Whats with all the ads about heartworm?

Question

our pets at that much risk? or just risk of tv illness?

Answer 1

It depends on where you live. If you live someplace with temps over 80 degrees - and there are mosquitos - your pet is at risk. Heartworm is a serious problem. Prevention is easy (once a month).

Answer 2

Depends on what area of the country you're in. In the southern states, the incidence of heartworm is very high. Normally, the level of infestation in an infected dog is also very high. Heartworms are parasites, not a infection, so a dog can catch more and more of them the more often it's bitten by mosquitos and the longer heartworm are allowed to reproduce in the bloodstream. How symptomatic a dog gets and how resistant it is to infestation can vary from one dog to another. Typically though, once a dog actually has symptoms of heartworm disease extensive damage has already been done. The symptoms are fairly similar to heart failure.
We had a 17 year old lab that never was heartworm treated and lived in Florida all it's life. But, I've also seen 2 year old dogs with obvious symptoms.
If you live in a southern state, it's really not worth the gamble since heartworm preventative is only about $6 a month whereas heartworm treatment runs into the hundreds. Not to mention the risk of your dog dying of complications.

Answer 3

It is NOT about pharmaceutical companies trying to make more money. Thousands of dogs are diagnosed with heartworms each year. You don't want to know how many dogs come to our shelter with heartworms. Heartworms is a serious disease and yes, they are at high risk. If you live in a warm climate, such as the south east united states then your risk sky rockets. Unless you have absolutely no mosquitoes anywhere near your area your dog is at risk. Dogs are even at risk if they are primarily indoors. It takes only a second to bite and only one bite.

Heartworms is spread when a female mosquito bites an infected dog then bites another dog. As long as the mosquito is living the heartworm larvae are living inside of her.

Dogs need heartworm prevention every month. Just skipping by a couple weeks can put your dog at risk.

Revolution and advantage claim to be heartworm preventative but they only repel mosquitos. If it bites then your dog can still get heartworms because it does not kill heartworm larvae. Use something like heartguard which kills the larvae.

Thanks to using too much pesticide in the past mosquitoes are wrecking havock.

Answer 4

I live in Southern Illinois and it is a VERY BIG DEAL here!! The last 2 dogs I have adopted have had heart worms and I know of at least 3 people that have had dogs die from the disease. It is very serious and if not treated it is simply a death sentence.

I adopted a 2 year old lab mix from the pound 3 weeks ago that has tested positive and although I plan on getting the treatments to cure the heartworms I'm scared everyday I will go outside and he will be dead. All it takes is one worm getting in the bloodstream to kill him instantly.

Those of you that don't have this problem in your area should consider yourself lucky. I personally have to make sure my dogs are treated monthly with meds so I don't have to put them through the harsh treatment of the poison my dog Beau will soon be going through.

So, to answer your question. NO it's not just about money and silly TV ads.

Answer 5

There are a number of new products that make dealing with preventive treatment easier.
If your pet absolutely never goes outside thnd there are never flies or mosquitos where it goes, then low risk. Otherwise, pretty good risk - pet can die of heartworms in the heart. Most modern treatments also prevent other worm problems.

Answer 6

Depending where you live your dog is at risk. Heartworms is a terrible disease that is very costly to treat. If you dont have ticks in your area switch to Advantge Multi it is cheaper then getting frontline and heartguard. See if your vet works with a compounding pharmacy. I get heartworm treatment for 48 dollars a year for any weight dog because my vet works with a compounding pharmacy.

Answer 7

That all depends on what your dog's worth to you. HW is real, it does kill dogs, and it's 100% preventable. I have seen dogs die on the exam room table from HW. I have seen dogs live for a couple of years w/ HW and I see people everyday who don't believe it's real. They are usually the same people who don't think lung cancer is real...buying another pack of cigs instead of HW prevention

Answer 8

Pharmaceutical companies just trying to make more money.

Answer 9

BIG $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Isn't everything????
Just more mind games for $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ !!!!!!!!!!