03/29/2024
This is something we hate to see at Archer City Veterinary Clinic- a positive heartworm test on a canine patient. Unfortunately, we’ve had two of them this week alone! Heartworms are carried from one dog to another by mosquitos. Once a dog is infected with heartworms it can take a long time, sometimes a year or two or more, to develop clinical signs. During this period of time a dog owner would have no idea that their dog is sick. But in the meantime, the heartworms are causing a lot of damage to the heart and lungs. If left unnoticed or untreated it is a fatal disease. If found early enough it is treatable. However, in order to poison the worms you basically have to poison the dog with an arsenic based medication injected into the dog’s back muscle. This treatment is generally successful, but is hard on the dog, very expensive, and requires a month of strict cage rest following the injections as the dog’s body deals with the dying worms in the heart and lungs. Fortunately, all of this can be easily prevented with heartworm preventative medications. Our favorite is an injectable medication called ProHeart 12. We like ProHeart 12 because: it is very safe for dogs; very effective; one injection lasts for 12 months; the owner doesn’t have to remember to give a monthly pill; and it is the least expensive heartworm preventative we have. Prior to administering ProHeart 12 we do have to perform a $30 heartworm test using only 3 drops of blood. If your furry canine friend isn’t on a heartworm preventative, we would highly recommend giving us a call so we can make sure your dog lives a long, happy, healthy life.
