{"id":902,"date":"2021-04-27T20:39:21","date_gmt":"2021-04-27T20:39:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/baysideanimalhospitalonline.com\/?p=902"},"modified":"2022-03-02T07:16:35","modified_gmt":"2022-03-02T15:16:35","slug":"heartworm-disease-101-protecting-your-pets-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.baysideanimalhospitalonline.com\/blog\/heartworm-disease-101-protecting-your-pets-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"Heartworm Disease 101: Protecting Your Pet\u2019s Heart"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Spring has sprung, and with the rising temperatures and inviting weather, many pet owners are spending more time outside with their four-legged companions. Your feline friends may also be spending more time outdoors, or sunbathing on their catios. But, springtime temperatures are also inviting for pesky parasites, including mosquitoes, whose blood-sucking, biting habits can be dangerous, since they can transmit heartworms to dogs, cats, and many other wild animal species. Our <\/span>Bayside Animal Hospital<\/b> team <\/span><\/a>wants to ensure your pets are protected from a potentially fatal heartworm infection. Here are our answers to common questions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does my pet become infected with heartworms?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Heartworm infections in pets are caused by the worm <\/span>Dirofilaria immitis<\/span><\/i>, which is transmitted by more than 70 mosquito species throughout the United States. Mosquitoes serve as hosts for young heartworms (i.e., microfilaria). Once the young heartworms mature to an infective stage, usually in about two weeks, they can enter your pet when the mosquito bites. Once inside your pet, the worms circulate throughout your pet\u2019s vascular system for approximately seven months, maturing into adult heartworms that can grow to 12 inches long. Adult heartworms can survive inside an infected dog\u2019s body for up to seven years, and inside infected felines for several years. Outdoor pets obviously have an increased chance of infection, but mosquitoes can easily travel indoors, and only one bite from a heartworm-carrying mosquito can infect your pet. Previously, heartworm infections were considered rare in California, but because pets are traveling and mosquitoes are resilient, every U.S. state has now reported heartworm disease cases in pets. In fact, more than 1 million U.S. pets are infected each year throughout all 50 States. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are heartworm disease signs in pets?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Heartworm disease signs may not be present during your pet\u2019s early stages of infection. Cats rarely show clinical signs, and sudden death is often the first infection sign, although infected cats may exhibit a cough, respiratory distress, and vomiting. Severity of signs depends on the infection load, activity level, and overall health of your pet. Pets with underlying health conditions, such as heart disease, may show more severe signs. Heartworm disease signs in dogs may include:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n