By: Dr. Veja Tillman, DVM | Owner of Just 4 Pets Veterinary Wellness Center
Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal condition affecting dogs and cats in the United States and many other parts of the world. This preventable disease is transmitted to pets through a single bite from an infected mosquito. Once infected, heartworms can cause significant damage to the heart, lungs, blood vessels, and other organs.
Prevention, achieved through monthly medication, is essential. Early detection through testing is also crucial in maintaining a healthy pet population. Given the seriousness of heartworm disease, it’s important to have accurate information to help protect your pets. Below are some common myths (and facts) associated with heartworm disease.
MYTH #1: My pet will act sick if she has heartworm disease and I will notice signs early enough before the disease becomes serious.
Unfortunately, pets with heartworm disease show few signs until the infection is severe, and significant damage has occurred in the heart, lungs, blood vessels, and other organs. In fact, your pet may be infected for a year or longer before you see any signs. As the disease progresses, signs can worsen to include a mild, persistent cough, reluctance to exercise, fatigue after moderate activity, decreased or loss of appetite, difficulty breathing, fainting or collapse, and fluid accumulation in the abdomen (associated with a type of heart failure).
MYTH #2: Dogs can live a long time with heartworms.
The life expectancy of a dog infected with heartworms depends on the size of the dog, the relative health of the dog, whether the dog has a reaction to the worms, and how many worms the dog has. However, left untreated, heartworm disease is usually fatal. Some dogs can carry a very low worm burden and be okay for a short while, but most dogs who go untreated will not survive. The truth is, all pets infected with heartworms will suffer from some level of organ damage due to heartworm disease.
MYTH #3: Treating heartworm disease is just as easy as preventing it.
Treatment for canine heartworm disease is not only costly but also traumatic and risky for the dog, with unpredictable outcomes. The treatment process can span several months and involves multiple injections of an arsenic-based drug. It also requires strict activity restriction for 10–16 weeks (or even longer) and comes with significant costs. In addition to the treatments and activity limitations, it’s crucial to monitor for possible complications of both the disease and its treatment, such as blood clot formation (which may travel to other organs), lung fibrosis, inflammation of blood vessels, and more. For cats, there is no available medication to eliminate adult heartworms, and treatment focuses on reducing inflammation until the worms die naturally. Cats can suffer serious complications from untreated heartworm disease, including sudden death. Since no curative treatment exists for cats, prevention is absolutely vital.
MYTH #4: I can stop giving my pet heartworm prevention during the winter.
Mosquitoes are hardy and can emerge any time temperatures rise above 50 degrees. This means that for regions like Florida, year-round protection is safest to ensure your pet is protected.
MYTH #5: Heartworm Disease Is Rarely Fatal.
Heartworm disease is a devastating and potentially fatal condition. It can lead to severe lung disease, heart failure, and damage to other organs, all of which can ultimately result in death. Heartworms can significantly impact an animal’s quality of life, causing debilitating symptoms that may improve but not always fully resolve, even with treatment, leading to lifelong chronic health issues. In cats, heartworm disease typically causes lung disease, which can resemble asthma, resulting in respiratory distress, chronic coughing, and vomiting. The death of just one adult heartworm in a cat can lead to sudden, unexpected death.
MYTH #6: My indoor pet does not need heartworm prevention.
All pets should receive heartworm prevention, whether they venture outside or not. Mosquitoes find their way indoors in a variety of ways—through open windows or doors, screens, etc. According to the American Heartworm Society, 25% of cats diagnosed with heartworm disease are indoor-only pets. All indoor pets need heartworm prevention to be protected from heartworm disease.
MYTH #7: My pet does not need an annual heartworm test if she receives regular prevention.
Although assuming prevention every month equals a negative heartworm status may seem logical, testing your pet annually is critical. This ensures that the medication is protecting your pet, and in the event that you accidentally miss a dose, your dog spits it out, or vomits the dose after receiving it, your pet can be left unprotected. Missing just one dose of a monthly medication—or administering it late—can leave a pet unprotected. In addition to a year-round heartworm prevention regimen, the American Heartworm Society recommends annual testing to ensure that the prevention program is working. Although heartworm preventives are highly effective, nothing works 100 percent of the time.
MYTH #8: Natural Remedies Work as Well as FDA-Approved Preventatives.
Currently, homeopathic remedies and herbal preventives are not recommended as substitutes for FDA-approved heartworm preventives, as there is no proven evidence of their effectiveness. No repellent or avoidance strategy can replace the need for heartworm preventives. These measures should be used alongside preventives, not in place of them. Natural repellents, such as neem oil (which should be used with caution in cats), and insecticides made from all-natural ingredients may help reduce the number of mosquito bites your pet receives. However, not all mosquitoes will be repelled by natural products, and your pet could still be at risk of being bitten and potentially infected.
Heartworm infection is almost 100% preventable. There are several FDA-approved heartworm preventives available in a variety of formulations for your dog (oral tablets, topical applications, and an injectable option) or cat (orals and topicals only). Your veterinarian can recommend the best method of prevention based upon your pet’s risk factors and lifestyle.
April is Heartworm Awareness Month. Have your pet tested for heartworm disease (yes, especially your cat). Talk to your veterinarian about your pets’ risk of contracting this disease and what preventative would be best for your pet.
ABOUT DR. VEJA TILLMAN, DVM
Dr. Tillman is a 2002 graduate of Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine. Her veterinary practice and work experience focus on the health and wellness of pets. She is the owner of Just 4 Pets Wellness Center and can be reached at 239-270-5721.
CORRECTION NOTICE
In past issues, we mistakenly listed Dr. Veja Tillman’s credentials as “DMV” instead of “DVM.” Our sincerest apologies go to Dr. Tillman for this error and any unintended disrespect to the veterinary profession. We truly appreciate the dedicated care veterinarians provide for our beloved furry friends, and we care very much about the integrity of our work.
