Preventing heartworm disease can be a breeze

Summer weather brings barbecues, evenings spent outdoors and something less desirable: an increase in your Pet’s risk of contracting heartworm disease.

Caused by a parasite that matures into long worms that live in the heart and major vessels surrounding the heart, heartworm can affect both dogs and cats. The disease is easily transmittable—in fact, heartworm can be passed through the bite of just one mosquito. Implementing a year-round monthly heartworm preventive is crucial for minimizing your Pet’s risk of contracting heartworm disease.

Heartworm disease may not cause your Pet to exhibit symptoms in the early stages, but if left undetected and untreated, it can cause sudden death. In most cases, a Pet will show no initial signs of having the disease. If left untreated, dogs may develop a persistent cough, reluctance to exercise, fatigue after light exercise, and a decrease in appetite and weight. Cats’ symptoms can include vomiting, rapid breathing and weight loss. The treatment of adult heartworms in cats is usually not recommended, so prevention of the disease is particularly crucial for cats.

Banfield urges Pet owners to keep Pets on a monthly heartworm preventive year-round, as well as to take their Pets in to Banfield for a yearly heartworm test.