier mosquito infects a dog, the heartworm larvae make their way to the animal's heart and pulmonary arteries.  There, they mature and grow up to 14 inches long.  The adult worms produce microfilaria (new worms) which circulate in the bloodstream.   Mosquitoes pick up these microfilaria during a blood meal.  They mature into larvae and are passed to another dog where a new cycle begins.

Heartworms can cause severe damage to the heart, lungs, and other organs.  Owners usually are unaware that their dog is infected until the disease is well advanced.  Then the animal may show such signs as fatigue, chronic cough, and loss of appetite.  At this stage, treatment is risky and expensive.  As your neighbor recommended, prevention is the best medicine.   Goober should first have a simple blood test to make sure he is free of heartworms.   If he is, you can begin giving him the preventative medicine.  The various medicines available are equally safe and effective.  Some owners use a chewable version of the daily pill as a treat for the dogs.  Other owners prefer the convenience of giving a pill only once a month.  Your veterinarian can help you decide which you should give to Goober.

This information, prepared as a public service by the Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association, answers problems Rhode Island veterinarians currently are seeing in their practices, as well as new developments in animal care.