heart-worm?

Question

my lab is 6 months old about to be 7 months , he is 56 pounds , not fat , he get alot of work out at the park or at the lake , his vet never mentioned anything about heart-worm although we go in regaler basses but my new roommate was asking me if he got it checked yet ,, when should i do it and how important is it?

Answer 1

I get my dogs checked when I get their shots. It is very important to get them checked. One of my dogs got heart worm and it is very expensive to treat and very hard on the dog.

Answer 2

It is very important. Check out this link from the American Vet Association. "Heartworms are transmitted from animal to animal by mosquitoes. When a mosquito bites an infected animal, young heartworms called microfilariae enter into that mosquito's system. Within two weeks, the microfilariae develop into infective larvae which are then injected into another animal through the mosquito's bite. Over the next six months, the infected larvae mature into adults: during the first three months, the larvae migrate through the animal's body eventually reaching the blood vessels of the lungs; during the last three months, the larvae become adults and enter the heart. Once in the heart, the heartworms will continue to grow up to 14 inches in length. In time, the worms will injure the blood vessels, resulting in severe lung and heart disease. If worms of both sexes are present, they will create new microfilariae that can damage other organs when the animal's immune system attempts to combat the infection. This life cycle continues when a mosquito bites the infected animal and ingests the microfilariae. Heartworms may survive for 5 to 7 years in dogs and 2 to 5 years in cats."
You can buy a product called Heart Guard that you give to your dog each month to prevent it.

Answer 3

"Heartworms are large worms that live in the hearts of dogs and cats....The signs vary according to number of worms present, stage of life cycle, age and species of host. The heartworms live primarily in the right side of the heart and lung, and can cause significant damage and even death."

Heartworm is a very serious problem for dogs and cats and, if left untreated, can eventually lead to death. Since you mention taking your dog to the park and the lake, you need to know that mosquitos are considered the most common "transmitters" of the disease.

A simple blood test at the vet's office can tell you if your dog has been infected, and there a number of preventative measures that can be taken to help decrease your dog's risk of being infected.

See thew URL below for more information and suggested treatments.

Answer 4

It depends on where you live.

Some places don't have heartworms. Warmer, damper climates mean more mosquitos (which transmit heartworms to dogs) and more need for prevention.

BUT

Prevention is always a good idea. That's why it's called "prevention".

Pups should be started on a once monthly preventative at 6 months (I could explain why, if you're interested). Heartguard and Interceptor are the best. They also "do" intestinal worms. Advantix and Revolution are good too. Talk to your vet.

It might just be that you don't live in an "at risk" location.

Answer 5

Dogs aren't checked for heartworms until after 6 months of age...anything before this and it won't show even if they are carrying them. In areas where heartworm is an issue puppies are routinely put on heartworm prevention when they get their second vacciantion at 12 -14 weeks of age.

Answer 6

yes i would do it now.. They will do a simple blood test to see if he shows positive/negative for heartworms, if it shows negative, then they will put him on a preventive for like 6 months. Thru the mosquito season. Some vets will have you keep them on it year round if affordable to you, that way you don't have to pay for the test again the following year. Which is up to you how you want to do it. But it is important to get them on a preventive asap. Heartworms are pretty devastating to the dog heart, and so on. Don't wait for your vet to mention something, mention your concerns to him/her..

Answer 7

it is very very important. i am assuming that he is not on heart worm preventative currently? he needs a HW check now before starting preventative then in 6 months. if he stays clear then you can go to getting him checked once a year. heart worms, if left unattended, can be fatal. it can turn into vena cava syndrome. its a very painful and miserable way to die. either way, heart worms cause damage to the heart.

Answer 8

Call your vet and get him tested and start him on Heartworm. It can kill your dog ang has been found in all 50 states and Canada.