VIRGINIA BEACH, VA — Our pets are part of the family. We want them to be healthy and happy and to live long lives. One disease that can plague dogs, cats, and ferrets is heartworms.
Jen Lewis recently paid a visit to a Virginia Beach woman and her dog, Gumbo, who a few years ago, was in bad shape.
“He was a transfer from Louisiana. He was in the kennels and had severe heartworms. I believe he was stage 3 and he coughed up a heartworm in the kennels,” explained Laura Poole.
Laura works at the Virginia Beach SPCA. She is the Director of Finance and Administration, but she has also been fostering shelter dogs for many years. Some of the toughest cases wind up in her home and Gumbo was just that, a tough case.
Laura was able to slowly nurse him back to health, but she almost lost him.
According to Dr. Bryan Sorrell, a Veterinarian with General Booth Veterinary Hospital, “They can actually die because what happens is as it progresses, these worms are basically taking up space in the blood vessels so blood can’t get to the lungs. Heartworms can get up to a foot long and look like angel hair pasta. They are transmitted by mosquitoes and here in Hampton Roads, we have lots of mosquitoes.”
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Dr. Sorrell went on to say, “So basically, what would happen is a mosquito has to bite an infected animal, let’s say an infected dog, but living in this area, it’s not just dogs, its foxes, and coyotes. They also can carry heartworms.”
According to the American Heartworm Society incidence map, we live in a heartworm hot spot with vet clinics reporting an average of 100 cases per year. They are not easy to treat for the owner or the animal.
It is a long process. Laura has taken care of many dogs with heartworms and said, “It takes anywhere from four to five months from start to finish.”
It can also be very expensive. The cost depends on several factors including the severity of infection, the type of testing, and the medications used. The average price tag is painful and sits anywhere between $500 and $6,000. It hurts the infected pet too.
Dr. Sorrell showed Jen the very long needle used to administer the medicine and shared why that length is necessary, “It’s because this injection has to be given in the lower back, deep into the muscle and this causes pain and discomfort.”
He also explained the injected medication is an adulticide, which is an arsenic-based drug. “So, we are actually giving our dogs a poison to kill the worms,” said Sorrell.
Treating heartworms involves a combination of pills and injections along with crate time and leash walking to keep the pet quiet.
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It’s a lot and that’s why veterinarians recommend testing for them annually, but there’s a catch according to the vet, ”one thing that’s interesting about heartworm disease, by the time a mosquito bites a dog and infects a dog, it takes six or seven months for them to show positive on our tests that we do because our test only tests for mature worms.” Also, heartworms can live up to seven years in an adult dog.
Symptoms that a pet might be infected with heartworms include a chronic intermittent cough, weight loss, and a lack of energy. Heartworms can prevent the animal’s lungs from getting enough oxygen and as a result, they get winded and tired quickly.
Preventing them to begin with is what veterinarians advise. Monthly prevention is considered safe, relatively inexpensive, and easy to give.
A 6-month supply runs about $60 depending on the animal’s size and should be given year-round. Not only is that cheaper than heartworm treatment, but it also keeps dogs, cats, and ferrets from suffering.
Dr. Sorrell doesn't see very many cases of heartworms at his practice annually because most of his clients choose to keep their pets on preventative and said, “It’s up to the individual, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
For additional information and resources about heartworms, visit heartwormsociety.org.
