In 2012 there were 600 reported cases of Heartworm disease in Maryland. Last year there were over 800 reported cases and this year is expected to be even higher. What was once just a major health issue for pets in southern states like, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi is now of concern here in Maryland!
How would my pet get heartworm?
Heartworm are transmitted by infected mosquitoes. The heartworm larvae (or baby heartworm) enter the bite wound. Each parasitic worm can grow up to 12 inches long in the arteries of the lungs and heart of dogs, cats, and other species of mammals. Infected dogs generally have 35-40 heartworm where as cats generally only have 1-2.
Why do I need to treat during the winter months?
Some owners opt out of treating their pets during the winter months, but this can cause a significant risk to the pet’s health. Stopping heartworm prevention medication during the winter runs the risk of the dog or cat contracting heartworm. If the animal becomes infected, starting the heartworm preventative later without testing, can put the pet in danger. Heartworm prevention works by killing the microfilaria (the offspring). If the pet has a significant volume of these microfilaria in their system, killing them all at once could send a pet’s system into shock, with potentially fatal results. For this reason, testing your dog prior to starting, or restarting, a heartworm preventive is crucial.
The American Heartworm Society advises all dogs should be tested if:
- They are being started on a heartworm preventive for the first time.
- A pet has gone longer that 60 days without a dose
- They switch from one preventative medication to another
- They are on year-round preventative as an annual screening
Does my indoor cat need Heartworm Prevention?
Cats are not considered natural hosts to heartworm because the worms do not survive as well as they do in a dog’s body, HOWEVER they are still at risk for heartworm disease.
The concern with cats is that diagnosing heartworm in cats is not as easy, or accurate as testing is in dogs. In addition to blood work, testing on cats can also include X-rays and ultrasounds.
Also, unlike for heartworm disease in dogs, there is no FDA-approved treatment for killing adult heartworm in cats. Because of the additional complications associated with diagnosing and treating cats, prevention becomes the only weapon against heartworm in cats.