Dog HeartWorm Guide

Heartworm is a very dangerous disease. The nature of this ailment involves the heart. The parasites cripple this vital organ until it can no longer function. As such, your dog may literally drop down dead without warning. This is how bad this disease can get.

What’s even more disturbing about heartworm is the fact that it doesn’t show symptoms until the later stages of the disease. This means that your dog can be suffering from it and yet you won’t know anything about it. If you think that your dog is out of its element, bring it to the vet for diagnosis. As much as possible, don’t skip any of your scheduled monthly checkups with the vet.

The most notable symptom of heartworm in dogs is coughing. Coughing, as it is, is a common symptom Dogs with heartworm tend to suffer from a soft, dry cough. This condition is due to the parasites which have found their way towards the lungs. The lungs, including the veins leading to it, get irritated with heartworms as they multiply in number in and around the area.

Heartworms first infect the heart and then move to the other parts of the body. They will target all of the veins leading in and away the heart. Then, they will transfer into the lungs and the liver. Slowly, your dog’s vital organs will succumb. After a short of period of time, these organs will cease to function correctly, causing intense pain for your dog.

Aside from coughing, dogs suffering from heartworm tend to be very intolerant with exercises and with any other similar physical activities. Certain dogs can be very active. If your dog is lethargic and would rather spend the day sulking in one corner rather than playing with you, it definitely is sick. You should pay your vet a visit soon, as to analyze what's wrong with your pet.

Dogs suffering from heartworm have a weakened internal system. As such, they can’t be as active as before. They can’t get their body to move, run, or jump around. They would rather sit in one place and stay there all day. If your dog has a kennel, it will prefer to sleep inside and never come out.

These heartworm symptoms are quite common. As such, it is possible that they serve as symptoms of other diseases too. This is what makes heartworm a rather challenging case for veterinarians. Dogs with coughs may simply have a pulmonary disease. On the other hand, lethargic dogs may merely be pregnant or in heat, which means they are not really sick. These are the reasons why dog owners tend to be complacent about this disease, only to find out later on that its effects can’t be reversed even by the most trained veterinarian.

The rule of thumb is this – whenever you suspect that your dog is sick, don’t start home remedies until you have taken your dog to the vet. Let the vet rightfully diagnose the problem and provide your pet with the right heartworm medications. Home remedies are mostly recommended during the recovery stages, especially as the dog is working its way towards wellness.