Heartworm Disease in Pets

Did you know?

Over 250,000 dogs in the US are reported positive for heartworms each year.  The actual number is probably much higher, as many dogs are not tested annually.

Mosquitos transmit heartworm larvae from infected dogs to healthy dogs, cats or ferrets.

Heartworms live in the heart and lungs of affected animals.

Left untreated heartworm disease is often fatal.

Bay County is an endemic region for heartworm disease, meaning the threat is always present.

While treatment is available for heartworm positive dogs, treatment is expensive ($400-800 depending on size and clinical symptoms), and can be tricky.

Heartworm Guarantee
If your dog is kept on year-round monthly preventative medication, and your dog has an annual heartworm blood test, there is a guarantee.  The entire cost of your dog's treatment for adult heartworms would be covered (including bloodwork, x-rays, treatment, etc.)!  This guarantee applies only if your medication is purchased from a veterinarian.  Pharmaceutical companies do not sell these products through internet pharmacies.  Medications sold from internet pharmacies are obtained through non-ethical channels and their quality cannot be guaranteed.  

Bay Animal Hospital carries all of the best preventative medications at competitive prices.  We can even mail refills to you if needed. 

Heartworm Disease in Cats  
Recent studies have shown that cats are more at risk for heartworms disease than previously thought.

Heartworms primarily affect the lungs in the cat.  Symptoms are different than in the dog, and include asthma-like symptoms, vomitting, or sudden death.

Indoor cats are also at risk.  In a Gulf-Coast study of heartworm positive cats, 28% of infected cats were described by their owners as being exclusively indoor cats.

There is currently no safe treatment for adult heartworms in the cat.  We can only treat secondary symptoms.  We do have excellent preventative medications available for cats to control heartworms and intestinal parasites.

All cats should be on monthly heartworm/intestinal parasite preventative.