Heartworm is a parasitic infection that can be devastating to a dog's health. Worms as long as 6 to 12 inches burrow in the heart. Treatment can be quite painful, and the dog must have plenty of rest, as the body heals itself.
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Heartworm
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Heartworm is a potentially deadly parasite infection that is passed by mosquitoes. The worms live in the heart and spread into the blood vessels and other organs. Without treatment they can kill a dog.
Dogs can have heartworm without showing any signs for some time. Eventually a dog will become lethargic, cough a lot and get a distended belly. Infected dogs are given two injections in the back over two days. Ths difficult process takes at least a month to kill the adult worms. The young heartworms will be killed by subsequent monthly deworming treatments.
Heartworm is preventable by giving the dog a monthly deworming tablet. In areas with a year-round mosquito population, dogs should take medication year-round. Colder areas may require only seasonal treatment. Your local vet can advise you how often to treat your dog.
Rest and Feeding
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Dogs will need to rest for four weeks after receiving heartworm treatment as their bodies recover and the worms slowly die off. Limit walks to only as far as necessary for the dog to elliminate. Many dogs are lethargic and sore for several days following treatment. Feed your dog its normal diet but keep in mind that less activity means it won't need as many calories.
Medications
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Some dogs are given anti-inflammatories or antibiotics with heartworm treatment. Follow the prescription carefully and make sure you finish the prescribed dosage even if improvement is seen.
Vet Assistance
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Expect your dog to be sore and very tired for the first few days of treatment. It may have trouble moving and getting up. Keep your vet's daytime and emergency numbers ready and contact her if your dog collapses or is extremely listless, coughs up blood, has pale gums, fever, rapid or difficult breathing or loses its appetite.
Follow-Up Appointments
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One month after the initial treatment began, you can take your dog to the vet and begin administering heartworm prevention. Four months after the treatment, the dog should be retested for heartworm to ensure the treatment was successful. Get the dog tested at six months post-treatment as well, since some heartworm antigens can show up in testing at four months.
Recovery
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Once your vet has declared your dog free of heartworm, you can slowly start getting it back on a regular exercise program. Begin gradually, as your dog has been weakened by the long period of inactivity and illness.
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