How to Help My Dog With Heartworms

Heartworms are a potentially debilitating infection that affects dogs bitten by a mosquito with the infective heartworm larvae. The larvae grow into parasitic worms that reside and reproduce in the dog's heart, lungs and connected blood vessels, damaging them in the process. Dogs with heartworm do not display symptoms until a later stage when the infection has progressed. Hence it is important to effectively treat your dog's heartworm infection through a combination of preventive, conventional and lifestyle measures.

Things You'll Need

  • Antigen test
  • Radiography
  • Blood test
  • Heartworm drugs and injections
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Have a heartworm antigen test performed on your dog at a clinic or a veterinary laboratory to accurately detect a heartworm infection.

    • 2

      Confirm the severity of the infection with a radiographic test and a blood test that determine the extent of the infestation. The radiograph will reveal inflamed and damaged heart and arteries, while blood tests will detect whether the liver and kidneys are affected.

    • 3

      Keep your dog calm and restrict physical activity when you commence heartworm treatment. As the treatment kills the worms, they break and form small pieces that can block the pulmonary vessels and cause death from increased blood circulation because of physical activity.

    • 4

      Treat your dog with a preventative heartworm medicine like ivermectin that kills immature worms. Consult your vet to prescribe the appropriate medicine and dosage for your dog based on its age, weight and severity of the infection.

    • 5

      Give your dog two doses of Immiticide, an arsenic-based injection that kills adult heartworms in the blood vessels of the heart. Based on your vet's recommendation, either inject it yourself or have the vet do it.

    • 6

      Give your dog an anti-inflammatory like prednisone to reduce inflammation and the risk of complications during treatment.

    • 7

      Strengthen your dog's immune system by feeding it a nutritious diet of raw foods and fresh water. Include chopped pieces of raw meat like chicken, grated or chopped fruits and vegetables like carrots, cucumber, apples and papaya.