The dog days of summer are just around the corner, which means you and your pet will soon spend more quality time in the great outdoors hiking, visiting the dog park, and playing catch in the backyard.
Unfortunately, lurking outside are mini-predators ready to turn your furry friend into their all-you-can-eat buffet. Mosquitos can be extremely dangerous – and even deadly – to your pet’s health by transmitting heartworms into their bloodstream. In fact, one in 200 dogs is infected with heartworm each year, but many owners don’t realize it until it’s too late. However, by ensuring they receive an annual or twice-yearly injections, you can be your pet’s best line of defense.
Why Metro East pets are at a greater risk for heartworm
While pets can become infected anywhere in the country, Madison County’s humid, muggy summers and close proximity to ponds and rivers make us a prime dining spot for mosquitos.
When a mosquito bites a mammal infected with heartworm, it becomes home to the heartworm’s offspring, which eventually grow into larvae. The next time they bite a dog or cat, the larvae are transmitted through the wound and find their way to the heart. Once there, they mature and reproduce, enlarging the heart and blocking blood flow.
By the time a pet owner recognizes the symptoms of heartworm disease in their dog or cat, such as breathing problems, a persistent cough, and a lack of energy, extreme and expensive measures must be taken to save the pet’s life. Treatment can run into thousands of dollars and requires anywhere from three months to a year to take effect. For most of that time, pets are required to rest, which means no running or roughhousing – activities that dogs have a natural instinct to do.
Prevention is the best medicine
When you compare the cost of prevention to the cost of treatment, there’s no question that heartworm preventatives are essential for both your pet’s well-being and your financial health.
Guarding your dog or cat against heartworm is simple, painless, and cost-effective. A variety of FDA-approved preventatives, including chewable oral tablets or topical liquid, range from just $10 to $30 a month, or you can bring your pet into your vet clinic for an injectable parasiticide every six months. Sticking with your pet’s care plan all year is critical since mosquitos can hide out in our homes even during the winter months.
The Midwestern mosquitos that bug us every summer are more than just an annoying menace – they’re an unrelenting threat to our best buddies. By taking a stand against these tiny bloodsuckers, you and your pet can play outside together all summer while staying safe all year long.