| Heartworm prevention in dogs can seem like an | | | | preventatively for Heartworms. |
| expensive and unnecessary treatment, but it is vital | | | | 4. Treatment of Heartworm infestations can be |
| to your favorite dogs health and by extension your | | | | expensive and time consuming. Even if your pet is |
| pocketbook. Although you may have never known a | | | | completely healthy other than the Heartworms, |
| dog who succumbed to heart worms, it is a very real | | | | treatment for a full infestation can be hard on your |
| threat to your pet and their longevity. The following | | | | dog and wallet. In the best cases your dog will need |
| five reasons should be enough to motivate you to | | | | multiple courses of medication to completely eliminate |
| properly treat your dog for heartworms. | | | | the Heartworms and their offspring, and in the worse |
| 1. Prophylactic Treatment is cost effective and life | | | | case, your dog may require Heart surgery to remove |
| saving. Regular, Veterinarian recommended | | | | the adult Heartworms. |
| Heartworm preventative medication is not as | | | | 5. There can be complications to heartworm |
| expensive as you might think, and can be found on | | | | treatment, even in otherwise healthy animals. |
| the internet at a steep discount to what a local | | | | Complication due to treatment of Heartworm |
| Veterinarians office might price the medication. | | | | infestations can include dead worms breaking loose |
| Preventing a Heartworm infestation is always | | | | and traveling to the lungs. This serious condition can |
| preferred to treating the animal after symptoms | | | | cause respiratory failure, and in the worst instances, |
| have arisen. | | | | death of the dog. It is a shame for any healthy and |
| 2. After infection, Heartworms can stay in your dog | | | | happy dog to be brought down in their prime, after |
| up to 7 months before they have sypmtoms. The | | | | an expensive and failed course of treatment that |
| life stages of Heartworms include a six and a half to | | | | was otherwise completely preventable. |
| seven month period from your dog being bitten by | | | | These five reasons are just the tip of the iceberg as |
| an infected mosquito to adult worms living in the | | | | to why heartworm prevention in dogs is so very |
| dogs heart. Treatment with preventative medications | | | | important. As anyone who has lost a special |
| can kill the worms in this stage, before they grow | | | | companion to this completely preventable disease can |
| and attach to your dogs heart. | | | | tell you, it is not something to mess with. Penetrative |
| 3. Treatment of Heartworm infestation may kill an old | | | | medication is readily available and relatively cheap, |
| or weak dog. Healthy young dogs can usually survive | | | | compared to the alternative. There are several |
| treatment of adult heartworms, but a dog whose | | | | medications that can be given in only every six |
| organs are weak may not survive the treatment, if | | | | months, as compared to monthly for traditional |
| they even qualify for being treated due to any | | | | treatments. There is no excuse for leaving a dog |
| underlying conditions. It is so much easier to avoid | | | | untreated for Heartworms. Look into it, I know your |
| the painful loss of a long time companion by treating | | | | favorite dog will love you for it. |