Parasites: How To Remove Them And Why- Heartworm

Getting rid of parasites is a very important hygiene practice for dogs. Not only because it is possible for them to infect people, but also because their health can be affected, especially when the parasites are not just fleas and sand flies, but for example  heartworm.  Below we will explain why it is important to remove parasites from dogs, both from the outside and from the inside and all the dangers deriving from possible diseases.

What is heartworm?

Heartworm is a parasite that infests dogs’ heart and pulmonary arteries , causing them to have breathing difficulties and heart problems. In most cases it  can result in death. This parasite is a nematoda (like tapeworms) and is called “heart worm” because in the last life cycle it resides exactly in this organ of the body.

The parasite can be contracted through  mosquito bites and can affect dogs, cats, wolves, coyotes, foxes, ferrets, sea lions and can even affect people.

It was discovered nearly a century ago in dogs and in 1920 in cats. Since then, the tests to find the annoying parasite, treatments and preventive measures have been the subject of continuous research by veterinarians and researchers.

What symptoms does heartworm bring with it?

The main danger of this infestation is that the animal does not show any symptoms of infestation for the first six months, which correspond to the period in which the worm is premature, when it is not yet in its adult form. Without a doubt, even if no clinical symptoms are present, there are tests that can reveal the presence of the parasite or antigens. In this way the disease can be cured in a timely manner.

Very rarely, but it can happen, a larva on its way to the heart or lungs can end up in the eyes, brain or even an artery of the legs. In these cases it can cause atypical symptoms such as blindness, seizures, lameness and the most serious of all, septicemia.

How can symptoms be treated and infestation prevented?

Heartworm infestation is very dangerous for the host dog and dogs that are not treated can lead to death and in any case, even those whose disease is detected and treated in time, must go through long periods of harassing treatments (sometimes even the surgery ) in order to kill any remaining worms and expel them from the body. The best defense against this parasite is a  prophylactic treatment, applied regularly during the mosquito season.

The best way to achieve a good prevention of this disease is to start with a blood test to know if the parasite is present in the body in its developed form (however, there are some tests to detect the larvae when they are still in the premature form. ). If the test is negative, an antibiotic is given to the dog, which begins to eliminate premature larvae and prevents future infections. If, on the other hand, the test is positive, it is necessary to start a treatment to eliminate the adult worm, but everything is a long and expensive procedure  with a certain margin of risk for the animal’s health.

Considering the damage that an insect bite can cause, it is very important to always remember the importance of  eliminating external parasites  in dogs, with a pesticide collar or a good pipette. In addition to fleas and sand flies, these collars will also keep mosquitoes away from our four-legged friends. For the same reason it is strictly necessary to perpetuate daily the elimination of internal parasites of dogs (through tablets), because it is much easier to get rid of these worms when they are in an undeveloped form, rather than in adulthood (and in fact it is at this stage that the problems begin).