How can you keep your dogs safe from heartworm?
TEXAS A&M
Many pet owners are familiar with the phrase "heartworm," but few truly comprehend what it means.
These diseases, which are carried by mosquito bites, can progressively spread to the heart or lungs, causing damage to key organs and possibly death if left untreated.
Preventative medicines, on the other hand, can help owners fight back
Dr. Ashley Saunders, a veterinary cardiologist and professor at Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, gets to the bottom of the heartworm problem.
From the parasite's perspective, the heart is both a simple and lethal target. The heart is simple to access and infiltrate since it gathers blood from all around the body and has no protective barrier.
“As a result, if you live in a mosquito-infested region, your pets are at danger for heartworm disease,” Saunders said.
These bloodsucking skeeters may thrive in nearly any habitat, although they are most prevalent around standing pools of water, where they deposit their eggs.
To avoid contracting the sickness, Saunders suggests keeping pets indoors as much as possible during the summer and other months when mosquitoes are prevalent.
