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Most dog parents tally that keep their companion parasite free is a anteriority . But parasite protection goes beyond what can be seen with the naked eye . Heartworm disease mystify an inconspicuous risk to our pets . Luckily forestall heartworm in hotdog is easier than ever with efficient preventatives .
Why Canine Heartworm Prevention is Important
Heartworm diseaseis a menace to dogs in every state in the U.S. and prevention should not be overlooked . It has the potentiality to do far-flung damage to your Canis familiaris ’s spirit and lung as well as legal injury to other vital organs . Oftentimes , weenie miss clinical symptoms until the disease has already done significant damage .
Dogs who test positive for heartworm have to undergo an all-embracing and expensivetreatment regime , and prospect motley base on a dog ’s symptom , age , and medical chronicle . dog undergoing heartworm handling also have utilization and life style confinement that can be hard for favored parents to manage . If the disease is advanced or if discussion is delayed , heartworm disease in dogs can be fatal .
Preventing heartworms in dogs with oral or topical medication such asInterceptor Plus , Trifexis , orAdvantage Multi for Dogsis much easy and more affordable than treat the disease . But keep in idea that most preventatives must be administered monthly throughout the year to insure uninterrupted protection .
How Do Dogs Get Heartworms?
Dogs contract heartworms through the bite of a mosquito carrying infected larvae .
Prior to this transmission of contagion from mosquito to dog , the mosquito takes a line meal from an infected dog ( or coyote , fox , or wolf ) and take immature heartworms , jazz as microfilaria . With the passing game of about 14 Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , the microfilaria reach out the degree of being infective . At that level , they become transmissible to other dog-iron when that same mosquito transfers the larva through their bite .
After about 6 month of being in the ideal host , heartworms multiply . They can turn to be about a infantry in duration and one dog can have anywhere from a few worm to hundreds bet on how advanced the infection is . grown heartworms can exist for several twelvemonth inside a dog .
Although dogs who spend a considerable amount of time outside are at an increase risk for heartworm disease , dogs who remain indoors are still susceptible since mosquitos can easily get inside . Male dog have anecdotally been reported to test positive for heartworms more frequently than distaff frump , but the lineal reasoning for this is unidentified .
The biggest risk component for heartworm in dogs is not routinely receiving vet prescribed heartworm bar .
4Ways to Prevent Heartwormin Dogs
Although the thought of your furred ally contracting heartworm disease is alarming , there are several thing you may do as a open-eyed favourite parent to keep your detent secure and protected .
Administer Heartworm Preventatives
There are several veterinary prescribed prevention options ( see our picks below ) depending on you and your dog ’s needs . Many of these preventive medications also deworm your click for GI parasites such ashookworms , tinea , whipworms , ortapeworms . There are also heartworm prevention medications that are combined with flea and/or tick prevention minimize the number of monthly tablets or topicals you must administer .
Schedule Regular Veterinary Checkups and Heartworm Testing
These are significant for preventing heartworms in your pawl to ensure the medicament is ferment as intended . Heartworm preventatives for wiener wreak by eliminating mien of larval stages of heartworm circularise through the blood , and do not prevent the initial mosquito collation or transmitting , nor do they eradicate the front of adult worms . Although these methods are highly effective when used as direct , missed doses or other variables – such as the beast spitting it out unseen – can bear upon a ware ’s efficacy . Heartworm testingis done once per year unless there are know doses missed or other faults found in the preventative protocol .
Use a Dog Safe Mosquito Repellent
If the mosquito does not burn the firedog , it can not convey heartworm to the dog . Ensure that whatever product being used is safe for your dog-iron , nontoxic , and safe to use around your other coinage of pets if applicable .
Treat Your Home and Environment
Another big way to boil down your detent ’s risk of contracting heartworm disease is by eliminate mosquito from your home environment as much as potential . This can include remove all eccentric of standing water supply that are on your attribute and using preferent - good yard treatments to keep mosquitoes off .
Top Heartworm Prevention Productsfor Dogs
As antecedently refer , keeping your dog on a year - round heartworm encumbrance is the good way to protect your dog from contagion and disease . Here are some of the top heartworm prevention medications recommended by vets .
Interceptor Plus
This chicken - flavored cuttable not only prevents heartworm , but it treats and controls grownup hookworm disease , roundworm , whipworm and tapeworm infection in dogs . While Interceptor Plus is n’t a flea and check mark preventative , it does offer more protective cover against intestinal worms than any other formula . Protection lasts for 30 solar day and this dog heartworm medicine is available in four different sizes . It can be commit to dogs who are at least 2 pound and 6 week or older .
- Dogs and puppies 6 weeks or old and 2 pounds or greater
Simparica Trio for Dogs
If you are looking for an all - around medicament that can prevent heartworm , fleas , ticks , and other types of intestinal worms , Simparica Trio is an ideal choice . This chewable frump heartworm preventative is easy to lot and protects against heartworms , fleas , five eccentric of ticks , roundworms , and hookworms . It can be given to dogs 8 weeks and older and is administered once per calendar month . Different Department of State cover wiener from 2.8 pounds all the way up to 132 pounds , making this a top choice of both preferent parents and veterinary .
Heartgard Plus
Worms are no catch for Heartgard Plus . This well - known brand of heartworm prevention has been around for over 30 age , and the Plus version offer protective covering against ringworm and hookworms in addition to heartworms . The dynamic component , ivermectin , kills developing heartworms before they turn into adult . This beef - season chew is gobbled up easily by most dogs and is administered once per calendar month for year - rhythm protection . Heartgard Plus is good for dogs 6 weeks of age and older .
Trifexis
If protect against flea in plus to heartworms is top of your precedence list , then Trifexis is a great option . This monthly chewable pill offers protection against heartworm , but it also starts kill fleas within 30 minutes . Additionally , Trifexis also protects hotdog against hookworm , roundworms , and whipworms . This dog heartworm interference is usable in five different sizes and should be give to dogs once per month for 30 days deserving of protection .
Advantage Multi
Advantage Multi is a 6 - in-1 monthly topical answer that prevents heartworm disease , delicacy and hold in sarcoptic mange and intestinal worms , and treats and prevents flea infestations . This prescription topical root is easy to apply on the back of your hot dog and needs to be administered monthly . It can be give to frump starting at seven week old . drug is determined by the weight of your dog , so be certain to pick out the correct dosage when purchasing through your vet .
Steer Clear of Natural Heartworm Preventatives
It should be take note that natural heartworm preventatives are dangerous and ineffective . The only FDA - approved medications for heartworm bar in canines are sold through veterinarians or pet apothecary’s shop and require a prescription from your bounder ’s veterinarian .
To qualify for the prescription , your wienerwurst will demand to have been examined by the veterinarian within the past 12 calendar month as well as have up - to - engagement heartworm testing . There are no good or approved over - the - counter preventive nor treatments for heartworms in dogs .
