Heartworm medicine for dogs should be a primary part of your regular pet care. Heartworms are no joke; they can be deadly. It is important that you have a veterinarian examine your dog prior to beginning a heartworm preventative program because you must ensure that your dog is not already infected. A dog with heartworms must go through a very different treatment program so that the parasites can be eradicated.
A dog with heartworms will often exhibit no real symptoms until the infestation is very advanced. Transmitted through mosquitoes, the parasite invades the animal through the skin and usually ends up in the bloodstream where it is carried to the pulmonary artery where it stays and matures.
Symptoms of heartworms include labored respiration, coughing, lethargy, fainting and sudden extreme weight loss. Blindness can also occur. If not treated early an infestation can be fatal which is why prevention is much preferred over treatment after the fact. A heartworm medicine, administered regularly, can provide crucial protection from this devastating illness.
There are several brands of heartworm medicine that are very effective. Most are administered once a month and have no side effects. Regular veterinary check-ups can also help to catch heartworms and other conditions early. Catching conditions early not only keep vet bills down but also decrease the risk of serious infection in the animal.
A veterinarian is the best first line of defense for any preventative measures and they can recommend the best product that is specific to the animal as well as the owner’s lifestyle. Most of the medications currently on the market are effective and safe but it is best to get the advice of a veterinarian first simply because they have an ear to the ground so to speak and know of industry recalls and other issues that may be connected to certain products.
Heartworms are a very common malady affecting millions of dogs worldwide each year. The sad thing about this is that they can easily be prevented. It is a far better option incurring less expense to take steps to prevent the condition than it is to pay the hefty vet bills to treat it or worse yet be forced to put a pet down because the condition is too far advanced. Heartworm medicine is a small investment that can save the life of a beloved pet.
