An ounce of prevention really can save your pet’s life when it comes to this parasite. The heartworm is one diagnosis no pet owner wants to hear, and far too many dogs in shelters and rescues are suffering from. Not only is it an incredibly dangerous organism that causes serious damage to your dog or cat’s body, but it is also preventable.
Heartworms are transmitted through mosquito bites. The mosquito can bite one infected animal then bite your pet, thus infected them, too. Your pet can be tested for heartworms through a regular blood test. Your dog or cat just gets a small amount of blood taken by a veterinarian and tested for heartworm larvae. These tiny worms live in the animal’s blood stream until they mature. As adults, they travel to the heart which is when the problem becomes more complicated.