Our pets rely on us for food, shelter, and more importantly, safety. That’s why we should be on top of anything that ails them. Jordan Walker, the lead content curator of Coops and Cages, shares what heartworms are and how they can be detected.
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Heartworms are parasitic roundworms that are spread through mosquito bites. Although generally referred to as dog heartworms, they can also afflict other animals like cats, foxes, wolves, and coyotes. In rare instances, they are also found in humans.
As an owner, can you bear the thought of your beloved pet wasting away because of a parasite in its heart? If not, better follow these measures that would help you detect the presence of heartworms in their body.
Unnatural Exhaustion
There are very limited signs of heartworm infection. Until the larvae grow and mature inside the host’s heart, practically no tell-tale signs can be found. One of the early signs of heartworm infection is unnatural fatigue. That is, if your pet used to be able to maintain a very active lifestyle but can’t now, you may want to have them checked by a vet.
Coughing and Vomiting
The longer the heartworms stay in the heart and lung chambers of the victim, the higher the risk of his vital organs getting damaged. Coughing and vomiting are typical symptoms brought about by heartworm infection. When these symptoms are combined with fatigue, there’s all the more reason to have your pet checked.
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Abnormal Lung Sounds
Severe heartworm disease also begets this symptom. If you notice that your pet is producing unusual lung sounds, he needs to be attended by a vet immediately.
Antigen Test
This blood test is administered by veterinarians and is effective in detecting heartworms that are at least five months old. By examining the dog’s bloodstream for proteins called antigens, the vet can verify if there are indeed heartworms. This is because such proteins are released by adult female heartworms in the pet’s bloodstream. However, same reason makes it impossible for the test to detect immature heartworms, because only when these female heartworms become adults that they are able to release this substance.
Microfilaria Test
Another type of test that can be used for parasite detection is the microfilaria test. Yet another product of adult heartworms, microfilaria’s presence indicates that heartworms are thriving and have begun mating inside its host. It usually takes six to seven months for heartworm larva to fully grow into adults.
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Make it as a rule to always schedule regular sessions with your vet. While nothing may be wrong, it won’t hurt to have the experts take a look at your pet every now and then. Also, going to the vet often also has numerous other benefits.
Parasites are detrimental to a pet’s health. We should protect our pets if we want them to live long and to the fullest. In return, they’ll reward us with their loyalty and companionship.
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Author: Jordan Walker
Jordan is the lead content curator for Coops and Cages as well as a couple of other pet-related blogs. His passion for animals is paired with his love for “attempting” to play the guitar. If you would like to catch more of him, you can visit his Google+ or Twitter accounts.
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