Heartworms, fleas and ticks, oh my!
Heartworms, fleas, and ticks, oh my! What is heartworm disease? Heartworm disease is a very serious and oftentimes fatal disease caused by a foot-long worm residing in the heart, lung, and blood vessels associated with those organs. This can cause severe damage to those organs including heart failure and severe lung disease. Dogs are natural hosts for these worms. Being natural hosts means these worms live inside the dog mature into adults, mate, and produce offspring. If untreated, the number of worms can increase and cause blockages which can lead to these diseases. For such reason, heartworm prevention is the best option, and why we recommend protection year-round. How is it transmitted? Mosquitoes play a key role in the transfer of heartworms. Adult females living in an infected canine or feline produce baby worms called microfilaria which can circulate in the bloodstream. When a mosquito bites, it takes about these mi...