Heartworm disease is a serious condition that affects dogs, cats, and ferrets. It can damage vital organs, causing irreversible harm or death. We at Trilby Animal Hospital in Toledo, OH, endeavor to treat and prevent heartworm to help ensure your pet lives the healthiest life possible.
What Is Heartworm?
The disease is spread by mosquitos who carry a type of parasite that reproduces and invades areas of the body central to life, such as the heart, lungs, and vital arteries. There are multiple stages to this disease and will likely kill the animal if it is not treated or prevented outright.
Pet Care Involves Prevention of Heartworms
As a dog or cat owner, you have options when it comes to stopping the spread of heartworms. You can contact our veterinarian for solutions that may include pills or chewables, or you can choose to apply a topical solution to your pet's skin. Additionally, our vet may recommend a shot to give adequate protection. Many forms of heartworm prevention can be gotten over-the-counter without the need of a veterinarian although our vet can help you choose between them.
Our Vet at Our Animal Hospital Can Treat Heartworms
Heartworm treatment will likely include a round of drugs to deal with the parasites. This will generally be prescribed for many weeks.
Side effects can be difficult to contend with, and your pet will be monitored for changes to his or her health. It might be recommended he or she be brought back in for heartworm testing sometime after the treatment has been completed.
Generally, heartworm treatment is very taxing on the health of your pet and can cause him or her a great deal of pain and your pet is not guaranteed to survive treatment. It is best to prevent heartworm in the first place.
Signs that Your Pet Has Heartworms
It may be difficult to determine whether an animal has heartworms if the progression of the disease is not advanced. Symptoms include a cough, fatigue, decreased appetite, weight loss, and trouble breathing. Our vet can administer a test to confirm the presence of heartworms.
Get Pet Care from a Vet at Our Animal Hospital in Toledo, OH
We at Trilby Animal Hospital provide veterinary service to pet owners in Toledo, OH, including treatment of heartworms and help with their prevention. Reach out to us by phone at (419) 474-5403 and talk with us about your concerns. We look forward to hearing from you.