Is Heartworm Prevention Necessary for Dogs?
If you live in Willow Glen or San Jose, you may be wondering how to keep your dog as safe as possible. Specifically, many people wonder about heartworm treatment for their dogs and if heartworm prevention is necessary. Our team at Willow Glen Pet Hospital is committed to providing your pet the best quality of health care they need.
Heartworm Treatment for Dogs
Heartworms can be very serious and even fatal in some cases. Typically, dogs are infected with heartworms when mosquitoes bite them. The mosquitoes can bite infected animals and then pass the infection on to your dog.
Heartworm prevention is essential for a dog. This is something that you can get from your vet every year. Sometimes it comes in a topical liquid form or a tablet that your dog can ingest. A veterinarian will do a blood test on your dog to figure out whether or not he or she currently has heartworm. Even if your dog does not have heartworm, preventative treatment can still be beneficial. Some of these treatments can prevent heartworms and other parasites as well.
Heartworm treatment preventatives kill the heartworm larvae that may exist in the dog’s system. These are treatments for heartworm rather than preventatives in the most real sense. They prevent major infestations from forming. If a dog has a minor infestation, the veterinary professionals might recommend a heartworm preventative that is administered over several months.
If a heartworm infestation is allowed to become severe, it can sometimes be fatal. Symptoms of this will include reduced blood and oxygen supplies, lethargy, and a chronic cough. If your dog already has a significant infection, his or her activity should be restricted for months because the activity will create a higher risk of blood clots.
Of course, there are some areas where heartworm preventatives are not as important as they are in others. There is a lower occurrence of mosquito bites in cooler regions, and some people may see heartworm treatment as unnecessary. However, this is something that you should always discuss with your vet so that you make sure that your dog has everything he or she needs.
Contact Us for Heartworm Prevention in Willow Glen and San Jose
If you are looking for veterinary care in Willow Glen or San Jose, specifically involving heartworm treatment, contact our professionals at Willow Glen Pet Hospital. Our veterinary team will administer heartworm treatment or any other treatment that your dog may need. Contact us to find out how we can help you and your dog today.