Heartworm, a debilitating disease that eventually leads to premature death, is transmitted to your pet through the bite of a parasite-infected mosquito. Heartworm is primarily a canine disease, though increasing numbers of cats, ferrets, rabbits, wolves and coyotes are being infected. Medications like Heartgard Plus are the best course of action for preventing heartworm. Once an animal is infected, treatment is hard on your pet and can be very expensive.
Instructions
How to Use Heartgard Plus for Heartworm
Prevent heartworm by starting your pet on Heartgard Plus before your pet is seven months old. Even if your pet is infected at birth, the worms will not be large enough to survive the medication after only six months of development.
Test your adult pet for heartworm. The USDA requires a screening test before a veterinarian can prescribe a preventative like Heartgard Plus. A blood test can show whether your pet is infected in about 15 minutes. Once a pet is positive for heartworm, prevention is no longer possible. Treating an infected pet with Heartgard Plus can lead to serious complications and even death.
Weigh your pet. If your pet does not have heartworm, purchase Heartgard Plus from your veterinarian in the dosage recommended for your pet's weight. Heartgard Plus comes in three sizes for dogs: small (under 25 pounds), medium (25 to 50 pounds) and large (51 to 100 pounds). Heartgard Plus for cats comes in doses for cats 5 pounds or less or 6 to 15 pounds.
Treat once every month. Because it takes only one infected mosquito bite to infect your dog with heartworm, administer the medication every month. Heartworm exists in every region of the United States, Mexico and Canada and is spreading worldwide.
Test regularly. Even if you are giving your pet Heartgard Plus each month, have your veterinarian test your animal for heartworm every year. You might have forgotten to give your pet his dose one month or he might have vomited the dose. Tests for heartworm now test for diseases from ticks as well, so your pet (and your family) is doubly protected.
Expect to make some difficult decisions if your pet tests positive for heartworm. Treating an infected pet with Heartgard Plus will not cure it and may cause even more health problems. A full course of treatment can come in two doses that make your dog feel ill and require four to six weeks of crate rest. If this treatment is unsuccessful, surgery may be necessary.