Heartworm Cases on the Rise

It used to be that heartworm infection was found mostly in the South, but nowadays, it’s present in all 50 states, according to USA Today. More than one million dogs in the United States are currently infected with heartworms, and veterinarians are increasingly finding the disease in areas like the Rocky Mountain States and the Pacific Northwest where it used to be uncommon.

Heartworm is mostly spread during the summer and early fall by mosquitos. According to the story, “When an infected mosquito bites a dog, it can deposit immature heartworms that grow under the skin for about two months. The worms then migrate through the bloodstream to the heart and arteries in the lungs. After lodging in the lungs' blood vessels, these worms grow to up to 1 foot long. Heartworms can live for years, damaging the lining of the blood vessels that carry blood to the lungs and eventually leading to heart disease.” Symptoms include coughing, tiring easily, labored breathing, and fainting, but they often aren’t exhibited until the disease has progressed. Veterinarians use a simple blood test to determine whether your dog has been infected. Treatment can be risky and expensive (about $1,000), so it makes sense to focus on prevention.

When I got Riley from Louisiana, she had heartworm and was treated. Nowadays, I’m obsessive about giving her a Heartgard (ivermectin) chewable pill each month to protect her from getting it again. I realize this may read like some sort of advertorial, but I’ve seen dogs with advanced heartworm, and it is a hideous disease. You really, really don’t want your dog to have it.

Has your dog ever had heartworm? Do you find it hard to remember to give your pet the pills each month?