Heartworm is a very risky and potentially deadly disease that affects dogs of almost every breed. They live and breed in the heart and blood vessels of the dog’s lungs. Moreover, heartworm infection is spread from one infected animal to another by way of a mosquito bite. It is spread when a mosquito bite picks up tiny larvae called microfilaria from the dog’s bloodstream and transmits them to other dogs.
This particular disease is extremely difficult and expensive to treat but the good news is, it can be easily prevented. And while heartworm is a life-threatening disease, there have been a lot of myths going around. So let us look at those myths, and find out the actual facts about them.
Heartworm Disease In Dogs: Myths vs Facts
There have been a few misconceptions regarding heartworm in dogs and we will be looking at them, one by one.
1st Myth About Heartworm: Dogs that live indoors are not at risk of getting infected by heartworm disease.
Actual Fact: It is a myth, ofcourse and this is because heartworm infection is spread through a mosquite bite. Just a single mosquito bite can infect your dog with the dreaded heartworm infection. Hence, all dogs are at risk of getting infected with heartworm.
2nd Myth About Heartworm: Dogs that live in heartworm infected areas are only prone to getting infected with the disease.
Actual Fact: Well, this is absolutely untrue. And this is because, heartworm can infect any dog living anywhere in the world. It is not only limited to a specific area. Thus, it is best adviced to put your dog on a heartworm preventative schedule and keep them safe at all times.
3rd Myth About Heartworm: Treating heartworm is extremely easy as preventing the disease.
Actual Fact: Well, we have mentioned earlier that preventing heartworm disease is pretty easy due to the many heartworm preventatives that are available in the market. But when it comes to treating heartworm infection in dogs, it is expensive (approximately $1000) and also fairly risky. Hence, as always, prevention is better than cure.
Heartworm Prevention: How To Go Ahead With It?
All the vets in the world will recommend heartworm prevention and that is because it is much more safer and less expensive. So how to go about preventing heartworm in dogs? Well, there are many heartwomers that are available which do a fine job at keeping heartworm at bay. Some of the best heartwormers for dogs include:
Heartgard Plus: A vet’s first recommended choice for heartworm disease prevention, Heartgard Plus is a beef-flavoured tablet treats heartworm larvae and protects dogs from heartworm infection for a month. Moreover, it also helps in treating other conditions including treating roundworms and hookworms.
Nuheart & Valuheart: Both Nuheart and Valuheart are generic versions to the branded Heartgard Plus. But both have the same active ingredient as Heartgard Plus and is as effective as Heartgard Plus in preventing heartworm disease for one full month.
Nexgard Spectra: This particular oral treatment is more widely known as a powerful flea and ticks preventative and treatment. But is also is effective at keeping heartworm at bay. So if you are looking for a flea and tick as well as heartworm preventative, then Nexgard Spectra can be a great option.
The above heartworm preventatives can be purchased at extensively lower rates at DiscountPetCare. So make sure you check the website out. Also, make sure you consult a vet before purchasing a heartwormer for your dog.
