By Dr. Dan Meakin

Heartworm disease is very prevalent in Clermont County.  Every pet is at risk, even indoor only pets.  Read on to learn about how pets contract heartworm disease, how we recommend you prevent it, and also how All Creatures is helping to make prevention affordable. 

What is Heartworm Disease?  Heartworms are parasites that infect some select mammalian species, usually dogs and cats, though they also infect fox, coyotes, wolves, ferrets and sea lions.  This is important because fox and coyotes in our area harbor heartworms, passing them onto our pets.  

The Heartworm Lifecycle: Heartworms begin as microscopic microfilariae, or baby heartworms, swimming in their hosts bloodstream.  In order to become infectious, they must be taken in a bloodmeal by a mosquito, and then injected back into a host by the mosquito.  Then they migrate through the tissues to the heart and pulmonary arteries and grow into mature heartworms (up to 12 inches in length).  Here they begin reproducing and more microfilariae fill the bloodstream which go on to infect other pets and wild animals via the mosquito. 

How does a domestic pet get heartworm disease? It all comes down to the mosquito.  One bite from a mosquito carrying microfilariae is all it takes to begin a potentially fatal heartworm infection.  Outdoor animals are at a greater risk as they are bitten much more frequently by mosquitos but even indoor cats contract heartworm disease. 

Well, there is a treatment, right?  Yes and No. For dogs, there is a treatment for heartworms, but it is expensive, painful, dangerous, and the damage done by the heartworms cannot be undone. For cats there is, unfortunately, no treatment available for this fatal disease. Prevention is a much more affordable, safe, and preferred option to treatment.  

Isn’t prevention expensive? Heartworm prevention is more affordable today than in years past.  There are several combination products that are the same price as flea prevention alone, which prevent against heartworm, internal parasites, AND FLEAS!!!  There are also heartworm preventatives that are under $10/month.  The most affordable option is an injectable heartworm preventative called Proheart 6.

Why do I have to test my dog every year if they are taking preventative? Because no preventative is 100% effective, we test to make sure that the products are working effectively.  In addition, rarely is heartworm preventative given exactly every 30 days and, if forgotten, your pet could contract heartworm disease.  If we assume they are protected and do not test, your dog could experience permanent changes to their heart before we discover the heartworms are there.  

How can it be more affordable to test and give preventative? Wellness plans are a great way to protect your dog or cat from heartworm disease.  The test is included in the plan for dogs along with all other wellness services. We also offer a discount to all clients for a 12 month supply along with a 10% discount to our Wellness Plan Members!

Dr. Dan Meakin is the owner of All Creatures Animal Hospital, 1894 Ohio Pike in Amelia. Call (513) 797-PETS.